Community-Based Research Principles

(Adopted by UW Board of Health Sciences Deans, July 10, 1996)

" Community partners should be involved at the earliest stages of the project, helping to define research objectives and having input into how the project will be organized.

" Community partners should have real influence on project direction that is, enough leverage to ensure that the original goals, mission, and methods of the project are adhered to.

" Research processes and outcomes should benefit the community. Community members should be hired and trained whenever possible and appropriate, and the research should help build and enhance community assets.

" Community members should be part of the analysis and interpretation of data and should have input into how the results are distributed. This does not imply censorship of data or of publication, but rather the opportunity to make clear the community's views about the interpretation prior to final publication.

" Productive partnerships between researchers and community members should be encouraged to last beyond the life of the project. This will make it more likely that research findings will be incorporated into ongoing community programs and therefore provide the greatest possible benefit to the community from research.

" Community members should be empowered to initiate their own research projects which address needs they identify themselves.