Using Qualitative Research to Bridge Research, Policy, and Practice

Too often, researchers get a bad name for engaging in inquiry that is inaccessible to the practitioner and policy communities who could most benefit from it. Although speaking to others in the scholarly community is important, researchers must also be able to translate their results into more accessible language for multiple audiences. This article suggests that qualitative research offers a particular potent means of reaching those outside of the academy and conducting meaningful inquiry. The article provides suggestions for ways to bridge the divide between multiple constituencies and how qualitative research can affect both theory and practice.