Resources and tools for effective science advice

Effective science–policy conversations

Providing effective science advice requires that scientists and policy-makers understand each other’s imperatives. Scientists need to understand what evidence is most relevant to the policy decision at hand, and policy-makers must understand both the benefits and the limits of what scientific evidence can provide.

In order to help promote this mutual understanding, the Office of the Chief Science Advisor has developed educational resources that support effective science-policy conversations. In this section you will find tools to help you understand the scientific method, how to consider the difference between facts and values, assessing the strength of scientific evidence, and evaluating the weight of evidence.