Methods Minute Newsletter, July 2023
Taming your research data
Introduction | Webinar | Books | Events | Survey
The steps we take post data collection by Dr Janet Salmons, Research Methods Community Manager, Methodspace
It sounds so straightforward: collect data, analyze it, and voila! Here are your findings, go publish! Alas, it is never so simple. Today’s researchers might generate data with participants that includes multimedia recordings of online interviews, or create drawings or photographs. Researchers who work with Big Data pull in enormous amounts of numerical or written material that couldn’t be reviewed without programming skills and specialized software. The increasing popularity of mixed and multimethods means that even if you are experienced with carrying out data analysis in one paradigm, you might be back to the proverbial drawing board to learn how to work with other analytic protocols.
This quarter Methodspace posts will cover a wide range of topics relevant to new and experienced researchers, from introducing concepts and methods to discussing analytic practices and ways to interpret results. We will look at new ethical dilemmas, and check out emerging technologies. You will find original posts, interviews with researchers, how-to steps, curated lists of open-access articles, and suggested SAGE books and resources. Follow this tag from July through September to find the unfolding series.
Webinar
How can lecturers engage students meaningfully with political analysis and stats?
In our first Sage Politics webinar, Matthew Loveless author of Political Analysis provided insights into the choice and use of statistical techniques in Political Science and how to help students to learn and apply them more effectively,
Drawing on 20 years+ experience in this webinar recording, Matthew shared:
how to help students learn statistical techniques in Politics and IR that lead to more meaningful engagement
how topical and intuitive statistics’ instruction leads to a more positive and longer-lasting student experience – that both lecturers and students will appreciate
how to meet students’ needs, assuaging their fears, and moving them towards success
how to overcome instructors’ challenges in attracting, engaging, retaining students, while delivering impressive results
An interview and discussion with Economics professor, Chiara Binelli and a lively Q&A session rounded up the session.
Books
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Secondary Data in Mixed Methods Research
By Daphne C. Watkins
This brief text provides readers with a step-by-step procedure for incorporating secondary data into various mixed methods research designs, as well as identifying key characteristics of existing datasets that make them good candidates for mixed methods projects and giving ideas for new uses of secondary data. You can find sample chapters here.
We recommend other volumes in our Mixed Methods Research Series.
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A Stata® Companion to Political Analysis 5e
By Philip H. Pollock and Barry C. Edwards
The Fifth Edition of A Stata® Companion to Political Analysis by Philip H. Pollock III and Barry C. Edwards teaches your students to conduct political research with Stata, one of the most popular statistical software packages.
With this comprehensive workbook, students analyze research-quality data to learn descriptive statistics, data transformations, bivariate analysis, controlled comparisons, correlation and bivariate regression, interaction effects, and logistic regression.
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An R Companion to Political AnalysisAn R Companion to Political Analysis
By Philip H. Pollock and Barry C. Edwards
The Third Edition of An R Companion to Political Analysis by Philip H. Pollock III and Barry C. Edwards teaches your students to conduct political research with R, the open-source programming language and software environment for statistical computing and graphics. This workbook offers the same easy-to-use and effective style as the other software companions to the Essentials of Political Analysis, tailored for R. The preview can be found here.
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Analyzing and Interpreting Qualitative Research
By Charles Vanover, Paul Mihas, and Johnny Saldana
This text provides comprehensive coverage of the key methods for analyzing, interpreting, and writing up qualitative research in a single volume, and drawing on the expertise of major names in the field. Covering all the steps in the process of analyzing, interpreting, and presenting findings in qualitative research, the authors utilize a consistent chapter structure that provides novice and seasoned researchers with pragmatic, “how-to” strategies. Check out the sample here and here.
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Information Visualisation: From Theory, To Research, To Practice and Back
By Maria dos Santos Lonsdale
In a world of information overload, this book will help you to cut through the noise and communicate information with clear, efficient, and engaging visualisations.
From an expert with years of experience researching, teaching, and doing information visualisation, learn how to make better and informed decisions around visualisation design that are appropriate for both your data and audience.
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Communicating with Data Visualisation: A Practical Guide
By Adam Frost, Tobias Sturt, Jim Kynvin & Sergio Fernandez Gallardo
This book is a step-by-step guide (honed through the authors' Guardian masterclasses, workshops and seminars) to bringing data to life through visualisations, from static charts and maps to interactive infographics and motion graphics.
This book also includes a portfolio of best-practice examples and annotated templates to help you choose the right visual for the right audience, and repurpose your work for different contexts.
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Data Visualisation: A Handbook for Data Driven Design
By Andy Kirk
One of the "six best books for data geeks" - Financial Times
Winner of the Printed Information Resource 2020 award from the Knowledge & Information Management Group, part of The Chartered Association of Library & Information Professionals (CILIP).
With over 200 images and extensive how-to and how-not-to examples, this new edition has everything students and scholars need to understand and create effective data visualisations.
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Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials
By Gillian Rose
Have you found some exciting images that you want to explore but don’t know how to start your research or what methods to choose? Do you have a question about an aspect of visual culture that you want to answer?
Whatever level of experience you have, this classic text will provide you with the key skills you need to complete a visual methods research project, understand the rationale behind each step, and engage with the contexts and power relations that shape our interpretation of visual images.
Events
We will be speaking at the Royal Statistical Society conference on September 6th. The “Breaking Down Barriers; Exploring the issues students face when learning statistics and potential solutions” presentation will explore why students struggle to learn statistics and potential solutions.
Survey
Take part in our short and impactful statistical anxiety survey, designed to understand professors' experiences with students facing this challenge. Your insights will contribute to shaping effective strategies for combatting statistical anxiety. The survey consists of 5 questions and will take approximately 5 minutes of your time. Participate now and make a difference!