1. Introduction To Research: Methods and Funding
Dr Charlie Ball
Dr Helen Standage

2. What is Social Science?
“the study of society and the manner in which people behave and influence the world around us” (ESRC, 2017)

3. Social Science Disciplines
Policy
Sociology
Politics
Psychology
Social
Anthropology
Education
Environmental
Planning
Management &
Business Studies
Economics
Linguistics
International
Relations

4. Conducting Research as a Social Scientist

5. The Research Question
The single most important component of a study is the research question. It is the keystone of the entire exercise (Bordage & Dawson, 2003)
It determines the rationale, methodology, analysis and write up
Tips on generating a research question:
Ensure you are familiar with the wider literature
Ensure it has relevance to the larger research community
Ensure it is feasible, have you got the resources (skills, money, time) to answer your question?

6. Ethics Each discipline has own code of ethics e.g.,:
British Educational Research Association (BERA)
British Psychological Association (BPS)
British Sociological Association (BSA)
Social Research Association (general framework) highlighting ethical obligation to:
Society
Funders and employers
Colleagues
Participants

7. Approaches to Research Qualitative Vs. Quantitative
Precise measurement and quantifying
Objectivity
Using the scientific method
Generalisation
Qualitative
Verbal data
Subjective experience
Interpreting human meaning

8. Common Data Collection Methods
Qualitative
Quantitative
Structured questionnaires/scales
Structured interviews
Physiological measurement
(Participant) observation
Semi-structured interviews
Focus groups

9. Analysis
Interpretation of data in terms of the research question or hypothesis
Data is not self-explanatory
Analysis considered at the point of project conception

10. Common Forms of Qualitative Analysis
Thematic
Analysis
Grounded Theory
Analysis
Narrative Structural
Analysis
Discourse
Analysis
Content
Analysis

11. Quantitative Analysis - Statistical

12. Levels of Measurement Nominal Ordinal Interval
Data can be categorised (e.g., ethnicity)
Ordinal
Data can be ordered (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd in a race)
Interval
Data can be ordered on a scale where points on scale have equivalent distance between them (e.g., height in cm)

13. Descriptive/Summary Statistics:
Measures of Central Tendency:
Mode (most commonly occurring score)
Median (middle score of a set of ordered data)
Mean (sum of scores divided by number of scores)
Measures of Dispersion:
Range (difference between lowest & highest scores)
Standard Deviation (how much a typical scores differs from the mean)

14. Inferential Statistics
Allow us to make inferences about a population based on a sample
e.g., female EU UGs show greater resilience than male EU UGs
Not feasible to test all EU UGs
Tests of statistical significance measure how likely findings from the sample represent the wider population
Computer packages such as SPSS needed (Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics, Andy Fields)

15. Report - Writing Qualitative Not one accepted convention Typically
Quantitative
Not one accepted convention
Typically
Woven around the central theme
Include introduction, core material and conclusion (Bogdan & Biklen, 1984)
Strict format
Title
Abstract
Introduction
Method
Results
Discussion
References

16. Dissemination Purpose – contribute to a collective body of knowledge
Publishing outlets:
Professional Bodies e.g.,
National Institute for Career Education and Counselling (NICEC)
Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE)
Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS)
Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU)
National/International Peer-reviewed Journals e.g.,
British Journal of Guidance and Counselling
International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance