Tag Archives: International Research Workshop

Expert Interviews

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Betina Hollstein (University of Hamburg)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 09.00-12.30 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

Expert interviews are often used in empirical social research. Sometimes they are part of the preparatory stage of a study. Sometimes expert interviews are the main data source. The course will focus on theory and practice of expert interviews, i.e. methodological foundations and practical considerations when conducting expert interviews.

The course starts out with a brief overview on the specific characteristics of qualitative data and methods. We will discuss problems and challenges associated with qualitative interviewing and different ways to deal with these challenges. We will address different types of expert interviews (guided interviews, narrative interview), by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and discussing the crucial steps when preparing and conducting expert interviews. Finally, we will discuss how to get access to the field, ways of data management and different strategies for data analysis.

Required basic knowledge: Basic knowledge and skills in social research methods and methodology (Bachelor degree in a Social Science discipline).

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Qualitative Research Methodology and Design Strategies

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dr. Anna Brake (University of Augsburg)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 09.00-12.30 h

Max. number of participants: 18

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

Methodological rigor is of vital importance for the success of an qualitative research project. Research question, methodological approach of data collection, sampling and strategies of (verbal) data analysis have to be well matched in order to ensure a compelling overall research process. The workshop aims at providing the opportunity to discuss methodological issues and questions of qualitative research designs in the light of the participant’s own dissertation projects. It addresses Ph.D. students who seek further clarification for their methodological rationale in their qualitative study regarding the appropriateness  of the underlying research question, sampling procedures, interview or observation techniques, approaches for data analysis and others. Thus, in the workshop we will not debate on general issues of methodological importance, but will focus on the methodologically demanding topics the participants are facing within their own qualitative study.

Participants should be well advanced in defining the particular purpose of their qualitative research. They are kindly asked to submit a research abstract no later than two weeks before the beginning of the workshop to anna.brake@phil.uni-augsburg.de

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Data Analysis with Stata

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dipl.-Verw. Wiss. Tobias Gramlich (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 09.00-12.30 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

Stata is a statistical program package widely used (not only) in the social and economical sciences; it is used for data management, statistical graphics and analysis of quantitative data. Statistical concepts will not be part of the course, so participants should have some very basic knowledge of statistics. The course should enable participants to prepare their data for analysis, perform adequate analysis using a statistical computer program and to document these tasks to keep them reproducible.

For Beginners with no or very little Stata knowledge!

Course topics cover:

  • “What You Type is What You Get”: Basic stata Command syntax
  • Getting (and Understanding) Help within stata: stata Bulit-in Help System
  • Basic Data Management: Load and Save stata Datasets, Generate and Manipulate Variables, Describe and Label Data and Variables, Perform Basic uni- and bivariate Analyses, Change the Structure of your Data
  • Basic stata Graphics: Scatterplot, Histogram, Bar Chart
  • Working with “Do-” and “Log-” Files

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Data Analysis with R

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dr. Marco Lehmann (University of Hamburg)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 09.00-12.30 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

The course introduces the programming language R used for statistical analyses. The beginning of each lecture comes with a demonstration of programming and statistical functions that will be elaborated in the course of study. The students will then practice with many statistical examples. In addition to statistical functions the course will introduce the definition of R as a programming language and its syntax rules. Students will further learn to use R’s scripting capabilities. Successful participation requires basic knowledge in descriptive and inferential statistics. The students are encouraged to bring their own laptops with the free software R (www.r-project.org/) and RStudio (www.rstudio.com/) installed.

Recommended literature and pre-readings:

  • Wollschläger, Daniel (2012). Grundlagen der Datenauswertung mit R (2. Aufl.). Berlin: Springer.

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

7th International Research Workshop “Methods for PhD” near Flensburg, September 29 – October 4, 2013

Empirical research is seeking through methodological processes to discover, hopefully, nontrivial facts and insights. Beside choosing a topic and grounding an idea in theory, empirical research consists of gathering and analysing data as well as presenting results in scientific contexts in order to contribute new issues to the body of acquired knowledge – not only to someone‘s own but also to that of others.

Our workshop tackles these steps of your research project:

  • Gathering data via (un)structured interviews and analysing standardized survey data,
  • >using the computer for qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

These steps will strengthen the cooperation in empirical research to boost and streamline ones project.

The regular workshop fee is 395 Euro (including meals and accommodation at Sankelmark). The workshop fee is 245 Euro without accommodation at Sankelmark (only meals are included).

It is possible to get a certificate on the credit points (according to the European Credit Transfer System).

In detail the following courses will be offered:

Quantitative Methods:

  • Data Analysis with Stata
  • Data Analysis with R
  • Introduction to the German General Social Survey (ALLBUS)
  • Introduction to IAB Data
  • Introduction to the SOEP
  • Analysing Panel Data and Advanced Econometrics
  • Network Analysis
  • Questionnaire Design
  • Introduction to Survival Analysis
  • Vignette Sudy

Qualitative Methods:

  • Qualitative Inquiry and Content Analysis with MAXQDA
  • Qualitative Methods: From Research Question to Study Design
  • From Words to Networks: Information and Relation Extraction from Text Data and Analysis of Socio-technical Networks
  • Case Study Research
  • Introduction to MAXQDA for Case Studies
  • Grounded Theory

PLEASE notice that every course has just a certain amount of participants and that some courses are offered in German only!

For further information, especially lecturers, program, organizers and registration visit our website at: http://www.phd-network.eu/

For any questions don’t hesitate to contact the workshop coordinators Simon Fietze and Heiko Stüber.

The International Research Workshop is organised by Prof. Dr. Wenzel Matiaske, Professor for Business Studies, particularly Leadership and Labour Relations at the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of Federal Armed Forces and Research Professor at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin).

The workshop is supported by

  • Vidensregion/Wissensregrion Schleswig Sønderjylland
  • Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Armed Forces Hamburg
  • Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the German Federal Employment Agency (BA)
  • University of Flensburg
  • University of Southern Denmark/Institute of Border Region Studies
  • German Institute for Economic Research/Socio-Economic Panel Study
  • University of Hamburg/Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
  • University of Hamburg/Faculty of Education, Psychology and Human Movement
  • Leuphana University Lüneburg/Faculty of Economics, Behavioural Sciences and Law

The International Research Workshop on the internet:
Website
Facebook Page
Google Page

Introduction to the German General Social Survey (ALLBUS)

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Program of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Michael Terwey (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences)

Date:

30.09.2013, 09:00 – 12:30

Room: n.s.

Max. number of participants: 20

Semester periods per week: n.s.

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

ALLBUS (Allgemeine Bevölkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften – German General Social Survey (GGSS)) is one of the foremost survey programs in Germany. It has been institutionalized as a part of GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences. The prototype for similar national data generation programs is the American General Social Survey (GSS).

Since 1980, ALLBUS/GGSS has provided a series of representative cross-sectional samples drawn from the adult population in Germany. These biennial surveys include partly replicative and partly innovative question modules and added value data for analyses of social structure, attitudes, values, and behavior in Germany. Moreover, users may find various possibilities for international comparisons. There are 19 currently available ALLBUS/GGSS surveys (1980-2012) with a total of 57,723 respondents. A large part of the documentation has been translated into English.
In its first part the course gives an overview of the project as such, basic sampling procedures, various question modules, and recent activities of the ALLBUS Research Data Center. The second part comprises hands-on exercises of chosen data. The calculations will be done primarily using SPSS-syntax. Participants should have fundamental knowledge in data handling, in statistical data analysis and in using programs like SPSS via syntax.

Literature

Alba, Richard, Peter Schmidt and Martina Wasmer (eds.) 2003: Germans or Foreigners? Attitudes Towards Ethnic Minorities in Post-Reunification Germany, New York und Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.

Blohm, Michael, Franziska Lerch, Ute Hoffstätter, Katharina Schmidt and Daniel Nowack 2013: ALLBUS-Bibliographie (27. Fassung), GESIS – Technical Reports 2013|06.

Davis, James Allen, Peter Ph. Mohler and Tom W. Smith 1994: Nationwide General Social Surveys, in: Borg, Ingwer and Peter Ph. Mohler (eds.), Trends and Perspectives in Empirical Social Research, Berlin and New York: Walter de Gruyter: 17-25.

Smith, Tom W., Jibum Kim, Achim Koch and Alison Park 2005: Social-Science Research and the General Social Surveys, in: ZUMA-Nachrichten 56: 68-77.

Terwey, Michael 2000: ALLBUS: A German General Social Survey, in: Schmollers Jahrbuch 120: 151-158.

Terwey, Michael and Horst Baumann 2013: Variable Report German General Social Survey. ALLBUS / GGSS Cumulation 1980 – 2010, ZA-Study-No 4576, Cologne: GESIS, GESIS – Variable Reports No. 2013|2.

You have to register for the 7th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Network Analysis

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Program of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dr. Per Kropp (Institute for Employment Research)

Date:

03.10.2013, 09:30 – 17:30

Room: n.s.

Max. number of participants: 20

Semester periods per week: n.s.

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English/German (depending on participants)

Contents:

This course will familiarize students with basic concepts in social network analysis. The focus will be on two topics: social networks as resources, and social networks as structure. The resource approach focuses on the social embeddedness of individual action and can be investigated using standard statistical tools. Investigating social networks as structure, however, requires special network analysis software (Pajek). Centrality and prestige in networks, subgroup analysis, and roles and positions will be analyzed.

  • References

De Nooy, W., A. Mrvar, et al. (2011). Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, Cambridge University Press.

Freeman, L. (2011): The Development of Social Network Analysis—with an Emphasis on Recent Events. In J. Scott and P. J. Carrington (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Social Network Analysis. London: SAGE Publications.

Mouw, T. (2003). Social Capital and Finding a Job: Do Contacts Matter? American Sociological Review 68(6): 868- 898.

You have to register for the 7th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Analysing Panel Data/Advanced Econometrics

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Program of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Nisar Ahmad, Timo Friedel Mitze & Torben Dall Schmidt (University of Southern Denmark)

Date:

03.10.2013, 09:30 – 17:30

Room: n.s.

Max. number of participants: 20

Semester periods per week: n.s.

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

The course is basically divided into two parts: Part 1) Analyzing panel data. Part 2) Spatial Data Analysis

Part 1): Structure of the Panel Data:
This part of the course is an introduction to the panel data analysis and it provides some insights into why we use panel data. What kinds of models are available for panel data and how do we estimate such models. It also covers some extensions to the basic panel data models and finally there will be a session where you will learn how to estimate panel data using STATA.

Part 2): Spatial Data Analysis
In research fields such as regional science, quantitative sociology and business analysis as well as real estate, labor and health economics (to name just a few), researchers are increasingly aware of the fact that “space matters”. Thus, the goal of this workshop module is to equip participants with the basic knowledge about methods and tools currently available in “spatial statistics” and “spatial econometrics”. Besides presenting the general logic and theoretical foundations of these modeling approaches for variables with an explicit geographical context, a strong focus lies on illustrating the potential for applied work with these tools in the software package STATA. The module is structured as follows: After a brief introduction of the historical evolution of spatial data analysis, different research settings in economics and related research fields are outlined, which may call for the explicit use of spatial estimation techniques, for instance, in order to identify the importance of space-time autocorrelations and neighboring effects (spatial spillovers). Following this introduction, the concept of the spatial weighting matrix is introduced and statistical approaches to measure and visualize the degree of spatial dependence for a variable under study are presented. Moving from univariate to multivariate modeling techniques, the course then derives estimation techniques used in the field of spatial econometrics and links this theoretical knowledge with hands-on applications for different spatial datasets. Finally, to serve as an outlook on future research possibilities, state-of-the-art concepts such as spatial panel data models and spatial limited dependent variable models will be presented.

Datasets and STATA ado-files will be provided ahead of the course and should be installed on the participants’ computers.

You have to register for the 7th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Grounded Theory

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Program of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Maike Andresen (Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg)

Date:

03.10.2012, 09:30 – 17:30

Room: n.s.

Max. number of participants: 25

Semester periods per week: n.s.

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English/German (depending on participants)

Contents:

The workshops aims at establishing a theoretical and practical understanding about the key concepts, strategies and steps in Grounded-Theory-Research, i.e. the constant comparative method, open, axial and selective coding, theoretical sampling, theoretical saturation, and theoretical sensitivity. In addition, common pitfalls in grounded theory research will be discussed.

Current research projects and materials of participants can be considered and discussed in case of interest.

Literature

Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques (2. Aufl.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

You have to register for the 7th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Vignette Study

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Program of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Katja Rost (University of Zurich)

Date:

03.10.2013, 09:30 – 17:30

Room: n.s.

Max. number of participants: 20

Semester periods per week: n.s.

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

Vignette experiments provide “… short descriptions of a person or a social situation which contain precise references to what are thought to be (…) important factors in decision-making or judgment-making processes of the respondents…” (Alexander & Becker, 1978, 94). Within the description, the independent variables are systematically varied by the experimenter (Beck & Opp, 2001). Then the targeted variable, for instance behavioral intentions, is asked about. Provided the vignettes are realistic, the number of factors chosen should mirror the complexity of the decision environment decision makers are normally confronted with (Rossi & Anderson, 1982). Hence, a vignette experiment mimics the outcomes of “typical” decisions. Participants are led to weigh the significance of single characteristics to arrive at an overall preference for one alternative. As in reality, the participants are involved in a trade-off. Such a capacity to deal with the complexity of real decision making gives the design external validity while retaining the internal validity. provided through the experimental features of the factorial survey (Taylor, 2006).

In short, vignette analyses are based on the following three concepts (Teichert, 2001): (1) Every situation consists of a bundle of characteristics. (2) Every participant makes an individual evaluation of the benefits of various combinations of characteristics. (3) The combination of the benefits of various characteristics provides the relative overall benefit to an individual.

The workshop aims at establishing a theoretical and practical understanding about vignette experiments. We will discuss the method by using concrete examples of my former research (Rost & Weibel, 2012; Weibel, Rost, & Osterloh, 2010).

Current research ideas, projects or materials of participants can be considered and discussed in case of interest.

Literature

Alexander, C. S. & Becker, H. J. 1978. Use of Vignettes in Survey-Research. Public Opinion Quarterly, 42(1): 93-104.

Beck, M. & Opp, K.-D. 2001. Der Faktiorelle Survey Und Die Messung Von Normen. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialwissenschaften, 53: 283-306.

Rossi, P. H. & Anderson, A. B. 1982. The Factorial Survey Approach: An Introduction. In P. H. Rossi & S. L. Nock (Eds.), Measuring Social Judgments: The Factorial Survey Approach: 15-67. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

Rost, K. & Weibel, A. 2012. Ceo Pay from a Social Norm Perspective: The Infringement and Re-Establishment of the Fairness Norm. Corporate Governance. An International Review, forthcoming.

Taylor, B. J. 2006. Factorial Surveys: Using Vignettes to Study Professional Judgement. British Journal of Social Work, 36: 1187–1207.

Teichert, T. 2001. Nutzenschätzung in Conjoint-Analysen. Wiesbaden: Gabler.

Weibel, A., Rost, K., & Osterloh, M. 2010. Pay for Performance for the Public Sector – Benefits and (Hidden) Costs Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 20(2): 387-412.

You have to register for the 7th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.