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USAID Contribution

USAID Scientific Research Policy

Description

The Scientific Research Policy is written for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) staff and implementing partners. The purpose of this document is to consolidate, in one convenient reference, operational policies of particular relevance to the design and management of research activities. Many of these policies exist in the Automated Directives System (ADS). While avoiding restating these policies, this document references them and, where necessary, provides further guidance on matters that frequently arise in the conduct of research. This document also fills important operational policy gaps that are not covered in the ADS, especially on subjects such as scientific peer review, quality standards for research plans and reports, open data, and scientific publication. 

Below you can find a variety of tools and templates to help you implement the USAID Research Policy. These tools may be adapted to your specific needs. Development researchers who have created their own tools are encouraged to post any that they find useful here as well. For specific questions or support, contact [email protected].

The resources available include the following:

Definition of research

Peer review resources

  • Guidelines for reviewers
  • Review request standard letter
  • Research protocol review form exemplar
  • Peer review references

Guidelines for research plans

  • Research plan (protocol) template

Guidelines for research reports

  • Research report template

Intellectual property tracking

  • iEdison intellectual property reporting guidelines

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