Public health professionals across Cheshire and Merseyside are being encouraged to make use of two new practical guides designed to build confidence in finding evidence and navigating academic publishing.
The resources, developed by the NIHR Research Support Service Specialist Centre for Public Health (SCPH), provide accessible, step-by-step support for local authority teams, practitioners and researchers who want to strengthen evidence-informed decision making and share their work more widely.
The first guide, Finding Evidence, offers a practical introduction to identifying, assessing and managing evidence. Designed with local authority public health teams in mind, it explains how to plan effective literature searches, find both academic and grey literature, critically appraise evidence and use artificial intelligence tools safely and responsibly.
The first guide, Finding Evidence, offers a practical introduction to identifying, assessing and managing evidence. Designed with local authority public health teams in mind, it explains how to plan effective literature searches, find both academic and grey literature, critically appraise evidence and use artificial intelligence tools safely and responsibly.
The guide covers a range of commonly asked questions, including:
- What evidence do I need and why?
- Where should I search for research and grey literature?
- How do I build an effective search strategy?
- Can AI help me find evidence?
- How do I judge whether evidence is reliable and relevant?
It also signposts users to valuable resources such as UKHSA Knowledge and Library Services, OpenAthens access, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library and other evidence databases.
For colleagues who are new to literature searching or supporting service development, commissioning, evaluation or research projects, the guide provides a straightforward framework that can help save time and improve the quality of evidence gathering.
Alongside this, SCPH has also published Academic Publishing and Journals: An Introduction, a comprehensive guide aimed at practitioners and researchers who are considering publishing their work in academic journals.
Academic publishing can often seem complex and inaccessible, particularly for those working outside universities. This resource demystifies the process and explains:
- How academic publishing works
- Different types of journals and article formats
- Open access and publication models
- Ethical review requirements
- Authorship considerations
- Publication fees and Article Processing Charges (APCs)
- How peer review works
- Tips for avoiding predatory journals
Importantly, the guide highlights that publishing research is not solely for academics. Local authority practitioners and public health professionals frequently generate valuable insights through service evaluations, research projects and innovation in practice. Sharing these findings can contribute to national and international evidence bases, influence policy and support learning across the system.
The publication also explores alternative dissemination methods, including policy briefings, reports, blogs, podcasts and public engagement activities, helping colleagues choose the most appropriate route for their work and audience.
Together, these resources support a growing commitment across Cheshire and Merseyside to strengthen research capability, improve the use of evidence in decision making and ensure that local learning reaches wider audiences.
Whether you are developing a new service, planning an evaluation, conducting research or considering publishing your findings for the first time, these guides provide valuable practical support to help you get started.
Find out more
The resources are available on our Public Health Research page here and through the NIHR Research Support Service Specialist Centre for Public Health training and development offer:
- Finding Evidence: A practical guide to literature searching and evidence identification.
- Academic Publishing and Journals: An Introduction: A beginner-friendly guide to publishing research and understanding academic journals.
Public health professionals, local authority colleagues and partners across Cheshire and Merseyside are encouraged to explore the guides and share them with teams involved in research, service improvement and evaluation.