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Should social science researchers embrace social media and, if we do, what are the implications for our methods and practice?

We know that social media tools are increasingly being used to as part of the social sciences. The nature of these tools means that it is a fast changing environment, with new practices emerging all the time. Despite this, there is limited interaction between practitioners or synthesis of different methods. There are also few opportunities to reflect on the implications of social media tools for our subjects of study, methods and ethics. Our network of methodological innovation brings together academics, researchers and research stakeholders in a community of practice with members drawn from the cutting-edge of academia, market research and applied social research.

The network is led by NatCen Social Research, SAGE and the Oxford Internet Institute, and funded by the NCRM. It’s hosted over several different platforms, including Methodspace, Blogspot, Twitter and YouTube, and will run over twelve months.

Selected reading

The SAGE Handbook of Evaluation

The SAGE Handbook of Evaluation

Ian Shaw, Jennifer C Greene and Melvin M Mark

The SAGE Handbook of Evaluation is an authoritative resource consisting of 25 chapters covering a range of evaluation theories and techniques in a single, accessible volume. With contributions from world-leading figures in their fields overseen by an eminent international editorial board, this handbook is an extensive resource on the area.

Read the sample chapter available…

Analyzing Social Networks

Analyzing Social Networks

Stephen P Borgatti, Martin G Everett and Jeffrey C Johnson

Providing a complete guide to this method from the authorities in the field, this book takes readers through the entire process involved with analysing social networks.

Read the sample chapter available here.

Testing the Validity of Gender Ideology Items by Implementing Probing Questions in Web Surveys

Testing the Validity of Gender Ideology Items by Implementing Probing Questions in Web Surveys

Dorothée Behr, Michael Braun, Lars Kaczmirek, and Wolfgang Bandilla

This article from Field Methods examines the use of probing techniques in web surveys to identify validity problems of items. Conventional cognitive interviewing is usually based on small sample sizes and thus precludes quantifying the findings in a meaningful way or testing small or special…

Agent-Based Simulation Models in Organization Science

Agent-Based Simulation Models in Organization Science

Guido Fioretti

Agent-based simulation models can reproduce the interactions between members of an organization or between different organizations in an artificial environment where ‘‘agents’’ make decisions and communicate with one another. This article from Organizational Research Methods discusses possible applications to core issues in organization science and provides an introductory guide to simulation…

Forum

Should I use an ANCOVA? Please help! 1 Reply

Started by Michael B. Keough in Methodspace discussion. Last reply by Dave Collingridge 10 hours ago.

The SAGE Handbook of Evaluation

Started by SAGE Publications in Selected reading on Wednesday.

Latest Activity

A discussion started by Michael B. Keough was featured

Should I use an ANCOVA? Please help!

Hi all,I am doing a prospective observational study where I have two groups of subjects (drug and no drug) and they are being assessed on a continuous variable outcome measure.It is also known that age affects this outcome. Unfortunately, due to the observational nature of the study, there is a significant difference in age between the two groups.At first I thought I could use an ANCOVA approach, adjusting for age. However, after doing some research, it appears to me that an ANCOVA would only…See More

16 hours ago

1 Comment

Lauren Pettifer added a discussion to the group Book reviews

Gorard, Stephen (2013). Research Design: Creating Robust Approaches for the Social Sciences

Posted on behalf of Ibrahim Al-JubariResearch design is an essential element of any research that other important elements of research are reliant on it. It is important for researcher to know what is their stances, what problems they want to solve, and thus design their research in accordance with the research objective and questions so that they can claim that their researches have solutions to the researched problems. Gorard, in this book, has provided a comprehensive view of the research…See More

18 hours ago

0 Comments

Michael B. Keough posted a discussion

Should I use an ANCOVA? Please help!

Hi all,I am doing a prospective observational study where I have two groups of subjects (drug and no drug) and they are being assessed on a continuous variable outcome measure.It is also known that age affects this outcome. Unfortunately, due to the observational nature of the study, there is a significant difference in age between the two groups.At first I thought I could use an ANCOVA approach, adjusting for age. However, after doing some research, it appears to me that an ANCOVA would only…See More

yesterday

1 Comment