ENVIRON IMPACT ASSESS REV 1990;10:103-112 103 ASSESSING RURAL DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL SCIENTIST ROY E. RICKSON* AND SARAH T. RICKSON** This paper discusses the type of information needed for assessment of rural de- velopment alternatives, and the importance of establishing and sustaining inter- disciplinary research and assessment teams. In this context integrated impact assessment is defined in terms of maintaining relationships between biophysical and social scientists. Assessment of the effect of development on small farms is our specific focus. Impact analyses easily integrate with development plans when they balance goals for economic growth with overall rural community development. Adequate assessment requires information about the equity of economic develop- ment alternatives for different types of farms and mitigation of short- and long- term impacts. The role of the social scientist is critical to ensure that these data are properly collected and applied. Introduction Two significant questions for evaluating economic development programs are (1) what types of information are necessary to adequately assess programs over time and (2) how may we sustain relationships among assessment professionals so that appropriate data are collected, analyzed, and communicated? These ques- tions are basic to impact assessment as we must, first of all, decide what concepts to apply to problems and what data to collect. We must secondly ensure that research or assessment teams are able to work together. Both questions refer to *Division of Australian Environmental Studies,Grifiith University, Nathan,Bnsbane, Queensland, Australia **Division of Humanities, Griffith University, Nathan,Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. © 1990 Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 1GO10 0195-9255/90/$3.50