This workshop aims to create a space where we can discuss, with freedom and peer-support, a range of ethical issues that we could encounter during fieldwork, and a range of issues that make doing research more difficult. Some of the examples we draw upon may sound unusual, others will be very familiar. We will also how the traditional isolationist nature of PhD work, results in us individualising experience and internalising issues as a personal-failure. Given the context of academia, this workshop aims to offer possible frameworks of support. Read more »

Research design is a core component of every good research paper, irrespective of is theoretical approach or type of empirical evidence (quantitative or qualitative) to be collected and analysed. Its importance derives from its features: provides a structure to the analysis, makes data collection systematic, guides readers through the logic of the research enterprise, and increases the reliability and transparency of the research endeavour. This course aims at providing an overview of available types of research design for empirical studies in social sciences so that students can make an informed decision about what matches best their theoretical approach and methodological needs. By using a hands-on approach, the course will show how theories can be tested through different research designs with different types of data, will investigate the implications and suitability of research designs, and will reveal how these designs can be best presented to broader audiences. Read more »

Want to build networks with the private and third sectors? Keen to get your research disseminated in policy and media? Interested in producing impact with other organisations? Barry and Paul are two final year PhD students who have for the past year been working with organisations outwith the Academy on a range of projects. Their work has included authoring a UK Parliamentary report, reviews for the British Red Cross and evaluation work with grassroots organisations. They have also made policy impact with their academic research, with both having their work informing questions raised by MSPs at First Minister's Questions. Read more »

The introduction of COVID-19 restrictions in March 2020 has resulted in a pivot from in-person, face-to-face teaching, to learning and teaching happening online. This change in format came with many opportunities, as well as challenges. Our training event seeks to develop and/or improve online teaching skills of postgraduate teaching assistants (PGTAs) in a collaborative, peer-to-peer learning environment. Our own practical experience stems from engaging undergraduates in weekly seminar discussions on social science concepts and data both in person, as well as online. Read more »

This session will take students through an approach to interpreting qualitative research based on the discourse-historical view of Ruth Wodak (and others). It will take students through a range of different examples of texts, asking them in each case to consider the persons and objects under consideration, their characteristics, arguments deployed by actors, and the discursive strategies being utilised by those speaking and acting. It therefore will aim to get students understanding the importance of both the empirical and theoretical context of the text(s) under consideration, how detailed textual analysis can help us achieve additional analytical depth over the discursive strategies being employed, and what discourse analysis can contribute to a research project. Read more »

Comparative case studies are a powerful research design to help test and build theories in all areas of social science. They help establish and test 'boundary conditions' as well as testing the limits of social theories in specific contexts. But they can be challenging to design and execute. Researchers can find themselves several stages into a comparative case design project without really having thought through what are the boundaries of the cases, what are the points of comparative similarity and difference, and what causal mechanisms we are 'looking for'. This can bring problems for the analytical and theory development stages of a project. Read more »

This session will consider some of the key methodological and ethical issues that you might need to think about when working with potentially vulnerable groups. We will begin by considering the concept of vulnerability and what might make some of our participants vulnerable before going on to explore in detail some of the methodological and ethical safeguards we might put in place to ensure our research is as inclusive and participatory as possible. Read more »

This session will be led by Dr Anna Robb, Dr Beth Hannah and Dr Alexia Barrable. It will focus on systematic approaches for literature reviews. The session will consist of an overview of the systematic literature process, followed by a presentation where three researchers will discuss how they have put this into their practice, ending with a Q&A session. ​ Read more »

During this session, we will discuss four key elements of conducting qualitative research in LMIC settings, using case studies and examples from real-world research we have led and been involved in Malaysia, South Africa, Malawi and Kenya. Read more »

In this course Dr Alan Marhsall will provide an introduction to demographic techniques and data. All students require is familiarity with Excel - the content is definitely introductory. The course is structured around analysing the demographic components of change (fertility, mortality and migration) and finishes with an introduction to the cohort component projection methodology. Read more »