The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is hosting two webinars to share findings and ideas from the recent research project Changing Research Practices: Social Research Methods in Covid-19. The project’s aims were to synthesise evidence on how researchers have adapted their methods to pandemic conditions and engage the research community. The main strands of the project comprised:

• a rapid evidence review;

• scrutiny of the grey literature, such as emergent blogs, resource repositories and guidance materials; and

• a series of eight knowledge exchange workshops on different methodological themes.

The webinars are aimed at social researchers - from academia, government, industry and the third sector - who are grappling with methodological adaptations in light of the dynamic social restrictions and uncertainties due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Webinar 1: Social Research Methods Suited or Adapted to Covid-19 Times

The first webinar focuses on decisions and experiences and addresses key points for adapting particular methods for Covid-19 times: interviews, surveys, and participatory, sensory, creative and ethnographic methods. We will show how researchers have adapted or selected research designs and methods and highlight influential contextual factors such as time, participant group, research relationships and well-being.

Speakers include:

• Professor Carey Jewitt (UCL Institute of Education) and members of the InTouch project team at UCL’s Knowledge Lab on adaptations in using sensory and material methods in the pandemic as well as researching touch itself.

• Poppy Gerard-Smith (University of Edinburgh) on experiences and considerations of using online interviews in researching gender-based violence.

• Professor Melanie Nind (University of Southampton) on a synthesis of the findings from the ESRC-funded NCRM Changing Research Practices study.

This is an online event. We will email you the Zoom link before the event.