Make an Impact with Sage Policy Profiles

By Kimberley Simpson

As a researcher, it can be challenging to showcase the real-world impact of academic work. Fortunately, Sage Policy Profiles offers a solution to this problem. The free-to-use, browser-based tool lets researchers see how their work has been cited in policy documents, and then easily illustrate and share its impact graphically. In this blog post, we’ll look at how Sage Policy Profiles works and how you can use it to make an impact with your research.

Understanding Sage Policy Profiles

Sage Policy Profiles is a tool that is powered by Overton, an extensive repository of global policy documents, guidelines, think-tank publications, and working papers. The platform allows you to see how your research has been cited in policy documents and provides visualization tools to help you understand and share its impact.

Benefits of Using Sage Policy Profiles

Firstly, it helps you showcase your work's impact to peers, tenure and promotion committees, and grant funders. It can also help inspire new research ideas and provide evidence for the importance of continued research. Additionally, visualization tools in Sage Policy Profiles make it easy to understand the broader impact of your research beyond academic circles.

How to Use Sage Policy Profiles

Using Sage Policy Profiles is straightforward. First, sign up for an account and locate your work using the search feature. Once you’ve found it, the tool will show you how many times and where your work has been cited in policy documents. The visualization tools then allow you to create graphs and charts that showcase the real-world impact of your research.

You can then use these graphs and charts to create infographics for websites and social media. Additionally, you can use the graphs to demonstrate your work’s impact in presentations and grant proposals.

Best Practices for Using Sage Policy Profiles

While using Sage Policy Profiles is easy, it’s important to follow some best practices to maximize the tool's potential. Make sure to accurately label and describe the visualization of your work's impact. Utilize appropriate colors and fonts to ensure graphs are easy to read. Finally, include context with the data, such as brief summaries of the policy documents citing your work.

Sage Policy Profiles smartphone screenshot

Sage Policy Profiles is a powerful and invaluable tool for researchers looking to showcase the real-world impact of their academic work. The tool is easy to use, provides compelling visualization tools, and valuable insights. By using Sage Policy Profiles, researchers can showcase their work's impact, inspire new research ideas, and provide evidence for the importance of continued research. So why not sign up for an account and start exploring the real-world impact of your research today?