Category: Research Progress

Impact – 1

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’m still here! I’ve recently written a blog post for the UK Data Service, part 1 of a series, which can be found here.  I think ‘impact’ is a very interesting concept, one that guides where most of the funding goes in academia, yet which is difficult if not impossible to accurately measure. In some ways, this measurement is not fair, because it creates ‘winners’ and ‘losers’. However, life isn’t fair, and for the sake of supporting (potentially) impactful research, the use of measurement can be regarded as a necessary evil.

Lessons learned: managing research data

As undergrads, postgrads and even PhD (or PGR) students, we receive constant reminders that we need to save our research data at multiple places and frequently, both from teachers, supervisors and peers. There are also conferences and symposia dedicated to underlining the importance of making data available and replicability. However, by taking an online course provided by my University, I’ve recently learned that to ensure replicability and the later availability of your data, there are more steps you should take. These are the lessons I’ve learned… Continue reading “Lessons learned: managing research data” →

Developing a thesis: first steps ✓

After half a year of reading up on relevant, political scientific literature,and some additional methods training, I was given the task to come up with a feasible thesis project, which would address one single topic to be dealt with in slightly different ways, by 3 separate studies. These studies would be separate but related, to finally come together as an article-based thesis. They also had to tap into the interests of the CSPL, the Committee on Standards in Public Life, which I am collaborating with. Continue reading “Developing a thesis: first steps ✓” →