ACSPRI Social Science Methodology Conference

Growing Up in Australia, the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC): Session convenor-Caroll Soloff, Senior Research Fellow, Australian Institute of Family Studies. This study recruited two cohorts of approximately 5,000 0-1 year old children and 5,000 4-5 year old children and families across Australia in 2004. Three waves of the data are currently available to approved researchers, with wave four fieldwork almost complete. This session covers the Key Research Questions and conceptual framework, innovative collection methodologies, non-response and sample tracking, and issues for data users. This session will be of interest to potential users of LSAC data and persons interested or involved in longitudinal data collection.

National Church Survey-Fully Integrated Database Design: Session convenor-Ruth Powell. The five-yearly National Church Life Survey (NCLS) is perhaps the second largest data collection in Australia after the National Census, with around 350,000 respondents in each wave. Prospective participants for this Track/Session may submit proposals for papers using the NCLS as a case study of how to run multiple surveys simultaneously, minimise response time, and create an advanced relational database.

Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA)

The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC)

Australian Survey of Social Attitudes (AuSSA): Session convenor-Dr Ann Evans, Australian Demographic and Socil Reseach Institute, Chair of ACSPRI. This session invites papers that showcase the current state of attitudianl or opinion research in Australia and internationally. The focus of the session will be on papers that focus on a methodological issue or innovation, or, use attitudinal data in comparative perspective. Papers using data from the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes or International Social Survey Program are encouraged. However, papers using other attitudinal or opinion data will also be accepted. The session will interest all researchers interested in attitudinal or opinion research.

Australian Electoral Survey (AES)

Data Archiving

Data Documentation

Data Manipulation, Visualisation and Dissemination: Session convenor: Ruth Powell, NCLS. Results from complex datasets often need to be communicated in simple (but not simplistic ways). Prospective participants in this stream may submit proposals for papers using the NCLS, as a case study, or other complex datasets to show multi-level data manipulation, data visualisation for non-statistical audiences, and dissemination of resources that help diverse audiences interpret and apply the results.

Cross National Surveys

Panel Studies: Session convenor-Dr Helen Rogers, Manager, Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. This session will include general research around panel studies and/or cohort studies that is not included in the specialised data set sessions. The session will be of interest to anyone who is conducting or is interested in panel and cohort studies.

Data Linkage: Session convenor-Dr Roberto Forero, Senior Research Fellow, Simpson Centre for Health Services Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, UNSW. The purpose of this session is to explore current work on data linkage applications in public health, epidemiology and health services research This includes data linkage problems, solutions and their integration with statistical applications.

Communicating Research Results: Session convenor-Dr Ann Dadich, Research Lectureship, Centre for Industry and Innovation Studies (ClnIS) Research Group & School of Management, University of Western Sydney. Translating and disseminating research constitute important parts of the research process. Yet, there is limited empirical research that identifies effective translation and dissemination techniques. Within this forum, presenters will examine translation and dissemination techniques for different audiences and the effectiveness of these. This session will be of interest to experienced academic researchers and policymakers.

Doing Sensitive Research: Session convenor-Dr Katherine Carroll, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, The University of Sydney. This session will explore the practice of doing research into the most sensitive, personal, emotional and delicate areas of life. Topics may explore issues for participants of sensitive research projects; the impact on researchers doing emotional and sensitive research; navigating human research ethics committees; developing ehtical practice 'in the field'; and managing the process of data handling and publication. This session will be of relevance to all researchers currently undertaking or planning to undertake research in sensitive areas, particularly researchers who are exploring qualitative methodologies.

Qualitative Data Archiving

Measurement and Operationalisation

Instrument Design and Development

Best Practice: Web Surveys: Patricia Davidson, Professor of Cardiovascular and Chronic Care, Curtin University. The Internet has created many opportunities for communication and broad outreach. As a consequence there has been a rapid increase in the use fo web-based surveys. This Track welcomes research that discusses the barriers and facilitators to this research methodology iwth presentations that identify best practice methods for survey design, analysis and reporting.

Sampling

Social Research Using Digital Data Trace:  Session convenor-Dr Robert Ackland, Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, The Australian National University. Vast quantities of data are generated daily in social media environments such as blogsites, microblogs (Twitter), social networking sites (e.g. Facebook) and virtual worlds (e.g. Second Life). However, using these data for social science research poses significant methodological challenges. Prospective participants are invited to submit proposals for papers focusing on quantitative and qualitative research methods for digital trace data.

Sample Frames for General Community Telephone Surveys-Advances in Random Digit Dialing (RDD): Session convenor-Darren Pennay, Founder and Managing Director of the Social Research Centre, Adjunct Professor, University of Queensland, Institute for Social Research (ISSR). This session will provide an overview of approaches to obtaining representative sample of the population for telephone surveys and provide an update of current Random Digit Dialing approaches in this rapidly evolving area. This session will be of interest to researchers involved in undertaking population research using telephone surveys.

Issues in Survey Data Quality

Interviewing Individuals and Groups: Session convenor-Spring Chenoa Cooper Robbins, PhD, Senior Research Officer, Sydney University Paediatrics & Child Health and National Centre for Immunisation Research (NCIRS)

Observational Techniques

Data Analysis and Qualitative Studies

Social Network Analysis

Modelling Choice Behaviour: Session convenor-Len Coote, University of Queensland. Understanding choice behaviour is central to several fundamental and applied social science disciplines (e.g., marketing, economics and psychology). This track is particularly concerned with innovations in the application and development of choice methods and models. Both substantive and fundamental papers are welcome. Substantive papers might report application of choice methods to research problems int he social and behavioural sciences. Fundamental papers might present new mathematics and models for studying choice behaviour.

Beyond Description: High-Quality Content Analysis: Session convenor-Dr Nicola McNeil, LaTrobe University. The purpose of this stream is to provide a forum to discuss ideas and techniques to improve the quality of content analysis being undertaken by qualitative researchers. Example topics include: improving the validity and reliability of content analysis, measuring and displaying inter-coder reliability, managing data quality with multiple coders, and the content analysis of non-written media. This session will be of interest to researchers with an interest in qualitative analysis techniques.  

Reporting Statistics in the Social Sciences

Literature and Bibliography

Data Collection and Analysis

GIS and Digital Mapping Technologies

Data Security

Analysis and Simulation:  Session convenor-Professor Guy Cucumel, ESG UQAM. This session seeks submisssion on software projects, software evaluation and the use of simulation techniques. Papers presenting new developments of visualisation techniques are welcome too.

Grid Computing for the Social Sciences: Session convenor-Dr Lyndon Walker, Senior Lecturer/Curriculum Leader, Department of Accounting and Finance, Unitec New Zealand, Auckland. This session is aimed at social scientists who are interested in how high power computing resources such as grids and clusters can be used to enhance their research.

Mixed Methods Research: Session convenor-Dr Elizabeth Halcomb, University of Western Sydney. There has been growing interest in mixed methods research as a strategy to enable researchers to gain understandings that would not be possible through the use of a single methodological approach alone. This Track/Session will focus on papers describing the qualitative and quantitative methods that have been combined in mixed methods research.

Pragmatism in Qualitative Research: Session convenor-Dr Ann Dadich, Rsearch Lectureship, Centre for Industry and Innovation Studies (CInIS) Research Group & School of Management, University of Western Sydney. Qualitative researchers often struggle with understanding what constitutes a qualitative methodology;how can meticulous analysis be assured; what questions can be asked of the data; how can findings be validated; and how should findings be presented. This session will explore practical ways to design qualitative research projects. The session will be of interest to doctoral candidates and researchers that are interested in embarking on qualitative inquiry.

Studying Food Choices: Session convenor: Dr Trevor Webb, Food Standards Australia New Zealand. This session focusses on issues central to the methodological approaches and techniques used to understand how and why we make our food and diet choices. Topics could include: actual purchasing/consumption behaviour; measuring commitment to diet/behavior change; integration of social and economic information;measuring food/nutrition label use; trust in food regulation. This session will interest those social scientists working on food and diet choices and those who use this evidence base in an applied context developing food regulation and policy.

The Relationship Between Theory and Method in Qualitative Research: Session convenor-Dr. Stacy M. Carter, Senior Lecturer in Qualitative Research in Health, Sydney School of Public Health and Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine. Theories about the social world and about knowledge are critical to our research practice. In this session, presenters will show how they have used theoretical ideas to enhance and jusify their qualitative methods. Come along to learn from fellow researchers and to contribute to a conversation about the theory-method relationship. This session is relevant to those practicing, or interested in, qualitative inquiry.

Lifecourse Research: Session convenor-Dr. Edith Gray, Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, The Australian National University. This session invites papers that emphasize a 'Life Course Perspective' to investigate social behavior or outcomes. The focus of the session will be on papers that use a life course perspective as a framework for research. Paper that use a methodological approach consistent with a life course perspective-for example, event history methods-are particularly encouraged.

Post Structural Methods and Discourse Analysis

Survey Research Under Extreme Conditions: Session convenor-Professor Howard Frederick, Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University. The focus of this session is survey research under difficult/extreme conditions in transitional, developing and least developed economies. The session will be of interest to survey researchers, international business researchers and to those interested in research methodology.

Time Use Research: Session convenor-Marie van der Klooster, convenor of the Australian Time Use Research Group. This track will explore time use research in Australia in the past, present and future. These will include the design, delivery and analysis of time use surveys and research into the communication and marketing of time use, emerging research areas, recreation and leisure, social and community interaction, travel time, valuing time, voluntary work and care, and work-life balance. People interested in how Australian's manager their time will find much to interest them in this track.

Teaching Research Methods