Social Sciences Research Laboratories

Community-Based Observation Laboratory (COL)The Community-Based Observation Laboratory (COL) provides portable technology and software to assist researchers in the collection and analysis of observational research data.

COL Facilities• Threeportableobservationlabs(eachcontainingalaptop

with media recorder software, omnidirectional microphone, four cameras and headphones).

• Sixdesktopcomputersthatsupportbehaviouralanalysisequipped with Observer XT software.

COL Services• Developmentofresearchproposalsusingobservationaland

intervention research.• Annotationandanalysisofaudioandvideodata.

Experimental Decision Laboratory (EDL)TheExperimentalDecisionLaboratory(EDL)assistsresearchersinconductingappliedbehaviouralexperiments.

EDL Facilities• A23computerstationlabequippedwithaSMARTBoardand

modular meeting table.• Fivehighlyportableeyetrackingsystems.• LaptopsandiPadsthatcanbesignedouttoassistwith

onsite or mobile data collection.

EDL Services• Developmentofresearchproposalsusingexperimental

methodologies.• Assistancewiththedevelopmentofexperimentaldesigns,

methods and tools.• Customprogrammingofonlineand/orin-labexperimentsusingavarietyofprogrammingplatforms(e.g.,E-Prime,Z-Tree,PsychoPy,Voxco,LimeSurvey,SoPHIE).

• Recruitmentofparticipantsforonlineandin-labstudiesusingSonaSystemsthroughtheSSRLResearchParticipantGroup(RPG).

• RecruitmentofparticipantsforonlinestudiesthroughEKOSResearchAssociatesorAskingCanadianstoobtainrepresentative samples.

• Accesstoinfrastructureandsupporttorunindividualandgroupexperiments.

About the SSRL

TheSocialSciencesResearchLaboratories(SSRL)isauniqueandleadingnetworkofeightresearch

laboratories made possible by the combined support oftheCanadaFoundationforInnovation(CFI),the

GovernmentofSaskatchewanandtheUniversityofSaskatchewan.Asaresearchsupportunit,theSSRL

assists faculty, staff, students and community-based organizationsundertakingresearchinthesocial

sciences by providing access to specialized research infrastructure (computers, equipment and software)

and research space (specific and multi-purpose), and providing access to research supports in the form of specialistswithbackgroundsandtraininginspecificsocial science research methodologies (quantitative

andsurveyresearch;qualitativeresearch;experimentalresearch;GISandcartography;socialnetworkanalysis;

among many others).

OuR miSSiOn:To provide shared research infrastructure

and technical and administrative support to faculty,staffandstudentsattheUniversityofSaskatchewanandbeyond,tofacilitatethe design, delivery and dissemination of

cutting-edge social science research.

EEG Hyperscanning Laboratory (EHL)TheEEGHyperscanningLaboratory(EHL)providesthetechnologyandtheknowledgebaseforconductingneuroscientific research measuring brain activity.

EHL Facilities• Twoelectroencephalogram(EEG)systemsthatcanberun

in parallel or separately.• Twosoundproofbooths.• SevencomputersandspecializedsoftwareforthedevelopmentandanalysisofEEG-relatedtasks.

EHL Services• DevelopmentofresearchproposalsseekingtouseEEG

methods.• AssistancewiththedevelopmentofEEGtasksand

administration.• QuantitativeanalysisofEEGdata.

Qualitative Research Laboratory (QRL)TheQualitativeResearchLaboratory(QRL)providesresourcesforresearchersconductingqualitativeandexploratoryresearch.

QRL Facilities• A10computerstationlabequippedwithNVivoqualitativedataanalysissoftwareandExpressScribetranscriptionsoftware.

• A16seatfocusgrouproomequippedwithaudioandvideorecordingandstreaming,SMARTBoardandteleconference capabilities.

• Digitalaudiorecorders,laptopsandiPadsthatcanbesigned out to assist with research studies.

QRL Services• Developmentofresearchproposalsusingqualitative

methodologies.• Transcriptionofinterviewandfocusgrouprecordings(full

and clean transcription services available).• Interviewandfocusgrouprecruitmentandmoderation

services.• Qualitativeandmixed-methodsanalysisandreporting

services.• NVivotraining.• Environmentalscansandliteraturereviews.

Spatial Analysis For innovation in Health Research Laboratory (SAFiHR)TheSpatialAnalysisForInnovationinHealthResearch(SAFIHR)laboratoryassistsresearchersinthecreation,management, analysis and presentation of spatial information.

SAFIHR Facilities• 10WindowsworkstationswithseveralGeographicInformationSystems(GIS)andrelatedsoftware.

• TwoMacworkstationsfortoolcreation,datacollectionanddata visualization.

• Fivefielddatacollectionsuitesthatincludealaptop,tablet,and handheld computers, cameras, activity monitors and communication tools.

SAFIHR Services• DevelopmentofresearchproposalsusingGIStechnology

and spatial analysis.• Acquisition,enhancement,maintenanceand

dissemination of digital spatial databases.• ResearchanddevelopmentofGIS-relatedtoolsand

technologies.• Mappingandcartographyservices.• ProvisionofspatialandGIS-relatedtrainingforfaculty,studentsandstaffusingArcGIS.

Survey and Group Analysis Laboratory (SGAL)TheSurveyandGroupAnalysisLaboratory(SGAL)supports researchers in conducting telephone, online andmixed-modesurveys.

SGAL Facilities• A20seattelephonesurveylabequippedwithSawtoothTechnologies’WinCATIComputerAssistedTelephoneInterviewing(CATI)software.(Thetelephonesurveylabmaybeexpandedto43stations to accommodate large studies.)

• LaptopsandiPadsthatcanbesignedouttoassistwith onsite or mobile data collection.

SGAL Services• Developmentofresearchproposalsusing

quantitative and survey research methodologies.• Assistancewiththecreationandrefinementof

survey tools (questionnaires) and methods.• Completetelephoneoronlinesurvey

administration and oversight – surveying in multiple languages is available.

• RecruitmentofparticipantsforonlinesurveysthroughEKOSResearchAssociatesorAskingCanadianstoobtainrepresentativesurveysamples.

• Quantitativeanalysis(usingSPSS,StataorR)andreporting services.

• CustomtrainingusingVoxcoOnlineSurveySoftware.

• ProvisionofVoxcoOnlineSurveySoftwarelicenses(VoxcoisaCanadiancompanythatfeaturesCanadian data hosting) – subject to availability.

Contact usTo learn more about us or to initiate a project, please contact us:

Social Sciences Research Laboratories (SSRL)UniversityofSaskatchewanRoom260ArtsBuilding9CampusDriveSaskatoonSKCanadaS7N5A5

Telephone:(306)966-8409Facsimile:(306)966-8819Email:ssrl@usask.caWebsite:http://ssrl.usask.ca

Social network Laboratory (SnL)TheSocialNetworkLaboratory(SNL)providessupportandresourcestoresearchersinconductingsocialnetworkanalysisand interpretation.

SNL Facilities• A6computerstationlabequippedwithaprinteranda

scanner.• LaptopsandiPadsthatcanbesignedouttoassistwithonsite

or mobile data collection.

SNL Services• Developmentofresearchproposalsusingsocialnetwork

analysis.• Supportintheidentification,creationorcollectionof

relational data (i.e., questionnaires, interviews, direct observation, archival material).

• RecruitmentofparticipantsforsocialnetworkanalysisstudiesthroughEKOSResearchAssociatesorAskingCanadians.

• Customprogramming,dataqueries,quantitativeanalysis(usingSPSS,StataorR)andreportingservices.

• CreationofsocialnetworkmodelsandvisualizationsusingRSienna,Pajek,Gephi,UCINetorNetDraw.

Video Therapy Analysis Laboratory (ViTAL)TheVideoTherapyAnalysisLaboratory(ViTAL)providesspaceand technology to assist researchers in the collection and analysis of qualitative and intervention research data.

ViTAL Facilities• Atwo-personinterview/datacollectionroomequippedwith

multi-angle high resolution cameras.• Athree-personinterview/datacollectionroomequippedwith

multi-angle high resolution cameras.• Dataanalysisspacethatallowsfortheannotationandanalysis

of audio and video data.

ViTAL Services• Developmentofresearchproposalsusingqualitative

methodologies and intervention research.• Annotationandanalysisofaudioandvideodata.