research design

Deliberate research as a tool to make value judgements

Paper that compares deliberative research to more traditional methods of studying the values of the general public, such as in-depth interviewing, attitudinal surveys, and participatory approaches, and reveals that deliberative designs involve a number of assumptions, including a strong fact/value distinction, an emphasis on ‘outsider’ expertise, and a view of participants as essentially similar to each other rather than defined by socio-demographic differences.

Using and Doing Research

Using and Doing Research is a module developed by IRISS. It consists of three sessions used to explore this topic:
Session 1: Demystifying research and formulating research questions
Session 2: Finding Out
Session 3: Reflecting and Implementing research findings

Methods, tools and databases

Developing research methods is central to the EPPI-Centre’s work. The EPPI-Centre's Methods for Synthesis (MRS) programme is one of five nodes of the ESCR’s National Centre for Research methods (NCRM). The MRS programme develops methodology in research synthesis and builds capacity by offering training and support. This topic is included in the EPPI-Centre knowledge library. The Knowledge Pages facility enables users to search for the key messages within specific subject areas to which EPPI-Centre reviews have contributed.

SCIE report 3: using evidence from diverse research designs

This report provides a number of examples of research that are deliberately or inadvertently developing methods for synthesising evidence from diverse sources. It is a part of a larger SCIE programme of work focused on using knowledge in social care. It provides a partial picture of methodological work synthesising evidence from research using diverse research designs. It looks at work both on the synthesis of qualitative evidence and on the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

SCIE systematic research reviews: guidelines (2nd edition)

SCIE has a commitment to producing rigorous, high-quality knowledge products. Central in this process is the systematic research review, which combines different types of research knowledge about a social care related topic, drawing on evidence of effectiveness, the views of users and providers, and organisational issues. This guidance updates and clarifies SCIE’s expectations, updating the original guidance (2006). It also introduces SCIE’s new approach to assessing the economic impact of social care practices.

Happy and they know it? Developing a well-being framework based on young people consultation

The Children’s Society, in collaboration with University of York, is undertaking a programme of research on the well-being of children and young people in England. This work is based on an extensive consultation with young people. This briefing paper presents a summary of children's and young people's views, as well as describing a framework for children's well-being based on these views, and provides and overview of how we are taking this work forward through a major new survey of children and young people.

Informed Consent in Social Research: A Literature Review

This paper comprises a literature review outlining the current issues and debates relating to informed consent in social research. Focuses primarily on consent in relation to qualitative research comprising ‘traditional’ methods of data collection, such as interviews and observation. It does not does not engage with the many complex ethical issues relating to research using visual methods and new digital technologies nor does it engage with the issues of consent in relation to quantitative research both of which, while important, are beyond the scope of this paper.