Image: by Jewel Caruso Paul Rubin (PhD 2017) recently co-published a research article this month called "Analyzing Congressional Research Service Reports on Education: How is Information Used at Congress's Think Tank?" Rubin and his co-authors provide insights into the content and sources that the Congressional Research Service (CRS) references when developing reports and providing information to federal policymakers. For this study, the researchers analyzed CRS Reports that focus on pre K-12 or postsecondary topics. They state in their conclusion that CRS "draws on a multitude of different sources to support their narratives, its reports overwhelmingly turn to current and proposed legislation and government-associated entities as its primary information sources." In contrast, they found that academic research and reports (provided by independent research organizations) tend to be referenced far less often. This practice of relying more heavily on internal documents could suggest a limited consideration of other potentially useful empirical evidence. Rubin is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah. His current research examines higher education policies aimed at improving college access and degree attainment, particularly for traditionally underrepresented populations, and the influence of state and institutional characteristics on the policymaking process. Congratulations to Rubin and his co-authors on this informative article. Type of News/Audience: Alumni
