Doctoral School

Open Science in the Social Sciences

Target audience

The target audience are members of the Doctoral School of Social and Behavioural Sciences and PhD students in the social sciences (both quantitative and qualitative researchers). No background knowledge of open science is necessary.

Lecturer

Dr. Amélie Godefroidt is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the KU Leuven Centre for Research on Peace and Development. Her research focuses on public opinion formation during and after contentious events, including interstate wars, civil conflicts, and terrorist attacks. Her work has been published in leading journals in the field of political science and communication science, such as the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Communication, Journal of Peace Research, and Democratization.

 

Dr. Godefroidt is committed to the open science movement. She applies open science principles to all stages of the research cycle, including pre-registration, transparent communication of results, and data-sharing. Her commitment to open science has been recognized with the MZES-GESIS Pre-Registration Challenge Award. Dr. Godefroidt also has experience sharing her expertise and teaching workshops on open science and pre-registration to (early-career) scholars. She has, for instance, been invited as an expert to a panel debate on open science organised by the University of Montreal and taught one-day workshops on open science at KU Leuven and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNY). Dr. Godefroidt’s track record in combination with her experience in applying open science principles to her research make her a suitable expert to teach this course on ‘Open Science in the Social Sciences’.

Abstract

This course aims to equip PhD students with the essential knowledge and skills to integrate open science principles into their research practices. In an era where transparency, reproducibility, and collaboration are paramount, embracing open science principles is crucial for advancing the credibility and impact of scholarly work. By fostering an understanding of open data sharing, preregistration, and replicability, participants will enhance the rigor and reliability of their research outcomes. Embracing open science promotes inclusivity and broader dissemination of findings, fostering a collaborative and innovative research community. Through a combination of theoretical insights and hands-on application, this course seeks to empower both quantitative and qualitative social science researchers to contribute meaningfully to a more open and robust scientific landscape.

Objectives

  • Students will learn about the replication crisis and various questionable research practices (QRPs), and how these highlighted the need for more transparent research practices.
  • Students will gain in-depth knowledge about the concept of ‘open science’ and related principles and practices.
  • Students will be able to apply open science principles to their own research and evaluate the (correct) application of those principles in others' research.
  • Students will be taught various pre-registration tools and techniques, for both quantitative and qualitative research designs, in order to ensure that their research design and methodology are clear and transparent before data collection.
  • Students will be able to conduct and facilitate replicable research, including creating replication packages.  Students will learn to transparently communicate the results of their research.
  • Students will enhance their knowledge of the importance of open data-sharing and open-access publishing.

Dates and venue

Tuesday June 03th - Friday 06th of June

Leslokaal 1.6 (Campus Boekentoren, Plateau-Rozier).

Programme

Day 1: 5 hours – Lectures with discussions and practical exercises:

-        Lecture on the replication crisis and questionable research practices (QRPs) in and beyond the social sciences.

-        In-depth discussions about the meaning of open science and common open science practices.

-        Students can indicate what open science principles they would like to learn more in addition to preregistration and replication. The input of the students will be used on day 4, to tailor the course to the needs of the students.

 

Day 2: 5 hours – Lectures with discussions and practical exercises:

-        Lecture on pre-registration: Why is it important? How to pre-register? And what studies to preregister (both quantitative and qualitative)?

-        Practical exercise whereby students work in groups on a pre-registration.

 

Day 3: 5 hours – Lectures with discussions and practical exercises:

-        Lecture on replicability and the value of replication studies.

-        How to make your own research replicable and how to create replication packages.

 

Day 4: 5 hours – Lectures with discussions and practical exercises:

-        The topic that will be covered on this day depends on the topics that the students requested on day 1. In case the students do not have clear preferences, the lecturer will provide a lecture on remaining open science principles, such as open-access publishing, data-sharing, and pre-print publication.

-         Discussion of the assignment and room for questions.

Registration

  • Follow this link for the registration and waiting list. We check if you are eligible to participate. Due to limited places, we give priority to PhD students. Your registration will be confirmed by separate e-mail (outlook invite).
  • Cancellation of your registration can only be performed by sending an email to doctoralschools@ugent.be.

  • The no show policy applies.

Registration fee

Free of charge for Doctoral School members.

Number of participants

Maximum 25

Language

English

Training method

Lecture combined with interactive discussions and practical exercises.

Evaluation method

Students need 100% attendance to complete the course. In addition, students can voluntarily hand in a preregistration or a replication package in which they apply open science principles to their own research. Students will be provided feedback on this assignment by the lecturer, so that they can improve the transparency of their intended research design or their methodological steps. Grading will take the form of a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’.

After successful participation, the Doctoral School Office will add this course to your curriculum of the Doctoral Training Programme in Oasis. Please note that this can take up to one to two months after completion of the course.