Call for contributions: 2023 Research Methods e-Festival

The call for contributions for the 2023 Research Methods e-Festival is now open.

The online event, on 7-9 November 2023, will be a celebration of research methods with an interdisciplinary focus.

Session proposals can cover any topic related to research methods, making the festival an ideal event for discussing new ideas and experimenting with formats.

It is the second time NCRM has held its popular Research Methods Festival online. The first e-festival, in 2021, was highly successful and attracted more than 1,000 attendees.

NCRM welcomes contributions from researchers around the world and across sectors. Read the call for contributions.

New episode in NCRM podcast series out now

The second episode in NCRM’s new podcast series is out now.

Each episode in the six-part series features conversations with leading experts on qualitative longitudinal or mixed methods research.

The guest on the latest episode is Professor Jane Gray, of Maynooth University in Ireland, who discusses her passion for looking at how individual lives intersect with broader social change.

The series, which was produced with the EU-funded YouthLife project, is available to listen to on NCRM’s Methods podcast, with one new episode released each month.

Listeners can find Methods on the NCRM website, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Listen to the podcast.

Register your interest in computational methods spring school

Computational social science researchers are being invited to express their interest in a spring school that will be held in April 2023.

The NCRM/Exeter Computational Communication Methods Spring School is being hosted by the University of Exeter and supported by NCRM.

The event, which will take place at the university on 17-27 April 2023, will provide training at introductory and advanced levels. NCRM bursaries are available. Register your interest in the spring school.

Join free webinar on accessing EU data

A free NCRM webinar will explore the ways in which researchers can access documents and data from the European Union.

The event – FOI requests as a research tool: access to EU documents and the role of the European Ombudsman – will be held on Wednesday, 7 December 2022.

The two speakers are Markus Spörer of the European Ombudsman and Vicky Cann, a researcher at the Corporate Europe Observatory.

The event is the second webinar in a new series on the use of freedom of information requests in social research.

It is being organised by a team at the University of Edinburgh as part of NCRM’s Innovation Fora programme. Register for the webinar.

Registration open for third Critical Conversations webinar

The third event in NCRM’s Critical Conversations webinar series is now open for registrations.

The free webinar, on Wednesday, 14 December 2022, will focus on working with people and communities with lived experiences during participatory and collaborative research.

Organised by NCRM’s Collaborative and Participatory Methodological Special Interest Group, the event is part of series of talks that aim to create a space for critical conversations to emerge.

Researchers who would like to participate in the webinar are invited to submit a proposal for a lightening talk. Register for the webinar.

Call for abstracts: Understanding Society Scientific Conference 2023

The call for abstracts is open for the Understanding Society Scientific Conference 2023.

The event takes place every other year and is an opportunity for researchers from around the world to share the latest research on longitudinal household panel studies.

In 2023, the conference will be held at the University of Essex on 11-13 July. The deadline to submit abstracts is 31 January.

Understanding Society is looking for papers on a variety of topics, including longitudinal survey methods and innovations in survey methodology. Read the call for abstracts.

Blog: Having an honest conversation about ethics in participatory research

A new article on the NCRM blog reports on a recent webinar that examined ethics in participatory research.

Written by Akua Quao of the University of Central Lancashire, the article summarises the key issues raised.

Speakers discussed topics such as how participatory methods have the potential to enhance ethical practices, the criteria that define participatory research, working with children with disabilities in the global south, and ownership of data.

The webinar was part of a new series of talks organised by NCRM’s Collaborative and Participatory Methodological Special Interest Group. Read the blog post.

Event to explore survey findings on the attitudes of young people in Europe

An online conference will explore survey findings on the attitudes of young people across Europe.

Organised by the European Social Survey, the event will take place on Wednesday, 7 December 2022.

Presentations will focus on climate change and wellbeing, environmental concerns, and voting behaviours and attitudes towards reducing energy use. Register for the conference.

Blog: Why FOI requests are a powerful but under-used research tool

Freedom of information (FOI) requests are an essential and well-known part of the journalistic toolbox. But they can also be a powerful tool for academic research across a wide range of disciplines.

In an NCRM blog post, Dr Kathrin Lauber of the University of Edinburgh reports on a recent webinar that looked at FOI as a research tool.

The event’s speaker was Gary Ruskin, of not-for-profit organisation U.S. Right to Know, who discussed his experience working on campaigns to ensure transparency in public health.

The webinar was part of an ongoing NCRM series on FOI research organised by Dr Lauber and colleagues. Read the article.

Learn how to use data from longitudinal population studies

CLOSER has published new materials that provide support to researchers who want to take advantage of data from longitudinal population studies.

A recent blog post showcases how the CLOSER Learning Hub and its suite of case studies can help you on your research journey.

CLOSER has also published a new case study that showcases what longitudinal population studies can tell us about how health inequalities can differ by sexual orientation. Visit the Learning Hub.

Booklet showcases participatory methods for working with older participants

A booklet created by a researcher from The University of Manchester details how policymakers and academics can use a more creative, participatory approach when working with older people.

In partnership with organisations across Greater Manchester, Dr Amy Barron produced the publication to help authorities and researchers do work that will lead to better understanding of older people’s lives.

Called Beyond Older Age: Approaches to Understand the Diverse Lives of Older People, the booklet includes material from a photo and story collection co-produced with older residents.

The publication also introduces a selection of methods that can be used when working with older people. Read more.

Book highlights communication challenges in interactions with individuals in crisis

A new book co-authored by Professor Elizabeth Stokoe, a member of NCRM’s independent advisory board, highlights the challenges that arise during interactions with individuals in crisis.

The publication, Crisis Talk: Negotiating with Individuals in Crisis, explores situations involving police hostage and crisis negotiators and emergency dispatchers interacting with individuals who threaten suicide or self-harm.

The book is a valuable text for academics in psychology, sociology, linguistic sciences and related fields, as well as for practitioners engaging in crisis negotiation training or fieldwork. Learn more.

Free training sessions on linked administrative data

Researchers interested in learning how to use linked administrative data are being invited to training sessions run by two specialist institutions.

Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK) is offering introductory workshops to research organisations over the next six months, both online and in-person. The flexible sessions will outline ADR UK’s new data resources and how to use them. To arrange a session, email Balint Stewart: balint.stewart@esrc.ukri.org.

UCL’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies is holding a webinar on Tuesday, 6 December 2022 that will focus on Hospital Episode Statistics. Find out more and sign up.