"Community-based research relies on the involvement of community members, organizational representatives, and researchers...Partners contribute their expertise to enhance understanding of a given phenomenon and to integrate the knowledge gained with action to benefit the community involved." (emphasis added)

Israel, B.A., Schulz, A.J., Parker, E.A., & Becker, A.B. (1998). "Review of community-based research:
Assessing partnership approaches to improve public health." Annual Review of Public Health 19, 173-202.

It is important to understand the community you are researching. You must put aside any assumptions or biases you bring to the community and rely on the information you collect to provide a deep, data-driven picture of the community you are working with. Questions to help guide this research may include:

• What are the community's defining characteristics?
• Who is part of the community or lives in the community?
• What is it like to be part of the community?

This page provides links to resources you can use to learn about your community, including demographic and other data, as well as local news sources