CIVICA Research Methods Workshops

>How do statistical techniques deal with crossnational surveys? This is not a simple question and there are many different responses, from very simple ones to very complex ones. 

The course level is introductory: it offers an introduction to the main statistical techniques used to analyze cross-national comparative surveys data. 

The main goal is to teach how different statistical methods treat the ‘country effect’: how statistical models (linear regression, logit models, loglinear models, multilevel regression models), scaling techniques or data reduction methods (factor and PCA analysis) test for the ‘invariance’ of the relationship between variables across countries. 

The objective is to clarify the main methodological issues and to help you to identify what to pay attention to, what are the main potential traps in comparing things like regression/logit coefficients, factor loadings or scales scores across countries. The course offers a reasonable level of formalization, as much as needed to understand the method. It makes links between the different methods and the learning of complementarities between methods. About the course format: Please note that the workshop's mode of delivery is hybrid including a self-guided component. You are asked to start working through the course materials a week in advance of the January 28 Zoom meeting. These materials include pre-recorded videos and readings you are asked to discuss as part of the course. Plan on spending 1-2 full working days on this material prior to the January 28 meeting (and another 1-2 days in between the two meetings). You are expected to come to Zoom prepared on January 28.

PLEASE NOTE: CEU affiliated students need to register for the workshop by sending an email to skalarm@ceu.edu by the deadline of January 19, 2022. 

Bruno Cautrès is attached to CEVIPOF – Centre de recherches politiques de Sciences Po (Paris), at the Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques in Paris.

He is a senior CNRS research fellow with interests in voting behaviour, political attitudes and behaviours, comparative survey research and quantitative techniques.

Bruno is involved in a variety of projects, including the European Social Survey, European Values Studies, International Social Survey Programme and European elections studies; and he participates in the development of elections studies in France. His current research programme concerns political trust and attitudes to democracy in France.