Project overview
The use of quantitative methods is an integral part of the social science researcher toolkit. Knowledge of how to conduct basic quantitative analysis can enhance a study and complement other qualitative studies as well as being an aim in itself. However, the quantitative research capacity in many areas of social science is poor and needs to be strengthened, especially in the current age of targets and league tables that highlight the ubiquity of quantitative methods. The aim of this project is to increase the capacity of UK researchers in Sociology and Criminology to use quantitative methods in both their teaching and research. Aimed at academics across the career lifecourse the activities will be available to social scientists at both the University of Southampton and in other academic establishments. Many researchers do not use quantitative methods at all in their research and, by association, in their teaching as well. This breeds suspicion of these techniques in the students they are teaching as well as limiting the scope of research that can be conducted. This project will increase the capacity of researchers to conduct quantitative analysis through providing simple ways to teach quantitative methods, embedded within substantive courses. Learning about these methods outside of a normal quantitative course shows students how techniques can be applied, while the 'non-quantitative' instructor will learn these techniques through instruction themselves. Teaching packs will be produced that can be used either off-the-shelf in other educational establishments, or modified to fit the learning outcomes of the specific module within which they will be used. These will consist of computer worksheets for the students, teaching notes for the instructor and further activities that can be completed to enhance the instruction. The focus of the packs will be on the analysis of large scale social surveys such as the British Crime Survey and the Labour Force Survey. These are resources that are underutilised and can provide answers to important questions about the way we work and the world around us. In order to underpin these teaching packs, workshops that cover basic quantitative analysis of large scale social surveys will be given. One workshop will focus on the British Crime Survey, while the other on the Labour Force Survey. These will ensure that researchers who are using the teaching packs are fully confident in doing so. The workshops will also equip these researchers with the skills to conduct their own research or to move onto more advanced quantitative methods courses. During these workshops the researchers will be encouraged to work on their own research, with the support of the investigators on the project. A final aspect is support for the researchers after the workshops are completed. Many courses rather abandon the participants after the teaching has finished, leaving the participants at a loss if they encounter any problems. A quantitative specialist will offer one-to-one support to those undertaking research using new methods and who have attended the workshops, as well as supporting researchers in the University of Southampton. From the workshops and the support a network of researchers who are using quantitative methods will be formed in order to give peer support. Overall the project aims to increase the use of quantitative methods in both teaching and research, improving the skill level of interested researchers and helping, in a small way, reduce the skills gap in the social sciences with regard to statistics.
