How to Use International Survey Data for Social Research

The course introduces the students to some of the most important international comparative surveys, as a source of data to carry out social research. These surveys represent the telescopes of social sciences and they are fundamental to understand social change in contemporary societies.
The course is organized as a series of workshops, each of them presenting a specific survey and illustrating the way to use the data coming from that survey. Some examples: European Social Survey (ESS), World/European Values Study (WVS/EVS), International Social Survey Program (ISSP), Eurobarometer, etc.
During the workshops, the students learn how survey data are produced and what are the research questions that can be addressed with these data. The range of topics is broad: trust, social attitudes, political orientation, work preferences, family arrangements, personal well-being, use of media, cultural consumption, and many others.
This course is particularly suited for students with an inclination toward empirical research.

The course supplies students with first-hand experience with international comparative surveys. They acquire awareness about the process of data production, focusing on the quality of data, and they understand the importance of comparative and longitudinal analysis. They also learn to access and use these data for their research.
Students also learn the basic procedures to analyze survey data (graphical representation, tabulation).
The course can be particularly useful for students who intend to carry out an empirical dissertation using data coming from international surveys