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Gap Analysis [Shebli]

Examining Wikipedia’s entry on knowledge mobilization, the entry of knowledge brokers was listed. The brokers were defined as “intermediaries that act as bridges between the users and producers of knowledge”. It was surprising that in that neither the two short paragraphs nor the Knowledge Brokers Wikipedia page mentioned journalism as there are numerous examples of how they move knowledge from researchers to the wider community. The examples of knowledge brokers given seem very business-like and professional, dealing with institutions and knowledge that is intended from the beginning to influence policy. That is the research brokers deal with knowledge that was crafted with a direct relation to policy “knowledge brokers facilitate the appropriate use of the best available research evidence indecision making processes”. The reason for this is most likely because the brokers are identified as stake holders in the research process. This means that they are undertaking the research for a specific purpose with consequences.

Excluded from this is knowledge that is not intended for those purposes, that is usually spread through newspapers and journalists reporting on new developments on research. This research may or may not have a direct influence on policy and is not necessarily intended to have that influence. Newspapers are not stakeholders in a lot of research, but they still report on it and this creates a gap in the entry.

Levin has included journalists as parties to the knowledge dissemination process^[1]. Levin cites the media as an intermediary in the knowledge transfer process, highlighting their function as “access points”^[2] where people find out about research through the newspapers and other forms. While there are several projects such as The Conversation that tries to bring in academics and the media together to share research. The media’s role as knowledge brokers is established and the roles it plays in that process as a a medium for information that is not necessarily a stakeholder have been examined. The exclusion of the media from the broker’s category is thus a glaring gap that should be remedied.

Knowledge Brokers

Media

The media in its different forms such as newspapers or television shows plays a role in knowledge transferCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).for the consumers of media for new research by providing a forum where knowledge is presented and users are made aware of developments.

The media can act as a producer and an intermediary simultaneously. Several initiatives have been developed where journalists and academics work together to write articles about an academic’s research in a form that is appropriate to the style used by media outlets^[3]. The media can also provide a forum where academics can publish their work in an accessible way to reach the general public. [theconversation.com The Conversation] is an example of this process. Academics edit their journal articles to a form that is more in line with usual news sites language, style and format.^[4]

The media allows knowledge to move from the users to the producers. Reports on different issues allow the traditional producers of knowledge such as academics to see what the needs of the traditional users of knowledge are and to act upon those demands. Examples include projects where the media highlight environmental damage that draw in researchers to study the phenomenon and propose solutions^[5].

Several problems face the media when it acts as a knowledge broker. The language needs to be presented in a way that is accessible to the general public in a way that is easily understandable. The experts and producers of knowledge also have to categorize themselves in such a way so as not to alienate the recipients of knowledge.^[6]

^ Levin, Ben (February 2013). "To know is not enough: research knowledge and its use". Review of Education. 1 (1). doi:10.1002. {{cite journal}}: Check |doi= value (help)
^ Levin, Ben (February 2013). "To know is not enough: research knowledge and its use". Review of Education. 1 (1): 23. doi:10.1002. {{cite journal}}: Check |doi= value (help)
^ "UBC News". UBC News.
^ "The Conversation". The Conversation.
^ "Cut: The Cost of Illegal Logging". International Reporting Project.
^ McKinlay; et al. (2011). "How expert psychiatrists formulate criticisms of lay descriptions of psychiatry in front of a lay audience". Text & Talk. 31 (5): 602. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |last1= (help)

[1] Levin, Ben (February 2013). "To know is not enough: research knowledge and its use". Review of Education. 1 (1). doi:10.1002. {{cite journal}}: Check |doi= value (help)

[2] Levin, Ben (February 2013). "To know is not enough: research knowledge and its use". Review of Education. 1 (1): 23. doi:10.1002. {{cite journal}}: Check |doi= value (help)

[3] "UBC News". UBC News.

[4] "The Conversation". The Conversation.

[5] "Cut: The Cost of Illegal Logging". International Reporting Project.

[6] McKinlay; et al. (2011). "How expert psychiatrists formulate criticisms of lay descriptions of psychiatry in front of a lay audience". Text & Talk. 31 (5): 602. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |last1= (help)

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