The methods fair is a free one-day conference taking place at the University of Manchester campus on Friday, 24th May 2024 organised by Methods@Manchester in collaboration with our NWSSDTP partners.
The conference will feature a range of talks, posters and workshops and provides opportunities for attendees from University of Manchester, the wider NWSSDTP and beyond to meet with others engaged with a variety of topics and research methods across Humanities and the Social Sciences.
Conference theme - Advancing Research Methods: Navigating a Changing Landscape
As the world continues to face a range of multiple and overlapping global challenges, this year's Methods@Manchester Methods Fair conference is focused on navigating this changing landscape.
We expect to engage with a number of issues within the conference, so participants shouldn’t feel limited by the conference theme, rather we hope it provides some additional food for thought for you to consider the way in which (sometimes long-established) social science research methods and approaches develop and progress alongside the wider changing landscape of the world in which we do our research.
Relevant questions may include the following:
- How do we ensure our approach to research and analysis remains relevant and appropriate within this changing landscape?
- How have long-established Humanities and social science research methods and approaches developed and progressed?
- Are there particular adaptations that you have made, or are considering, to ensure your research approach remains relevant, appropriate and cutting-edge?
- What impact does this wider context have on us as researchers and on our research participants and how can/should we adapt our research designs to allow for this?
Opportunities to Participate
The fair is designed to offer postgraduates and researchers at various stages of their career the opportunity to actively participate in the fair.
There are a number of different ways in which you can engage with the conference. Of course, you can simply attend the talks, presentations and workshops (and we will circulate information about attendance in due course). However, we always think it’s fun to contribute something, providing a jumping off point for all those spontaneous discussions, and potential collaborations.
We offer two different opportunities for you to submit your work to the conference:
Lightning Talks
Each presenter will have just five minutes to present their work. Within this time-frame, there is no prescribed structure or content requirements. For example you might want to talk about a particular element of your research design, a methodology that interests you, a methodological issue or research approach challenge that you are facing or have overcome.
Your precise focus is up to you. You might consider what will prompt the most discussion or feedback from the audience.
Lightning talks are appropriate for Humanities and Social Science researchers at any stage of your research project and will be organised into wider themes and are likely to be scheduled in the morning of the conference.
Poster presentation
During the Fair there will be an extended lunch and poster session when poster presenters should be available to discuss their posters and interact with other conference attendees. Posters can be individual or a combined effort – perhaps there are a few of you working on related projects, or using a particular method in contrasting ways?
Again, as with the lightning talks, posters can focus on any aspect of social science research methods that interests you or will be useful for you to discuss with others and poster submission is open to those at early stages of their researcher or those who are more established.
How do you submit?
In order to present a lightning talk or poster you will be asked to submit a talk abstract or poster overview (max 250 words). These should be submitted by end of day on Tuesday the 16th April. By submitting these abstracts/overviews you are agreeing to these appearing in the Methods Fair programme should they be accepted for the fair.
Please submit using the following form:
Methods@Manchester will cover the costs of producing accepted posters as long as we receive the final version of your poster as a PDF by Friday 3rd May 2024. If you submit by this date we will have the poster ready for you at the Methods Fair. M@M unfortunately cannot cover the cost of printing any posters not received by this date.
What's next?
It would be great for as many of you as possible to present your work. However, you can still be an active participant by attending the talks, workshops, contributing questions and discussion points (more details on registering for the conference coming soon).
In addition, if you would like to help ensure the day runs smoothly, we will be seeking University of Manchester PGR volunteers to help out during the day.
If you are potentially interested in lending a hand, please contact methods@manchester.ac.uk for more information. There are a range of opportunities available which include chairing lightning talk sessions and also other more general assistance. These will not prevent you participating fully in the day itself!
We will provide all volunteers with gift vouchers as a thank you.