Table 1 Evaluation criteria and questions

Broad relevance

Q1. Is it likely the research findings could inform policy, strategy, or implementation guidance across several (3 +) malaria-endemic countries?

High impact on malaria burden

Q2. Does the research question address a significant barrier to achieving coverage targets of a proven or new promising malaria control or elimination intervention?

Q3. Is it likely the research would enable or lead to a substantial reduction in malaria burden or bring a setting(s) closer to elimination?

Improves efficiency

Q4. Is it likely the research could inform how to optimize the delivery of an intervention in terms of reducing unnecessary costs or resources?

Q5. Is it likely the research would inform how to improve the quality or overall effectiveness of an intervention?

Addresses inequities

Q6. Would populations most-at-risk for and/or most vulnerable to malaria likely benefit from the research after the findings have been applied or implemented?

Q7. Does answering the research question have the potential to lead to more equitable coverage of interventions or in the disease burden distribution in the mid- or long-term (5–10 years)?

Scalability and sustainability

Q8. Does the research address an intervention or approach that could be feasibly delivered at scale by national malaria programmes?

Feasibility

Q9. Is the research question clear and well framed?

Q10. Is it feasible to design and conduct a study in response to the research question (considerations: time and cost to undertake study, human resource needs, study design/methods, would receive ethical approval without major concerns)?