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Greenspan on Community Development Research
Late in March, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan addressed the Federal Reserve System's Community Affairs Research Conference. He delivered a strong, clear message: research is needed but the research must be responsible.
Community development research is challenging because the effect of programs can be difficult to measure. Moreover, the benefits of programs may not be realized for a significant period of time. Such research also relies on unusual data collection and tracking techniques. In short, community development research doesn't easily fit into research models.
Greenspan warned about proper use of anecdotal evidence. While it is "not without value," he stated, it "can be selective and can convey a false message of the success or failure of a community development program."
The speech appeared to warn against irresponsible or poorly designed research. In particular, Greenspan warned against assumptions about findings. To make his point, Greenspan poked fun at himself by saying: "I often say at the end of a day that I learned a great deal. Unfortunately, most of what I learned was that what I thought I knew at the beginning of the day was false."
As with all research, community development research should follow an appropriate protocol. First, identify the nature of the problem. Also identify the presumptions of the various causes of that problem. The problem and its causes are what community development is intended to overcome. Any research must have objective and quantifiable standards. Finally, no study is sound unless the analysts are "scrupulously honest in characterizing research results." Otherwise the work is advocacy, not research.
Copyright © 2003 Compliance Action. Originally appeared in Compliance Action, Vol. 8, No. 4, 4/03
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