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This study compares cost, completion times, and percent completion of electronic tablet (n = 244) to paper-based (n = 398) questionnaires administered to participants of scenic raft trips on the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park. We hypothesized e-tablet questionnaires would (1) cost less (2) be completed faster and (3) be completely filled more frequently than paper-based questionnaires. Our survey resulted in a greater per unit cost of e-tablet compared to paper-based questionnaires ($4.17 and $1.80, respectively). Although e-tablets were completed faster (230 [±66] s) than paper questionnaires (235 [±57] s), the difference was not significant (t(641) = 1.97, p = 0.39). E-tablets were filled completely more frequently than paper questionnaires (80% vs. 51%, respectively; χ2 = 3.84, p < 0.01). We suggest that for multi-year projects with a sample size target of ≥100, and length ≥ 5 pages, e-tablets are more cost effective and efficient than paper-based surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the quality of information collected by a self-administered survey responded to by a general population, who were offered the possibility of answering using the post or Internet. The analysis will be focused on the use of three grid questions with using rating scales with 6, 6 and 8 items, respectively. There was a polar point labelled scale (0–10) with verbal labels only at the endpoints. The postal survey showed greater acquiescence, a greater choice of extreme response categories and ‘easy’ answers, and a greater number of incomplete questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Item non-response rates are a significant factor affecting the quality of questionnaire data. This article looks at the impact that the mode of administration might have on item non-response rates. Using closely matched groups of respondents (n = 466) it compares item non-response rates for near-identical versions of online and paper questionnaires. The research also analyses the difference between fixed-choice and open-ended questions in terms of their respective item non-response rates. Findings from the research indicate that the administration of questionnaires online, while it might have relatively little impact on the item non-response rates for fixed-choice questions, would seem to reduce item non-response rates where the questions are open-ended and require respondents to provide unstructured text-based answers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of quantitative and qualitative methodology in the mixed methods research (MMR) is analysed in a context of distinctions of the meanings between the terms typically used for description, combination, and integration. The interaction in the phases that precede the results, and their interpretation is considered. As an indicator of the quality of interaction, the identification of the two groups of procedures in the practice is used: procedures taken from quantitative and qualitative methodology and MMR-specific procedures. In total, 65 mixed methods articles (21 journals, 12 years) have been analysed. Results suggested that interactions that induce integration of quantitative and qualitative methodologies are more prevalent at the level of determination of the purpose and MMR model, than as a part of the research questions, and especially as a part of the research method. The findings are discussed in the context of the description and the possibility of improving the quality of interaction of the mentioned methodologies in MMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing pool of article submissions has meant that, even with a fairly steady acceptance for publication rate of about one-third of reviewed articles (or about one-tenth of all submitted articles), there are more articles appearing in the Journal. A good example of this is the deliberation the IJSRM editors (and Board) gave to the matter of open research - whether the Journal should adopt a basic data sharing policy (encouraged by the publisher) to stimulate authors to share or make open the data underlying their published research articles. In the early years the Journal was proofed and appeared in hard copy only; now, as well as volumes and issues being available online, accepted articles are published online as soon as proofs are agreed before allocation to a journal issue. This stability in editors and administrators has meant that IJSRM has an "institutional" memory, which has been key in successfully steering the Journal through a number of interlocking elements in technological affordances, academia and the journal publishing industry. [Extracted from the article]

Most quantitative studies in the social sciences suffer from missing data. However, despite the large availability of documents and software to treat such data, it appears that many social scientists do not apply good practices regarding missing data. We analyzed quantitative papers published in 2017 in six top-level social science journals. Item-level missing data was found in at least 69.5% of the papers, but their presence was explicitly reported in only 44.4% of all analyzed papers. Moreover, in the majority of cases, the treatments applied to missing data were incorrect, with many uses of deletion methods that are known to produce biased results and to reduce statistical power. The impact of missing data and of their treatment on results was barely discussed. Results show that social scientists underestimate the impact of missing data on their research and that they should pay more attention to the way such data are treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to critique approaches to qualitative coding that carry a bottom-up or inductive thinking. Despite the wide contributions of this epistemology to the social sciences, this paper contends that contemporary research and methodological debates have inadequately explored different epistemologies for coding. As such, this paper proposes and explores the concept of 'reverse coding.' In applying reverse coding to ethnographic data collected from observations of a multicultural language classroom, I demonstrate that reverse coding can explore intuitions or 'hunches' generated from the data that may not be supported by conventional qualitative coding. By finding such support through reverse coding, or the process of identifying preliminary propositions first and its constituent features afterward, this paper asserts that research employing multiple approaches to coding can extend its range of analysis to generate more robust findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the 'future' methods literature by exploring the methodological potentials of material methods in qualitative research on young women's imagined futures. Existing research has demonstrated how producing knowledge about imagined futures remains a challenge, often leading to abstract or generic accounts of such futures. Arguing for a double focus on materiality as method and the materiality of methods, this paper extends material methods to innovatively study futures. By considering the narratives about imagined futures generated with and by 'future materials' brought by participants to an interview, the paper demonstrates that this approach is productive for gaining insights that go beyond generic accounts. That is, via the materiality of the objects, specific imagined futures become 'within reach' for participants, with the object serving as an anchor for these future narratives. Empirically the paper draws on data from a longitudinal qualitative study of young women's imagined futures in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores issues of reflexivity and knowledge production when cisgender researchers conduct social work research, using feminist narrative methods, to advance understanding about trans and non-binary people's identities and experiences. Cisgender (or 'cis') refers to people who identify with the gender identity assigned to them at birth. The paper examines cis identity, privilege and positionality arguing for a reflexive engagement of the ways in which these influence ethical decision-making and research praxis. In this way, we speak to existing critiques that suggest that only trans and non-binary people should research their own experiences and identities. To address the neglect of gender diversity in education for social work practice and research, we propose that doing social work research with trans and non-binary communities requires cis researchers to adopt critical ethical reflexivity (CER) to scrutinise the impact of gender normativity and its effects in knowledge production for social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce four papers comprising a Themed Section for this issue of the International Journal of Social Research Methodology, which together 'Make the Case for Qualitative Interviews'. Here our aim is to show how this collection provides a timely contribution to key debates concerning the value of qualitative interviews, particularly as these are employed and analysed in much recent social scientific thinking. We explore ways to move beyond recent, sometimes constraining and occasionally dismissive, approaches to interviews in the social sciences through reframing and reconfiguring central questions germane to these debates. We also seek to challenge a broader neo-liberal trend towards valuing quantitative over depth qualitative research. Through this Introduction, and the collection of papers that follows, we seek to re-establish the value of qualitative interviews by shifting the focus from a preoccupation with what interviews can be said to do, towards questions centring on what can be done with interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic literature reviews are common in social research for integrating and synthesising existing research. This paper argues that the outcomes of such reviews are affected by the choice of bibliographic databases. It presents evidence of substantial variation across three large electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCO) in a study on employee retention and staff turnover. It considers the specific articles, numbers returned, numbers shared across databases and perceived quality of journals hosting the retrieved articles. Results show that only 130 articles (5.7% of 2267 retrieved) were found common to all three databases, suggesting that decisions on how and where literature is retrieved can substantially affect the results of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The findings caution against the use of single databases and claiming comprehensiveness. The paper reflects on how additional literature search methods (e.g., contacting experts, citation indices) and their sequence of use can affect systematic review quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the ethical and practical issues of recruiting for, and administering a quantitative survey with marginalised populations. These issues were identified through a focus group discussion, which consolidated and expanded upon informal conversations held previously by five researchers about their experiences of conducting a face-to-face survey (using predominantly quantitative questions) with people who used amphetamine type substances in North East England, UK. Inductive and deductive thematic analysis of the focus group discussion led to the generation of three key themes: researcher positionality, emotions, and role dilemmas; study design; and ethics in practice. This paper therefore aims to extend literature which explores ethical and practical issues involved in studies with marginalised populations. It makes methodological suggestions for how work across a range of disciplines could make face-to-face survey research, and future studies with marginalised populations, more inclusive for both participants and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential of Ubuntu philosophy for decolonising Participatory Research (PR) in the Global South, addressing power imbalances and research process challenges. Despite PR's focus on community involvement, it can perpetuate practices contradicting its principles, hence the rise of 'decolonising research' for fair, respectful researcher-community relationships and meaningful community knowledge. The central question is, 'How can Ubuntu serve as a tool for decolonising PR in the Global South?' Drawing from decolonisation, PR, and Ubuntu literature, we offer a novel perspective on applying Ubuntu in PR. The study demonstrates how Ubuntu promotes social change and justice, challenges Western knowledge universality, and empowers marginalised Global South communities via democratic, participatory platforms. We provide theoretical insights and practical suggestions for PR stakeholders, asserting that Ubuntu adoption can foster equitable, inclusive practices benefiting communities. The paper also invites further examination of indigenous philosophies in decolonising research, enriching knowledge production in the Global South and globally marginalised communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a post hoc analysis and critical reflection of an unplanned methodology change made in the face of the unforeseen disruption brought by Covid-19 pandemic to a longitudinal study on children (N=462) from low-income families in Singapore. The research team was thrown into a state of intense ambivalence between waiting for life to come back to normal so that face-to-face survey could be resumed or to reformulate the methods and keep to the designed time intervals. This paper documents the framework that guided the urgent decision made for the change of data collection methods from f2f to video call survey, the trade-offs, implications on ethics and implementation results. Corroborating mixed post-hoc analysis methods of five qualitative focused group discussions with 39 survey interviewers who implemented the video-call survey, and statistical analysis of the consistencies of survey results over 3 time points, it was found that utilizing video call methodology did not lead to substantial difference in survey quality. The findings of this paper underscore the need for social science researchers to recognize the inevitability of uncertainties in the research fields and the need to strengthen one's preparedness for change while closely attending to the possible ethical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the value of a design-led methodological approach, adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate online interviews with young people (aged 15–17) who had been involved in crime and violence in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. The development of an original digital workshop and set of exercises (referred to as a tool) using interactive methods engaged criminalised youths online and gathered qualitative data regarding their experiences of crime and violence. The research demonstrated how principles of design can be used to empower participants, overcome communication barriers, obtain rich data through online methods, and move away from a traditional 'interview' experience, creating a safer space for more genuine accounts and narratives. Thus, this paper suggests that researchers of youth crime and violence, and social scientists more broadly, may wish to consider how adopting design-led methodologies can allow places and spaces for participants' narratives to develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing and analysing large qualitative datasets pose a particular challenge for researchers seeking a consistent and rigorous approach to qualitative data analysis. This paper describes and demonstrates the development and adoption of a matrix tool to guide the qualitative data analysis of a large sample (N = 122) of interview data. The paper articulates the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of the matrix analysis tool and how it was developed and applied in a longitudinal mixed methods out-of-home-care research study. Specific illustrations and examples of data integration and data analysis are provided to demonstrate the benefits and potentials of constructing matrix tools to guide research teams when working with large qualitative data sets alone or in combination with quantitative data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues for three aspects of tolerance with respect to QCA research: tolerance with respect to different approaches to QCA; producing QCA research with tolerance (work that is resistant to criticism); and for QCA researchers to be clear about the tolerance of the solutions they present – especially in terms of calibration and truth table construction. Giving examples that are based on macrocomparative research, the paper organises its structure around how this approach would apply in terms of QCA research design, calibration, analysis, and interpretation, presenting the dilemmas that can result at each stage, along with the choices they require of researchers. It concludes by advocating for greater acceptance of different approaches to QCA ('perspectivalism') but also being clear about what researchers using it should expect from one another in producing high-quality research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses Individual Deprivation Measure data from Indonesia and South Africa to demonstrate the effects of coverage bias associated with mobile phone-based sampling and data collection approaches that restrict sampling frames to those who own or have access to a mobile phone – a increasingly common method. Analysis of this data demonstrates substantial differences across multiple living standards indicators and demographic characteristics between those who own a mobile phone, individuals with access to a phone and those who neither own nor access mobile phones. This paper highlights the implications of such sampling approaches, and calls for the explicit consideration of the limitations of inferences that can be drawn from qualitative and quantitative analyses because of these substantive differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decades have seen an enormous growth in published research and evaluations, which makes it difficult for a researcher to stay up-to-date in their own field, let alone complement their knowledge with insights from other fields. In this paper we give an elaborate overview of a methodology that aims to tackle this task. It builds on the realist evaluation science approach and combines it with qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), hence its name: the ResQ approach. Central to the approach are generative mechanisms that can be found across fields, domains, sectors and contexts. The approach sets out to synthesize the evidence on the circumstances linked to the triggering of these mechanisms. QCA is used to identify the most relevant conditions, leading to theories around these mechanisms, called 'mechanism concepts'. New studies can test, and refine the mechanism concepts, setting up a continuous cycle of theory-building across disciplines enabling us to learn from other fields, disciplines and contexts in a systematic way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New materialisms have informed an array of creative methodologies, inviting scholars to rethink ethics in the practices of research with children. Participating in this rethinking, this study elaborates on ethical practices in creative research where new materialist and arts-based methodologies intra-act with children and the sensitivities of gender and power in young peer cultures. Drawing on experiences from the authors' creative workshops, this paper investigates how new materialist creative practice allows children to explore and communicate their experiences of gender and power in safe and enabling ways. The authors suggest expanding their ethical practice by composing ethically sustainable encounters for children to engage with experiences of and visions for their peer cultures. They close by discussing practices for responding to the inherent un/safety of addressing gender and sexual abuses of power and for enabling microprocesses of change to – as a matter of sustainability – transform oppressive peer cultures towards social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrary to its typical presentation in scientific publications as a certain and linear process, in reality, the experimental method, not least the design aspect of it, requires a great deal of trial-and-error and ad hoc decision-making on the part of the researchers. This uncertain and contingent aspect of research, although little known outside of the circle of experts, has important implications for our understanding of the nature of science and scientific findings. This paper offers a backstage perspective to experiment design, where the uncertain and contingent nature of experimental research is at its starkest. It draws on insights from the sociological perspective of ethnomethodology through the auto-ethnographic first-hand experience of the first author's own social psychology experiments. Based on detailed lab notes and planning documents on how and why design changes were made, the analysis focuses on the evolution of the experiment design, particularly the researcher's in situ practical reasoning for how to make the experiment work. From this, we show how ethno-methods shape experiment results and highlight the inseparability of social science experimentation from in situ practical reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to gain a better understanding of co-creative research key principles and their enactment in real-life practices. The study is based on interviews and a focus group with academic researchers and professionals (n = 16) involved in eight co-creative research projects funded by the Brussels Regional Institute for Research and Innovation (Innoviris). The study demonstrates the tension between respondents’ understanding of the key principles of co-creative research (e.g. a transformative aim, considering the community as actors, shared ownership, valuing experiential knowledge) and the power issues they face related to a ‘project-funding’ and ‘academic research’ logic when enacting those principles in real-life practices. This paper concludes that although dealing with power relations is inherent in co-creative research, power imbalances should be questioned on the level of (1) the linear, limited and inflexible nature of ‘project-funding’ logics and (2) the exclusive character of research methods, settings and institutions in ‘academic research’ logics. Finally, introducing a political and emancipatory dimension in co-creative research can contribute to reducing the gap between principles and their enactment in real-life practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a project on singles' intimate practices conducted during COVID times as a case study of quantitative social research with a particular focus on qualitative reflections. We thematize the topic of self-reflexivity, which is considered an essential category in qualitative research but largely neglected in quantitative research. We discuss three methodological issues through the lens of self-reflection: 'translation issues'; the problems of asking 'sensitive' and the 'right' questions; and the problematics of 'the present' in particularly fluid times. We show that this approach promotes contextualization of the measurement tool, the data and the findings and can be a way for doing quantitative research on intimacy outside the 'standard' nuclear family in pandemic times. Overall, this paper underscores the ways that scholars as individuals and teams are inextricable from our research site, as we navigate disruption even while seeking to understand its implications on our informants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to current debates on positionality by critically discussing and comparing three researchers' experiences doing research involving Muslims. We introduce positionality meetings to enhance reflexivity in qualitative research projects. Based on empirical evidence from our independent projects and the positionality meetings, this paper illustrates how efforts to understanding each other's perspectives and positions, which differ in identities and biographies, challenge our accounts of self-reflexivity. Due to their deliberative character, positionality meetings reveal new and sometimes uncomfortable insights into, for instance, insider and outsider relationships and our attitudes towards religion as a research subject in a particular political context. The paper highlights several stages of the meetings to demonstrate the deliberative practice's value throughout the collective reflexive process. Serving to an interdisciplinary audience, we encourage qualitative researchers to engage in positionality meetings. Therefore, we conclude this paper by providing recommendations on how to organise such meetings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present a Mixed Integrative Heuristic Approach (MIHA) for image studies based on textual content (media news) analysis. MIHA was developed during an exploratory study on the image of China and the Chinese in Zambia and Angola. The analyzed database was relatively small (2477 articles), and the material was very heterogeneous, because of the wide scope of topics covered by the texts and the fact that we analyzed content from both English- and Portuguese-language media. To obtain the best possible results, we decided to employ the mixed methods approach for a bottom-up created dictionary, and to design a set of sentiment indexes based on both automatic and manual coding. This paper focuses on the two most important steps of the method development: dictionary building and sentiment indexes design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the quality of survey data collected from Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers and college students. Three groups of participants completed the same survey. MTurk respondents completed the survey as paid workers using the Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform. Student Online respondents also completed the survey online after having been recruited in class. Finally, Student Paper-and-Pencil respondents completed the survey on paper in a classroom setting. Validity checks embedded in the survey were designed to gauge participants' haste and carelessness in survey completion. MTurk respondents were significantly more likely to fail validity checks by contradicting their own answers or simply completing the survey too quickly. Student groups showed fewer careless mistakes and longer completion times. The MTurk sample tended to be older, more educated, and more ethnically diverse than student samples. Results suggest that researchers should pay special attention to the use of validity checks when recruiting MTurk samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a response to a research paper that introduced a quantitative tool for supporting thinking on sample sizes for thematic analyses. Topics discussed include the use of thematic analysis in sociological qualitative research, the need to determine sample size, and the proposal for researchers to select the prevalence of the least common theme of interest. The argument that themes can be accounted in a population beforehand and their prevalence known in some way is mentioned.

Qualitative data analysis has been criticised for a lack of credibility over recent years when vagueness has been afforded to the reporting of how findings are attained. In response, there has been a growing body of literature emphasising a need to detail methods of qualitative data analysis. This paper adds to this body of knowledge by presenting a reflexive narrative review of the development of a modified version of the 'phenomenological hermeneutical method for interpreting interview texts'. This modification permits greater transparency when dealing with data that relates to multiple contexts. A visual model to represent this modified approach is also presented. Additionally, an exploration of the underpinning theoretical basis to this data analysis method, and modification, is provided. Accordingly, this paper demonstrates this modified qualitative data analysis method ensures that subjective relativistic origins and contexts of interpretations are identifiable, whilst permitting full objectification of the text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much care has been paid to reflexivity, including considering emotional sensitivities in relation to face-to-face interviews. However, less attention has been paid to the impact of sensitivities on the process of data analysis and the presentation of research findings. This paper focuses on what constitutes 'the data' to be analysed, who analyses and interprets the data, what is silenced and what is made public, and what this might mean for feminist research practice in areas considered to be 'sensitive'. It examines these issues by focusing on research on abortion decision-making in which the views and emotions of the researcher were profoundly challenged by women's constructions of narratives containing a theme of abortion regret. The paper demonstrates how theoretical perspectives – in this case, feminist standpoint theory – can be used in sensitive research, to allow the researcher to resolve such tensions by providing a means through which greater attention can be paid to the context of participants' narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research about dying is viewed as inherently sensitive because of how death is perceived in many societies. Such framing assumes participants are 'vulnerable' and at risk of 'harm' from research. Simultaneously, with increasing recognition of the importance of reflexivity, researchers can become (deeply) preoccupied with their actions and experiences in the field. Whilst reflexivity is often described as a helpful process, in this paper we consider when introspection becomes problematic and even harmful for death researchers, in both a professional and personal sense. Identifying a process we call 'internalising sensitivity' the paper describes our own experiences of working and living with the pervasive ethical notions of sensitivity, vulnerability, risk and harm. We argue that these discourses can get 'under the skin' of researchers in that they impact researchers intellectually, emotionally, and physically, and this in turns affects their relationship with the research process and their place within, and beyond it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 immediately and radically necessitated changes in the way we worked as social researchers; not only in terms of fieldwork, but also in terms of collaboration. In this paper, we outline the rationale, processes, and potential of a collective of 14 research teams both inside and outside of academia working together across the UK to synthesise findings on the experiences of over 4,000 families parents and carers living on a low-income during the pandemic. Drawing on an approach based on meta-ethnography, our collective body of work comprises novel evidence and insights generated with a major cohort of families living on a low-income, through which we examine the impacts of the pandemic, and implications for social policy. This paper focuses on the practical, ethical, and methodological learnings and reflections on the processes of research synthesis in the pandemic context, and beyond. We set out the underpinning principles that guided our collaborative efforts before we explore the possibilities and challenges of working together to produce coherent, timely, and relevant findings that were shared with policy makers and those in power. Finally, we emphasise the significant potential of working collaboratively, and stress the importance of continuing to do so in a post-pandemic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper grapples with methodological issues related to ongoing debates on positionality and reflexivity by drawing on the author’s experience of conducting research in a culturally familiar field. The paper is based on in-depth qualitative research that examined the lived realities of unemployed young people residing in the township of Daveyton in South Africa’s Gauteng Province. This paper aims to transcend conventional perspectives on ‘outsider–insider’ dynamics as these do not fully explain the complexity of conducting research in a familiar field. The research involved the use of one-on-one interviews and group discussions. I use the term politics of conducting research in a familiar field to explain the texture, language, and daily realities of Daveyton, which are familiar to me given my upbringing in a similar community that I grew up in. To elaborate on this, I formulate three dimensions of the politics of researching a familiar field which are as follows: (1) Ambiguities of the ‘element of surprise’; (2) Re-negotiating entry; and (3) wider concept of the researcher as ‘outsider’. The paper concludes by calling on researchers conducting studies within their own or similar communities to pay specific attention to the nuances of class privilege, exclusion, and power in order to provide meaningful analysis of the existential conditions that participants face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper synthesises a large dataset on how social research methods and practices have been adapted or designed for use within pandemic conditions and a climate of crisis and uncertainty. The data were generated through two rapid evidence reviews of the methodological literature and in dialogue with social researchers in online knowledge exchange workshops. The authors apply the concepts of crisis, uncertainty and sustainability to discuss the ways in which social researchers are able to conduct research and make it valid, trustworthy and ethical in times of great challenge for research. The paper provides a big picture of the challenges and the degree of maturity and sustainability of various methodological responses. The authors conclude that some methods are at a critical juncture in their development for times of crisis and uncertainty and that these merit particular attention for those involved in capacity-building for social research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the ‘telling case’ and the manner and extent of its use in social research. The ‘telling case’, proposed by Mitchell as a counter to prevailing expectations of typicality, is an ethnographic case study, derived from analytic induction and focused on the exposure of new theoretical insights. By means of an evaluation of the available literature this paper summarises Mitchell’s construal of the ‘telling case’ before examining how it has been exploited by others. The evidence suggests that while authors acknowledge the source of the ‘telling case’ few offer any substantial acknowledgement of Mitchell’s conceptualisation, indicating that most ‘telling case’ research has employed Mitchell’s name somewhat disingenuously and contributed to the growth of a methodological myth. Moreover, despite its international spread, its origins seem located in the work of a small number of internationally recognised scholars and the mobility of their former graduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: Realism; research methods EN Realism research methods 93 94 2 12/12/20 20210101 NES 210101 The editors of this journal issued an invitation for papers addressing the important issue of how the "realist programme" can and should influence the way social research is done. The three papers in this section might be described as the Noun paper (Emmel), the Noun/Verb paper (Dyer and Williams) and the Verb paper (Dalkin and colleagues). Realism, research methods. [Extracted from the article]

Context is a key concept in developing realist causal explanations but its conceptualisation has received comparatively less attention. We conducted a review to explore how context is conceptualised within realist reviews and evaluations. We purposively selected 40 studies to examine: How is context defined? And how is context operationalised in the findings? We identified two key 'narratives' in the way context was conceptualised: 1) Context as observable features (space, place, people, things) that triggered or blocked the intervention; assuming that context operates at one moment in time and sets in motion a chain reaction of events. 2) Context as the relational and dynamic features that shaped the mechanisms through which the intervention works; assuming that context operates in a dynamic, emergent way over time at multiple different levels of the social system. These two context narratives have different implications for the design, goals and impact of realist reviews and evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sequential mixed method (SMM) designs, the transition phase between epistemologically divergent methods is critical. However, little guidance is available on how to effectively steer the transition between methods. We demonstrate the importance of the transition phase during the integration between methods in this paper with reference to a qualitative led SMM study that evaluated intrahousehold decision-making processes and their implications for the wellbeing of partnered women in Malaysia. The article uses an example of our use of a theoretical framework – the Capability Approach – to scaffold and integrate qualitative data on women’s wellbeing and thereby smooth the transition from one method to the other. This study highlights how theory can act as a bridge between different methods, facilitating a smooth slide from one method to another. The study contributes to mixed methods by demonstrating the value of a strong theoretical framework for its effective integration and operationalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will explore the dichotomy of direction and stimulus through a reflection on arts-based methods used in a research study into post-industrial communities in South Wales and consider whether in participatory processes, a catalyst for artistic creativity could become construed as researcher-led control over the activities. Through an examination of the methods and outcomes of the project, which employed a range of qualitative methods with an artistic and creative basis, I reflect on the positives and negatives of such an approach and also consider how my positionality affected my epistemological stance. Ultimately, I conclude that the complex storying of participatory activities and the issues of power and identity involving both researcher and participants inevitably means that the research 'dance' blurs the distinction between participation and direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A crucial part of theory-driven realist thinking is retroduction, the process of looking backwards for explanation of how and why things may be. Conducted early in the realist evaluation process, it provides a foundation for evidenced 'theory gleaning'. Despite retroduction being an inherent part of the realist process, it is often 'hidden' in realist reports. This paper explains the thinking behind, alongside an example of, a framework created by the authors to make transparent the retroductive process as used in a realist evaluation of two community End of Life Care services. The approach makes visible the application of the 'sociological imagination' and lends robustness to hypotheses by establishing how the authors utilised: wide-ranging potential generative causation; stakeholder and Patient and Public Involvement feedback; literature scoping; and substantive theories at the middle range, specifically Transitions Theory. These stages led to the development of Initial Programme Theories, with a clear history of genesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on experiences gained in a 16-year qualitative study of the experiences of working-class students who were the first in their family to attend university. Although the study suffered from attrition and analysis was complicated because it became increasingly difficult to understand the data through any one theoretical or conceptual framework, this complexity also offered the opportunity for a more nuanced approach, to become reassured in earlier interpretations, and to correct past misinterpretations. Their long-term commitment to the research project led many of the participants to articulate benefits they gained from being in the study for 16 years. The opportunity to tell their stories and have their experiences as first-in-family students validated was something they identified as especially important and valuable to them. QLR thus offers unique benefits that are not possible in cross-sectional research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenomenography, as a qualitative research methodology, is distinguished by its simultaneous focus on investigating (a) variation in ways of experiencing phenomena in the world, and (b) structural relationships that link and separate the different ways of experiencing. The focus on structural relationships is often regarded as the most distinctive and useful aspect of the methodology, but it is also the least well understood aspect. To help explicate the nature of structural relationships in phenomenographic research, this paper reports the outcomes of an empirical study of different understandings of structural relationships amongst educational researchers. Structural relationships were variously described as: (1) hierarchical relationships; (2) hierarchically-inclusive relationships; (3) meaning-structure relationships; (4) part-whole relationships; and (5) multi-faceted relationships. The outcomes of the study highlight a number of critical aspects of the notion of structural relationships that researchers need to become aware of in order to use the methodology in a sophisticated way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses methodological challenges in researching practice. The primary challenge discussed arises from the view that practice is inextricable from its performance, and that performance is embedded in social relations, material infrastructures and historical context. The paper argues for a philosophical hermeneutics approach that works with practitioner-informants to explicate a model of variables salient to practitioners, which, in concert, would support practical wisdom in decision-making. A further methodological challenge discussed in the paper is that of defining the object of practice. The paper argues for avoiding tight definitions in favour of discovering from the lived experience of informants a recognisable 'family likeness' in relation to the object of practice. The paper shows how one research team responded to the challenges by its choices of stance, lenses through which to attend to information, selection of sources, and how to discern and present emergent insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very likely that electronic means of data collection will become a standard for socio-economic surveys in the near future. As surveys move from paper form to personal digital assistants (PDAs) or tablets, there is a need to evaluate if such a shift will affect the quality of the data. To explore the potential biases that data collection through PDAs may generate, we use the third wave of Young Lives-Peru to randomly assign survey respondents between PDA-based questionnaires and paper-based questionnaires. The study shows that data collected through PDAs has a higher level of agreement when compared to paper-based responses. However, there are a number of situations where paper-based questionnaires do not easily translate to PDA-based questionnaires. In addition, the study highlights the need to improve training as different surveyor’s characteristics (age, gender, education, etc.) may also be correlated with some observed differences between PDA and paper-based questionnaires. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Understanding complex (social) phenomena benefits from combining different tools, perspectives, expertise, and experiences. Research designs that combine approaches are gaining in popularity. Carrying out research in interdisciplinary teams, however, is a challenging, high-investment activity. Unawareness of and reflecting on conflicting ways of seeing or studying the world may endanger project success. Agent-based modelling has proven instrumental in bringing together different approaches. Yet, this potential enabler remains an unusual combination partner: the additional prevalent lack of transparency about what is combined, and how, obstructs advancement. We therefore invite our readers behind the scenes of our multi-year research collaboration where we combine agent-based modelling with controlled behavioural experiments to advance the understanding of collective resource use in a common pool resource dilemma. The paper contributes by 1) being an example in sharing the processes of combining approaches, and by 2) highlighting the enabling role of ABM in combining research approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current era of more extreme political and religious views coming into the mainstream, this paper investigates whether party affiliation is associated with the concept of religious morality more than political ideology. To answer this research question, we construct an empirical scale of religious morality based on data from opinion polls, which remain among the most efficient and widespread survey methods to capture psycho-social data at large scales. Classification models, using ideology and religious morality as predictors, respectively, were compared on their performance in predicting party affiliation. Response data on just four questions from a national opinion poll were used to demonstrate the viability of constructing a parametric scale using item response modeling approaches. Results show that even with 'small data', a measurement-based and data-driven approach can produce classification models that are both statistically precise and accurate. Finally, we discuss the findings and the implications for both politics and psycho-social measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The observations in this paper follow online focus group research involving mothers who play video games as a leisure pursuit. The study utilised an online focus group method within a custom online forum which split the forum into small virtual rooms, replicating small face-to-face focus groups in an online environment. The primary objective of this paper is to offer insights that can support other researchers in utilising the online forum based focus group methodology, by reflecting on the research process and detailing the lessons learned. Furthermore, the article contributes to methodological debate on the use of online alternatives, by reflecting on the potential pitfalls of using an online forum as a focus group and presenting the benefits of using the online forum format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cronbach's alpha is the most frequently used measure to investigate the reliability of measurement instruments. Despite its frequent use, many warn for misinterpretations of alpha. These claims about regular misunderstandings, however, are not based on empirical data. To understand how common such beliefs are, we conducted a survey study to test researchers' knowledge of and beliefs about alpha. For this survey, we selected authors from recent papers, in which alpha was used. The results provide empirical evidence for the claims that researchers have difficulty interpreting alpha in a proper way. At the same time, we expounded the claims, by showing that whereas some beliefs are fairly typical, others are not so often seen. This non-technical paper, aimed at both statisticians and substantive researchers, is concluded by providing a few suggestions that could be helpful to get us out of the current stalemate regarding the usability of alpha and its alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I elaborate a realist post-disciplinary methodology. Its starting point are disciplines. Some features of disciplines are well understood. But the implications of their irreducibility to mechanical procedure is rarely acknowledged. Building on this observation this paper proceeds through investigating transdisciplinary methodologies. First science as usual in which disciplines are the building blocks of interdisciplinary science, additive in producing new approaches to the investigation of increasingly complex and broader issues. And then a pragmatic methodology in which knowledge is revised at the interface between the scientific community and a multitude of social actors with their competing demands and criteria of assessment. This investigation offers contrast that allows for the distinctive features of a post-disciplinary realist methodology to be identified; a narrative arc of inference to be described; and a call for a far more expansive and coherent post-disciplinary science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]