SRA News

For previous editions of our members newsletter SRA News see here. News LATEST GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL STATISTICIAN For latest guidance from the National Statistician for statisticians and other officials in implementing the principles of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics click here. SRA STRATEGY FOR CONSULTATION JANUARY 2010 This strategic plan is the first ever produced by the Social Research Association. Its purpose is to provide a framework for the SRA Board to decide its priorities and allocate resources over the next five years. It will help our members and a wider interested community understand our direction and actions. The full document can be downloaded here (doc 178k) SRA e-BULLETIN If you would like to view the SRA e-bulletin for March 2010, it is available for download here (pdf) Past editions are available here February 2010 - January 2010 SOCIAL RESEARCH SKILLS AND COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK The SRA established a working party in to develop a competency framework to identify the varying levels research skills and competency required for different levels of responsibility within social research and related organisations. The working party has now produced a framework (doc 60k). There is also an short report (doc 52k) to introduce and explain the rationale for the framework. Both are now open for comments and feed back on how you would like to see this further developed, which should be sent to nigel.goldie@the-sra.org.uk by 28 February 2010. THE BRITISH SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2010 CALL FOR PAPERS Wednesday 7th – Friday 9th April 2010, Glasgow Caledonian University The British Sociological Association invites submissions to its 2010 Annual Conference. The 2010 Annual Conference follows the successful new format introduced in 2009. Participants can present on topics they wish within broad streams (and open streams) that reflect the core research areas of the membership. Download full details here (pdf 89k) LARGE DEMOGRAPHIC DATASETS NOW AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE TO NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS The Individual SARs and SAM are now available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations, including Local Authorities, Health Authorities, Central Government and charities. More information can be found at http://sars.census.ac.uk FREE 30 DAY TRIAL TO EBSCO JOURNAL DATABASE The SRA is please to announce a free 30 day trial to the EBSCO Journal database. Please copy the following link into your web browser. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=uid USerID: research Password: trial09 If you cannot get access first time please be patient and try again as there is a limited number of users that can access the trial at any one time. SRA RESPONSE TO ESRC CONSULTATION DOCUMENT 27-02-2009 Many thanks to all those who responded to our call for comment on the proposed REF consultation. The full consultation is now available to view here. (doc 118k) Statistics Authority publishes the Code of Practice for Official Statistics The UK Statistics Authority today publishes the new Code of Practice for Official Statistics. The Authority has statutory responsibility under the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 to prepare and publish this Code after due consultation. Download here (pdf 45k) Latest NCRM Publication Assessment of the training needs in reseach methods of the professional social research community - download here (pdf 427k) SRA Commissioning Initiative - DWP Presentation on framework agreements Download Presentation here (ppt 183k) or here (pdf 30k) Since this presentation the framework extension has been completed and DWP is now embarking on a procurement for a new framework SRA Becomes Registered Charity The SRA is pleased to be able to announce that as of the first of May 2008 it has become a registered charity (number 1123940). This follows on from becoming a private limited liability company in November of last year and reflects important changes to its overall governance arrangements. Click here for its Memorandum and Articles - its new governing instruments. Are You Interested In MAGIC? (Maintaining Access to Government Information Collaboratively) If so, please read on... Education for Change is leading the MAGIC study, commissioned by the London School of Economics Library, the University of Oxford Social Sciences Library and the British Library, of the feasibility of a central repository and “virtual reference desk” offering long-term electronic access to a comprehensive collection of British government and official publications via the Internet. The service would cover electronic UK (Westminster) government documents and those issued by the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The potential for a shared service of this kind has been proposed in response to a general concern within the research community about loss of information when Government web sites are updated or closed due to structural reform of the machinery of government, policy changes, change of party in power, etc. As well as information on the web pages themselves, they contain links to important documents which would previously have been published in print and preserved in libraries for the use of researchers and members of the public, but which are now often issued only in electronic form on government web sites, where their presence is transitory. We have designed a short survey for researchers from the academic, government and other sectors in order to gather information from research communities about the potential market for such a service, including current practice by individual researchers in identifying, finding and using official publications (both print and electronic). If you are a researcher with an interest in using current and historic official publications from the United Kingdom, we would be grateful if you could take the time to complete our survey at this web address http://www.efc.co.uk/projects/magic/researchers_survey.jsp . Thank you for your assistance in this research SRA Ethics Forum The SRA will be launching an "Ethics Forum" on 29th January 2008 designed to support members confronting ethical dilemmas in their research work. Ethical scrutiny of research has grown rapidly in all areas of enquiry – academic, government, and health. There has been less emphasis on ethical practice and there is continuing and growing need to maintain awareness of the ethical implications of social research. The SRA is responding to a need for ongoing mentoring support. Full details available here (doc 31k) The Journal of Voluntary Sector Research: Call for Papers You are invited to submit an article to be considered for publication in The Journal of Voluntary Sector Research (ISSN 1755-3083) – a new quarterly journal, commencing in 2008, aimed at practitioners and academics with an interest in voluntary sector research. Editorial Policy We aim to publish the best research carried out by or for the voluntary sector in a way that is accessible and credible. The Journal will disseminate key research findings as widely as possible to those seeking to learn from or to better understand the voluntary sector. The Journal will help meet the need for research evidence to inform and underpin good practice and performance improvement. Publication decisions will be based solely upon the quality and interest of the submission and close relevance to the work of the voluntary sector. Key Journal Audiences Universities Voluntary sector organisations Statutory agencies Further education colleges Consultants Submissions Articles should be between 3,000 and 6,000 words with a short summary of 100-200 words. Authors should submit three printed copies of their manuscript together with one copy in electronic form to: Dr Gary Kitchen, Editor, Journal of Voluntary Sector Research, Get Heard Consultancy, 37b New Cavendish Street, London W1G 8JR, Email: gkitchen@getheard.org.uk, Web: www.getheard.org.uk/journal.php The Journal will consider only work that has not been previously published in journal or book form. Submissions must not be under consideration anywhere else. Please contact the Editor for more detailed Guidelines for Authors. Editorial Board The Journal aims at high standards both of academic excellence and accessibility underpinned by an established Editorial Board of relevant practitioners and scholars.