Methodological Challenges for the Twenty First Century
22 - 23 November 2007
Introduction
This meeting is designed to bring together RMP members and others to discuss a number of themes that have either emerged as continuing methodological challenges or as areas where there is a lack of dialogue across disciplines or topic areas. Themes covered in the conference include research designs for policy evaluations; strategies for integrating data from mixed methods; the role of RCTs in policy evaluations; the role of genetic information for research into kin relationships; and the role of new forms of data, (transactional, surveillance, administrative) vis a vis more traditional survey data. The programme has been designed around five themes:
1. Methodological challenges to providing research evidence for policy
2. Case-based methods versus variable-based methods
3. Family relationships and genetics: crossing the medical and social science divide
4. Research design, data collection and analysis using mixed methods
5. Will new forms of data replace the social survey?
Please click on the links below for an outline of the two day meeting, a detailed programme and a further description of the themes.
| Thursday 22 November | ||
| 10.00 | Coffee | |
| 10.30 | Introduction - Angela Dale, Research Methods Programme | |
| 10.45 | Methodological challenges - Nigel Thrift, University of Warwick | |
| 11.30 | Short break | |
| 11.40 | Theme 1 Research design issues in policy trials and evaluations |
Theme 2 Case-based methods versus variable-based methods |
| 13.00 | Lunch | |
| 14.00 | Theme 1 Issues in establishing causality - a multi-methods approach |
Theme 2 Case-based methods versus variable-based methods |
| Theme 1 summary | Theme 2 summary | |
| 16.00 | Tea | |
| 16.20 | Plenary session The role of RCTs in evaluating policy interventions |
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| 18.00 | Drinks | |
| 19.00 | Dinner Speaker: Bob Groves on "Methodological Challenges in the US" |
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| Friday 23 November | ||
| 9.00 | Theme 3 Family relationships and genetics: crossing the medical and social science divide |
Theme 4 Research design, data collection and integration with mixed methods |
| Theme 3 summary | ||
| 11.00 | Coffee | |
| 11.30 | Plenary session Key challenges in achieving the ESRC's Methods Agenda |
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| 13.00 | Lunch | |
| 14.00 | Theme 5 Will new forms of data replace the social survey? |
Theme 4 Mixed methods for policy research |
| Theme 5 summary | Theme 4 summary | |
| 16.00 | Tea and end | |
Thursday 22 November |
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| 10.00 | Coffee |
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| 10.30 | Cockcroft Theatre Introduction - Angela Dale, Research Methods Programme |
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| 10.45 | Some Thoughts on Key Methodological challenges - Nigel Thrift, University of Warwick |
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| 11.30 | Short break |
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| 11.40 | Parallel session 1 : Theme 1 Cockcroft Theatre Research design issues in policy trials and evaluations Evaluation of the Educational Maintenance Allowance trial Lorraine Dearden, Institute for Fiscal Studies and Institute of Education This talk will include an overview of the EMA design and will address some of the issues involved in conducting this study. This will include the question of whether propensity score modelling can compensate for a non-randomising design. Discussant: |
Parallel session 2 : Theme 2 Conference Room 1 Case-based methods versus variable-based methods Chair: Tony Coxon, University of Edinburgh This session will begin by considering the epistemological rationale for case versus variable based approaches, e.g. what does a case-based approach offer (in terms of results/understandings) that is different from a variable-centred approach? Nick Crossley, University of Manchester Discussion led by Patrick Sturgis, University of Surrey There will then be a brief non-technical introduction to each of:
Discussion |
| 13.00 | Lunch |
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| 14.00 | Parallel session 3 : Theme 1 Cockcroft Theatre Research design: Issues in establishing causality The rationale for a multi-methods approach Lisa Pearce, North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Axinn, William G. and Lisa D. Pearce. 2006. Mixed Method Data Collection Strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Discussion What are the respective roles of: - theory , qualitative research, statistical analysis in establishing causality? Ray Pawson, University of Leeds and Simon Burgess, University of Bristol will each, briefly, give their view and then a wider discussion will follow. Ray Pawson Simon Burgess |
Parallel session 4 : Theme 2 Conference Room 1 Case-based methods versus variable-based methods Panel session chaired by Wendy Olsen A panel of speakers will continue the morning focus on Qualitative Comparative Analysis, Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Social Network Analysis to answer the following questions: What is the particular value of each method? How does it relate to traditional statistical methods? How can one include an in-depth qualitative dimension? Panel members : Dave Byrne, University of Durham Mike Savage, University of Manchester Nick Crossley, University of Manchester Johannes Hjellbrekke, University of Bergen Discussion
Case-Based Versus Variable-Based Methods Gemma Edwards, University of Manchester |
| 16.00 | Tea |
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| 16.20 | Cockcroft Theatre The role of Randomised Control Trials in evaluating policy interventions Chair: Angela Dale, University of Manchester The suitability of using RCTs in educational research Carole Torgerson, University of York Some questions about RCTs Martyn Hammersley, Open University The role of RCTs from a government policy perspective Jane Hall, Department for Work and Pensions Discussion |
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| 18.00 | Drinks |
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| 19.00 | Dinner Preceded by: Methodological Challenges in the US Bob Groves, University of Michigan, introduced by Chris Skinner, director, NCRM After dinner, there will be 2-3 minute presentations from each table on "The key methodological challenge for the twenty first century" |
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Friday 23 November |
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| 9.00 | Parallel session 5 : Theme 3 Conference Room 1 Family relationships and genetics: crossing the medical and social science divide Chair: Jackie Scott, University of Cambridge Why are social factors important in genetics (and vice-versa)? Andrew Pickles, University of Manchester Clinical genetics and its implications for communication within families and kin networks Paul Atkinson, University of Cardiff Living resemblances - what people say about their resemblances to kin Jennifer Mason, University of Manchester Discussion |
Parallel session 6 : Theme 4 Cockcroft Theatre Research design, data collection and integration with mixed methods Chair: Julia Brannen, Institute of Education Integrating survey and ethnographic methods through systematic anomalous case analysis Lisa Pearce, North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Pearce, Lisa D. 2002. “Integrating Survey and Ethnographic Methods for Systematic Anomalous Case Analysis.” Sociological Methodology 32(1):103-132 A mixed-methods approach to understanding vulnerability Jo Moran-Ellis, University of Surrey Discussion |
| 11.00 | Coffee |
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| 11.30 | Cockcroft Theatre Key challenges in achieving the ESRC's Methods Agenda Ian Diamond, ESRC Discussants: Bill Blyth, Taylor Nelson Sofres Siobhan Campbell, Government Social Research Unit Chair: Alistair Ulph, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester |
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| 13.00 | Lunch |
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| 14.00 | Parallel session 7 : Theme 5 Cockcroft Theatre Will new forms of data replace the social survey? Chair: Peter Elias, University of Warwick A round table debate with: Mike Savage, University of Manchester The Coming Crisis of Empirical Sociology, Mike Savage and Roger Richard Webber, University College London Names as predictors of ethnicity, language and culture Social surveys and new forms of data: the case of the UKHLS |
Parallel session 8 : Theme 4 Conference Room 1 Mixed methods for policy research Chair: Julia Brannen, Institute of Education Synthesising results from mixed-methods in a policy context - a case study of New Deal for Disabled People Bruce Stafford, University of Nottingham Changing Status, Changing Lives Martin Ruhs, COMPAS, University of Oxford Mixing different types of research in systematic reviews James Thomas, Institute of Education
Mixed methods Research in the Social Sciences: challenges for the 21st century Summary of discussions in Theme 4 Mark Rodgers, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York |
| 16.00 | Tea and end | |
