Thursday November 30, 2023

Navigating Research Challenges with Spark's Research Conversations

Research can be complex and daunting, especially when you're starting a new project or facing unexpected challenges. It's common for researchers to encounter issues like not knowing how to begin a study, choosing the right software, or figuring out how to share their findings with the world. These challenges can slow down or even derail research projects.

To address these pain points, Spark offers a valuable service called Research Conversations. This FREE service is available to anyone involved or interested in research — students, staff, and faculty from any Faculty at McMaster or community-based researchers involved or interested in research collaborations at McMaster. It provides up to four hours of expert advice and coaching on research methods on a research project.

Research Conversations are a practical way to get help with common research problems. You can ask questions like, “How do I start researching this topic?” or “What’s the best software for this task?” If you’re facing issues in your project, these conversations can provide guidance and solutions.

The service isn’t just for problem-solving; it’s also about enhancing the quality and impact of your research. If Spark’s team can’t answer your question, they’re committed to finding someone who can. The goal is to ensure that you have the support you need to succeed in your research endeavors.

Spark’s Research Conversations are an invaluable tool for navigating the complexities of research. They offer a direct line to expertise and insight, helping you move forward with confidence.

If you’re stuck in your research or just need expert advice, consider reaching out to Spark. To learn more or to schedule a conversation, visit our website. Take advantage of this opportunity to overcome obstacles and propel your research forward.

Save the Date for Our Last Spark Talk of the Year

Friday, December 1, 10:30 am - 11:20 am
Speaker: Josh Seim
Topic: "Participant Observation, Observant Participation, and Hybrid Ethnography"
Seim offers a nuanced comparison between traditional and modern ethnographic methodologies, advocating for a hybrid approach.
Register Now 

Save the Date: Full Winter Schedule of Spark Talks

Jan 12: Salome Do (École Normale Supérieure, PSL University)

Topic: "The Augmented Social Scientist: Using Sequential Transfer Learning to annotate Millions of Texts with Human-Level Accuracy"
Do presents an automated content analysis method utilizing supervised machine learning and transfer learning, showcasing a case study on strategic framing in the press. Attendees will learn how this approach augments traditional content analysis, enabling the annotation of millions of texts with high accuracy.
Register Now

Jan 19: Rod Little (University of Michigan)

Topic: "Handling Missing Data in Social Science Studies"
Little reviews various methods for managing missing data in social science studies, discussing different approaches like weighting, maximum likelihood, and multiple imputation. He also explores robust inference methods for missing data potentially not at random.
Register Now

Jan 26: Ingo Rohlfing (University of Passau) & David Kuehn (GIGA Hamburg)

Topic: "Does the tale of two “methods cultures” hold up?"
Arguments about how causal qualitative and quantitative research are “usually” or “mostly” done abound. In this talk, Rohlfing and Kuehn summarize the results of a review of 180 quantitative and qualitative articles and find that the reality of empirical research is more complex and diverse than the “two cultures” tale suggests, particularly in qualitative research.
Registration TBA

Feb 2: Damien Lee (Toronto Metropolitan University)

Topic: "Remaining Unreconciled: Philanthropy and Indigenous Governance in Canada"
Lee explores the relationship between Canadian philanthropic foundations and Indigenous governance, critiquing the concept of "qualified donee status" and its impact on Indigenous sovereignty.
Register Now

Feb 9: Jeffrey Snodgrass (Colorado State University)

Topic: "Empowering Indigenous Research-Action Partnerships"
Snodgrass discusses the creation of a unique counterspace in a public university, fostering empowerment and community among Alaska Native students and faculty.
Register Now

Feb 16 - No session (Friday before Reading Week)

Feb 23 - No session (Reading Week)

March 1: Adeline Lo (University of Wisconsin)

Topic: "Mapping Literatures with Networks"
Lo introduces a network-based framework for reviewing scholarship, demonstrating its application in understanding the redistricting literature.
Register Now

Mar 8: Ala Alrababah (Bocconi University) & Scott Williamson (Bocconi University)

Topic: "Learning from Null Effects: A Bottom-Up Approach"
Alrababah and Williamson advocate for a new norm of posting short "null results reports," addressing the biases created by unobserved null findings in research.
Register Now

Mar 15: Jessica Hardin (Rochester Institute of Technology)

Topic: "Doing-Duo: A Collaborative and Feminist Method as Praxis"
Hardin discusses her collaborative duo-ethnographic work with Nutrire CoLab, exploring different approaches for group-based research methods.
Register Now

Mar 22: Sara Buckingham (University of Alaska)

Topic: "Empowering Indigenous Research-Action Partnerships"
Buckingham emphasizes the importance of partnerships in supporting Indigenous students and staff in public universities, fostering empowerment and community.
Register Now

Research Conversations

Looking to pool software licences?

Now you can! Fill out this form and we will reach out if we can match you with others looking to pool licences.

SEAL