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Research Methods (ReMiss) Centre Launch

Date
The successful establishment of the Centre for Research Methods in the Social Sciences (ReMiSS) is to be celebrated at a launch event on Friday 28th October.

The Centre, directed by Professor Geoffrey Evans (Nuffield College), was set up in the Department of Politics and International Relations in 2004-5. It is intended to address an acknowledged deficiency in Britain with respect to the development and application of scientific modes of inference and research methods in the social sciences. ReMiSS is therefore engaged in developing advanced quantitative methods for application to research across the social sciences and providing teaching and advice to students and researchers in the Social Sciences at Oxford.

Over the past twelve months, the Centre has been involved in topical research with a very successful seminar in May 2005 that analysed the results of the UK General Election; a number of Centre members were also involved in the remarkably accurate exit poll election predictions for the BBC. Centre staff have also developed and run a number of successful graduate and undergraduate courses in research methods, including introductory and intermediate level statistical methods, multi-level modelling, panel analysis, time series analysis, formal analysis and event history analysis, which were attended by students from departments across the Social Sciences in particular, but also from every Division in the University.

The Centre launch event is entitled Modes of Inference in Comparative Research; papers will demonstrate the strengths and limitations of different methods of comparative research at both the micro and the macro levels. Commentators representing different perspectives within the social sciences will critically discuss the presentations. The event will start at 2pm in the new Social Sciences building at Manor Road and will be followed by a drinks reception.

Further information about the Centre can be found on their website at http://remiss.politics.ox.ac.uk.