Annual conference
CHANGING SOCIAL RESEARCH:
EVOLUTION OR REVOLUTION?
16 Workshop Presentations
Making an impact
Maintaining quality
Visualising complex data to engage a nonresearcher audience
Using non-probability web surveys to
measure sexual behaviours and attitudes in
the general population
Daniel Ellis & Dr Louise Morpeth, Dartington Social
Research Unit
To make the implementation data of an evidence-based
programme interesting and accessible to a broad
audience, an interactive visualisation tool was created,
allowing users to explore what would traditionally be a
large and unwieldy static spreadsheet in an intuitive
manner. Discusses the how-tos, benefits and pitfalls.
Bob Erens, London School of Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine & Andrew Copas, University College London
A large-scale methodological experiment compares
results from four British web panel surveys with a
national probability sample survey of sexual behaviour,
using computer-assisted self-interviews (CASI). Findings
will be presented and implications discussed.
Innovative qualitative methods
Ethics and technology
Innovative quantitative methods
E-cigarettes: evolution or revolution? Using
mobile qual to understand smoking rituals
Qualitative research among teenagers:
Getting beyond the one-word answers from a
potentially vulnerable audience
The use of geo-trigger technology in research
using smartphones
This workshop explores the potential for mobile autoethnography to provide insight into a complex
behaviour – the use of e-cigarettes. Respondents selfdocumented their behaviour through a smartphone
app, following up with reflective online discussion. The
method challenged boundaries between qualitative and
quantitative data.
Rachel Cope & Sania Haq, mruk
Researchers – and their clients – are increasingly
seeking to consult young people, while at the same time
being acutely aware of the need to protect them. A
multi-stage, online research approach is described, with
reference to the ethical issues raised by the project,
given the potential vulnerabilities of this audience.
Local residents were invited to get involved in a litter
survey via their smartphone, when they entered one of
four city centre locations. The presentation considers
when the use of geo-trigger technology is appropriate,
and the issues to keep in mind. The respondent profile,
user experience, response rates and reasons for nonparticipation are also explored.
Government initiatives
Behavioural research
Innovations in cognitive testing
What are the opportunities and challenges
that innovative research methods present to
government users of research?
Using randomised control trials to test the
effectiveness of service improvements
Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Using eyetracking to develop paper and web forms
Toby Blume & Sherilyn Dos Santos, London Borough of
Lambeth
Debbie Collins & Jo d’Ardenne, NatCen Social Research
Jonathan Smetherham, Dept. for Work and Pensions
The GSR (Government Social Research) Innovative
Methods Group has recently carried out research in
government to better understand the opportunities and
challenges that innovative research methods present to
government users of research. This presentation will
explore the key findings.
How a London Borough used an RCT and behavioural
insights to test the attributable effects of small changes
to Council Tax bills. The experiment was designed to
improve payment rates, reduce the costs of collection
and debt recovery and to help residents avoid incurring
preventable charges and court costs.
Daniel Clay & Emily Fu, TNS BMRB
Nicola Moss & Steve Ginnis, Ipsos MORI
Does eye-tracking technology improve the design of
web and paper forms, offering new insights that cannot
be gleaned from existing methods such as usability
testing and cognitive interviewing? Cases studies –
testing a web questionnaire, an event history calendar
and an electoral ballot paper – investigate the issues.
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Making an impact
Innovative quantitative methods
Maintaining quality
Putting knowledge transfer into practice:
Increasing the impact of research and
information relating to sight loss
Just pray for the best? Introducing new
survey technologies into the Church of
England
Propensity score adjustments for nonprobability samples: Using web panels to
collect data on sexual health
Catherine Dennison, Thomas Pocklington Trust, Sally
McManus, NatCen Social Research, & Fay Sadro, RNIB
Dave Ruston, Research by Design & Sarah BarterGodfrey, Church of England
Andrew Copas, University College London & Bob Erens,
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
A comprehensive programme was created to maximise
the use of research by the sight loss sector, with a mix of
traditional approaches such as workshops, and newer
methods of networking. Considers the challenge of
making research findings accessible to everyone, and
shares insights.
A survey of church congregations tested a mobile app
vs. a historical, tried and tested paper method.
Stakeholder engagement, user acceptability, response
rates, quality, modal effects and practical barriers are
discussed. Delegates can access the survey via mobiles.
Propensity score adjustments are proposed as a way to
counteract the potential for self-selection bias in web
panel surveys. An experiment using four panels found
that adjustments gave some improvement for the most
heavily biased estimates, but this was not consistent.
Innovations in cognitive testing
Government initiatives
Ethical research using technology
The re-design of ONS business surveys: An
agile approach
Helen Kara, Independent researcher
Katherine Ralph & Bethan Jones, ONS
Supporting organisations to undertake
rigorous evaluations - the role of government
administrative datasets
Technology raises a whole new set of ethical problems
for researchers to solve. But, conversely, it can also
help in overcoming ethical difficulties. This presentation
will examine the issues, illustrating potential pitfalls and
benefits, while seeking to raise awareness of the ethical
implications of the use of technology in research.
Substantial changes were needed on a range of ONS
business survey questionnaires, to a challenging
deadline. A new ‘agile’ approach to question-testing
was developed to meet this demand without sacrificing
quality. The pros and cons of the new approach
compared to previous methods are discussed.
Innovative qualitative methods
Behavioural research
Ethnography goes digital: Researching
professionals using a qualitative mobile app
Do consumers have a hierarchy of priorities
when engaging with markets?
Isabella Pereira & Chris Perry, Ipsos MORI
Justin Gutmann, Citizens Advice & Colin Strong, GfK
A case study of a qualitative research project using a
mobile app, supported by more traditional methods.
This presentation discusses the strengths and
weaknesses of using a qualitative mobile app, and how
an app can be applied to research of hard-to-reach
audiences and sensitive issues.
Research into consumer behaviour in regulated markets
used behavioural tracking with survey approaches,
measuring the impact of ‘nudges’ without full scale field
trials. There are implications for the role of behavioural
science to better understand behaviour and to drive
public policy.
Ethics and technology
Nicola Webb, Ministry of Justice & Tracey Gyateng, New
Philanthropy Capital
The MoJ has simplified access to government-held
offending data, and provides organisations which may
have limited expertise in evaluation and data analysis
with the results of quasi-experimental studies of their
impact. Explores the methodological and organisational
challenges, and the wider implications.
Social Research Association
Annual conference
8 December 2014
British Library, London
www.the-sra.org.uk/events
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