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Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences 2

QMSS2

Anuska FerligojMember of the

QMSS2 Steering Committee

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A research network programme

QMSS2 is led by Angela Dale (Univ. of Manchester), runs from 2008-12, and represents a follow-on from its predecessor, QMSS (2003-7) led by Chris Skinner (Univ. of Southampton).QMSS2 aims to:– increase the capacity of European social scientists in

quantitative methods– develop strong inter-disciplinary and international

networks around selected methods-related themesWe achieve this by running seminars (20 in total) and training summer schools (11 in total)

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The five themes

The network programme focuses on five areas of critical importance in quantitative methods:

• Social interactions and social networks • Lifecourse analysis • Cross-national comparisons• Immigration and population dynamics• Survey design and survey qualityEach theme has a leader and a project team who are

responsible for the seminars and summer schools

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The seminars

• The seminars bring together specialists from different disciplines and different countries to identify and promote cutting-edge methods – they also introduce new scholars and junior

researchers to the network and thus stimulate further cross-European collaboration

– a seminar is held each year in each of the five thematic areas (20 seminars in total; 16 held so far); 25-30 participants

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The summer schools

• The summer schools disseminate cutting edge methods to junior social scientists

• A total 10 summer schools have been funded (two from each theme); they: – last eight days, 25 participants – but some more – provide hands-on training to junior researchers– facilitate cross-country collaborations

• Funds are available for follow-up short-visits to prepare collaborative papers

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Participation

• There are 19 participating ESF countries• email list of 890 subscribers who receive

information about events• Seminars and summer schools are both

heavily over-subscribed• Good balance of participants across countries• Newsletters that disseminates information

about programme

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Evaluation

• Evaluation survey completed by participants at each summer school; results reported to Steering Committee

• Survey of all QMSS2 participants completed in summer 2010– 131 respondents, response rate of 36%– Responses very positive

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Results of evaluation survey

– QMSS2 Seminars: • Key motivating factors

– scientific quality; over 60% very satisfied; almost 100% very or quite satisfied– opportunity to discuss methods used in the respondent’s research; 46% very

satisfied; 95% very or quite satisfied

– QMSS2 Summer schools• key motivating factors

– Ability to learn new quantitative method; 59% very satisfied; 98% very or quite satisfied

– Scientific quality; 69% very satisfied; 100% very/quite satisfied

89% of survey respondents have recommended QMSS/2 events to others

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End of programme conference:New horizons in quantitative methods in the social science

• Application submitted under ESF Research Conference Scheme (ESF/LiU)

• Will bring together:– Invited speakers across the five themes and– Early stage researchers from summer schools

• Programme also includes:– Poster session– New Directions and Forward Look discussions

• Summer 2012 – added contribution from QMSS under-spend