Balancing speed and quality during crises pose challenges for ensuring the value and utility of data in social science research. The COVID-19 pandemic in particular underscores the need for high-quality data and rapid dissemination. Given the importance of behavioural measures and compliance with measures to contain the pandemic, social science…

Background: A systematic review is a type of literature review that uses rigorous methods to synthesize evidence from multiple studies on a specific topic. It is widely used in academia, including medical and social science research. Social science is an academic discipline that focuses on human behaviour and society. However, consensus regarding…

Theory is a core component in the teaching of many social sciences, including criminology-related programmes in higher education, but both students and lecturers can find it challenging. Given the growing popularity of criminology programmes, scholarship on the teaching and learning of criminological theory is increasingly important. This article…

The methodological controversy surrounding ordinal outcome data has posed a distinct challenge to the conceptualization, design, and conduct of research in the social and behavioral sciences for more than 75 years. Accordingly, this study sought to supply a comprehensive and multidisciplinary perspective of the debate and in so doing lay the…

A thorough literature search is a key feature of scoping reviews. We investigated the search practices used by social science researchers as reported in their scoping reviews. We collected scoping reviews published between 2015 and 2021 from Social Science Citation Index. In the 2484 included studies, we observed a 58% average annual increase in…

The replication crisis in the social and psychological sciences is said to be due in part to publication bias and the resulting file drawer problem. Meta-analysis is often advocated as a means of resolving this crisis but is prone to the same publication bias and file drawer effects. A study of 23 meta-analyses examined the consequences of…

Despite recent Chinese government policies aiming to balance international and national publishing patterns, the enduring impact on China's global engagements, publications, and collaborations remains uncertain. Analyzing 8,962 publications from Scopus between 2016 and 2020, the paper assesses publication, collaboration, and citation patterns…

The use of gender-inclusive language is crucial for promoting gender equality and inclusivity in scholarly communication. This study examined second language learners' use of epicene pronouns in social sciences and humanities research manuscripts and surveyed recommended practices in journal guidelines for epicene pronoun usage. The findings…

This paper synthesises a large dataset on how social research methods and practices have been adapted or designed for use within pandemic conditions and a climate of crisis and uncertainty. The data were generated through two rapid evidence reviews of the methodological literature and in dialogue with social researchers in online knowledge…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the conceptualisation and contextualisation of mixed-methods research within the research methodology paradigm to ascertain the categorisation of mixed methods as a type of research, research design or research approach. The methodology adopted for this paper is qualitative in nature and involves the…

In a book published in 2000, entitled "An Elusive Science: The Troubling History of Education Research," Ellen C. Lagemann traced educational research (ER) in the U.S. from its pre-history--the training of common school teachers in summer schools, high schools, normal schools, female institutes, and later colleges and universities.…

The evaluation of the social impact of research is a critical concern for both the scientific and social communities. This study aims to describe the social impact of scientific research outcomes in the field of Social Sciences in Cuba. Five dimensions of analysis and 16 alternative indicators were utilized, employing altmetric tools and data…

The current article used real data to demonstrate the analysis and synthesis of Mixed Methods Research (MMR) data with generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). I explore how reliable and valid Gen AI data outputs are and how to improve their use. The current content is geared towards enhancing methodological application regardless of field or…

We assess the case for a decline in the use of survey data in the social sciences during a period in which conventional survey research has faced existential challenges to its ongoing feasibility and growing competition from new forms of 'Big Data'. Presser (1983) and Converse (1987) undertook content analysis of articles published in a set of…

The number and type of collaborations between researchers and stakeholders has increased significantly. This responds to the demand from policymakers, funders, and citizens that researchers should help to tackle important social issues (e.g. climate change, healthy aging). However, there is little knowledge about how collaboration processes are…