Social policy researchers hope to enlist the people that their research affects most to judge its quality in the next research assessment exercise.
Members of the RAE social policy sub-panel are canvassing opinion about the best "end-user" groups to include in a consultation about what they think represents good-quality research in the area of social work and policy.
Gary Craig, professor of social justice at Hull University who is leading the efforts, said: "We're not talking about government departments or the people who commission research or to whom findings are directed, but the people whose lives are affected," he said.
One example might be people with learning disabilities rather than the primary care trusts that would implement the policy proposals themselves.