Introduction to Data Analysis for the Social Sciences Workshop
May 22-26, 2017
Beirut, Lebanon
The Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS) is pleased to announce a five-day intensive workshop in quantitative data analysis for the social sciences, co-organized with the Odum Institute, a research institute housed at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (USA). The workshop will be held in Beirut, Lebanon and is designed for graduate students in the social sciences who need a grounded introduction to quantitative data methods for use in their thesis/dissertation research.
Workshop Format and Topics
The five-day workshop will cover a variety of introductory topics in quantitative data analysis:
- Mean, median and mode
- Variance
- Correlation
- Confidence intervals
- Independent and dependent variables
- ANOVA (Analysis of Variance)
- Regression
- Hypothesis testing
Participants will arrive in Beirut on May 21 before the start of the workshop for an orientation. Training will be from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm for five days (May 22 – 26) and participants are expected to fully participate in all sessions.
Participants will be given an official Odum Institute certificate upon successful completion of the workshop.
Eligibility Guidelines
Nationality and Residence
- Applicants must be citizens of an Arab League member state or nationals of an Arab country (defined as long-term residents, even if they do not hold citizenship as in the case of refugees or stateless residents).
- Applicants must reside in the Arab region. The ACSS will not fund participants who study outside the region.
Educational Degree and Language Ability
- Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate (Master’s or PhD) program in the social sciences at a university in the Arab region. The core social science fields include anthropology, demography, economics, education, political science, psychology and sociology.
- Applicants should have a foundational understanding of mathematics (taken through advanced courses in secondary school or elementary courses in university) and general social science methodology.
- Applicants must have at least an intermediate level of English language proficiency, as the workshop will be conducted in English.
Application Process and Selection
Applicants are required to submit the following materials (in English) via email to khoury@theacss.org by no later than 5:00 pm (Beirut time) on April 10, 2017:
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Personal statement outlining professional and research goals (2 pages maximum)
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Proof of enrollment at a university in the Arab region (this can be provided in Arabic)
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CV/Resume of applicant
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Copy of valid passport or identification card
The selection committee is comprised of staff members from ACSS and faculty of the Odum Institute who will review applications based on the following criteria:
- Academic qualifications & language proficiency
- Strength of personal statement (relevance of training to research goals & project)
- Need for this training
By submitting the electronic application, applicants affirm that they agree, without any objections, to the evaluation and selection results as decided and announced by the selection committee and ACSS. All decisions made by the selection committee are final.
Accepted Applicants
Accepted participants will be provided round-trip airfare from their home country, accommodations in Beirut for the duration of the workshop and a per diem (daily allowance). Applicants who are accepted are expected to:
- Provide their own laptop
- Download or purchase a copy of SPSS (there are sites to download a free copy, or you can purchase a full copy or a free trial online as well; more details will be provided at a later date)
- Provide their own data set with which to work during the workshop (optional)
- Participate fully and attend all sessions of the workshop
Please note that we expect the holy month of Ramadan to begin on the last day of the workshop. The ACSS and Odum Institute will make accommodations for participants who are fasting, but it is expected that religious obligations and observances will not affect full participant involvement in the workshop.
Please direct all applications and queries to Issam Khoury via email at khoury@theacss.org.
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About the Arab Council for the Social Sciences
The Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS) is a regional, independent, non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening social science research and knowledge production in the Arab world. By supporting researchers and academic/research institutions, the ACSS aims to contribute to the creation, dissemination, validation and utilization of social science research and to enrich public debate about the challenges facing Arab societies. The ACSS also aims to enhance the role of social science in Arab public life and inform public policy in the region. For more information, please visit http://www.theacss.org.
About the Odum Institute
Founded in 1924, the Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in the Social Sciences supports the social science teaching and research mission at UNC. The Institute provides a range of consulting services on quantitative and qualitative methods, GIS and spatial analysis, survey research, and data management. Odum offers workshops, summer courses, and a graduate certificate program. For more information, please visit http://www.irss.unc.edu/odum/home2.jsp.
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
UNC-Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university founded in 1789, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, the University offers 78 bachelor’s, 112 master’s, 68 doctorate and seven professional degree programs. For more information, please visit http://www.unc.edu.