Resources for training, information and data
The ESRC fund a range of methods related resources which provide opportunities for training in research methods as well as the provision of information resources and data resources. They also fund various centres and programmes with an explicit focus on methods-related research.
Training in Research Methods
The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) provides a programme of training events, seminars and discussion fora focussing on innovative quantitative and qualitative research methods. These are generally at an intermediate or advanced level.
The Courses in Applied Social Surveys (CASS) provide a programme of short courses in applied social surveys and statistical analysis ranging from introductory courses (e.g. on questionnaire design and survey analysis) to advanced courses (e.g., on structural equation modelling). Since April 2009 CASS is part of the National Centre for Research Methods.
The Researcher Development Initiative (RDI) provides opportunities for the training and development of social science researchers at all stages of their career across a wide range of methodological approaches. Activities range from those aimed at research students to those aimed at mid-career researchers across diverse methodologies (qualitative and quantitative).
The Survey Skills Programme is an exciting ESRC-funded opportunity for social researchers to gain a first-hand insight into the survey process in the 'real world' and to improve their skills in survey research methods. A prestigious collaboration of academic institutes and professional research organisations have joined together to offer a wide range of capacity-building and training opportunities covering all stages of the survey research process. The aim is to strengthen the relationships between those who organise, carry out and use surveys, as well as improve the quality of survey research.
The Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS) provides access to an extensive range of key economic and social data, both quantitative and qualitative, spanning many disciplines and themes. ESDS also provides support to users of social and economic datasets for secondary analysis for research and teaching, from the novice researcher to the experienced data analyst. These include: introductory workshops to demonstrate searching the ESDS site, registering for data, exploring data online, downloading and carrying out analyses; short courses on data handling and analysis in SPSS, Stata and MS Excel and workshops on secondary analysis of qualitative data sets.
The focus of the National Centre for e-Social Science (NCeSS) is to investigate how innovative and powerful computer-based infrastructure and tools developed over the past five years under the UK e-Science programme can benefit the social science research community and enable researchers using both qualitative and quantitative methods to ‘scale up’ their activity. As well as its research remit, NCeSS also provides information, training, advice, support and online resources to help the social science research community adopt e-Social Science.
The UK Longitudinal Studies Centre (ULSC) is a national resource centre which promotes, manages and supports longitudinal research. It promotes the use of a range of longitudinal data sets in the UK and supports users of those data through the provision of advice, information, resources and training in longitudinal analysis. It also carries out methodological research.
The Longitudinal Studies Centre (Scotland) (LSCS) is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of the Scottish Longitudinal Study. These data are available to academics and support in its use is provided. LSCS also provide training in longitudinal data handling, analysis and modelling. It also hosts events designed to encourage the use of longitudinal data and to identify state-of-the-art research in the field.
The Understanding Population Trends and Processes (UPTAP) initiative aims to promote the use of large scale data sets (both quantitative and qualitative) and to build capacity in secondary data analysis amongst new and mid-career researchers. It primarily funds research projects and fellowships but it does also provide some training relating to the use of large scale data sets.
The Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice (cemmap) is an ESRC Research Centre. Through research, teaching and national and international networks, cemmap provides a focus for development, understanding and application of methods for modelling individual behaviour, the influences on it and the impact of policy interventions.
Information Resources
ESRC Undergraduate Quantitative Methods Initiative list of resources for teachers is a list of internet resources that teachers of undergraduate quantitative methods may find helpful, or which contain resources that might be of general interest. It is a draft version and Professor John MacInnes, the ESRC Strategic Advisor for the Undergraduate Teaching of Quantitative Methods, would welcome suggestions for additions. Please email useful sites etc to john.macinnes@ed.ac.uk who will post updates to the methods teachers' mailing list.
Intute: Social Sciences and Intute: Research Tools and Methods provides free access to high quality resources on the Internet. Each resource has been evaluated and categorised by subject specialists based at UK universities.
The International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS) is an online searchable database for social science and interdisciplinary research. IBSS includes over 2.5 million bibliographic records relating to the four core social science subjects of anthropology, economics, politics and sociology. The IBSS database holds over 2 million references to journal articles and books, reviews and selected chapters.
The Evidence-Based Policy Network (EBPP) provides a focal point for those who are interested in evidence based policy and practice. It provides information and resources, a forum for debate and discussion on EBPP issues and also conducts research and consultancy activities.
The ESRC Question Bank is an information resource with a particular emphasis on quantitative survey methods. The website helps users locate examples of specific research questions and see them in the context within which they have been used for data collection. It is intended to assist with the design of new survey questionnaires, the search for data for secondary analysis, and the teaching of survey research methods.
The Research Methods Programme (RMP) comprises a programme of research and training projects relating to a range of research methods. The RMP website contains extensive resources relating to research methods and training that have arisen from the projects as well as briefings of each project. RMP organised the first two Research Methods Festivals, in 2004 and 2006. Projects funded in the programme have now been completed.
Data Resources
The Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS) provides access to an extensive range of key economic and social data, both quantitative and qualitative, spanning many disciplines and themes. ESDS also provides support for the secondary use of data across the research, learning and teaching communities.
Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) is based at the Institute of Education, University of London. It houses three of Britain's internationally-renowned birth cohort studies: 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS); 1970 Birth Cohort Study; and Millennium Cohort Study. Data from the studies is available free of charge from the UK Data Archive which is administered by the Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS). CLS provides training and support for those using data from the three studies. Workshops introducing new users to the datasets are also held.
The Longitudinal Studies Centre (Scotland) (LSCS) is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of the Scottish Longitudinal Study. This dataset includes a large sample of the Scottish population and links together various demographic, socio-economic and health data about these individuals. These data are available to academics and support is provided free of charge by a team of researchers. LSCS also provide training in longitudinal data handling, analysis and modelling. It also hosts events designed to encourage the use of longitudinal data and to identify state-of-the-art research in the field.
The ESRC Census programme provides data and support services to allow users in UK Higher and Further Education institutions to access the 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001 UK censuses.
The British Election Study website contains reports and data relating to the series of studies that have been carried out since 1964 on British voting behaviour.