Just the Facts: How to Find and Use Evidence in Policymaking

We hear so often that a program or policy is “evidence-based”—sometimes to justify support for a position or funded program. But has this become more of a buzzword than a meaningful label? Would it help to know where to look for credible evidence—or what questions to ask to test whether something is really evidence-based? This session helps sort out what evidence really means and how it can help make policy and budget decisions that are more likely to achieve policymakers’ desired outcomes.