Abstract: Based on the academic research and the authoritative evaluation system of think tanks, this paper constructs the research capability index system of social think tanks. 21 social think tanks are selected by non-return sampling, and the validity of the index system is confirmed by reliability test. Factor analysis and stepwise regression are used to measure the research capacity of social think tanks and its influencing factors. The results show in three aspects: the research capacity of social think tanks is polarized; the lack of talents is the main obstacle to their improvement and development; and government officials in social think tanks have a direct impact on the improvement of research capabilities. On this basis, it has proposed that the research ability of social think tanks should be improved by setting up a collaborative research team, improving its talent structure, and carrying out "refined" researches.