One definition of global priorities research is "research into issues that arise in response to the question, ‘What should we do with a given amount of limited resources if our aim is to do the most good?’" (Global Priorities Institute 2019) This can include finding and prioritising between different causes. It can also include macrostrategy or "foundational" research that'd inform cause prioritization in a less direct way (e.g., research into the Fermi paradox or whether we're living at the hinge of history). See O'Keeffe-O'Donovan (2020) for an introduction to global priorities research, including discussion of its distinction from cause prioritization research.

Evaluation

80,000 Hours rates global priorities research a "highest priority area": a problem at the top of their ranking of global issues assessed by importance, tractability and neglectedness (80,000 Hours 2021).