Workshop in Methods (WiM)

Our Workshop in Methods (WiM) series provides detailed instruction and hands-on guidance on certain methods or software. Our graduate consultants run workshops on foundational techniques such as multilevel modeling and spatial regression. They also provide introductions to programs including R and Python. Additionally, UI faculty run advanced workshops that delve into specialized methods. These workshops include topics such as network, survival, and time series analyses.

Writing and Publishing

Our writing and publishing research workshops focus on navigating the various dimensions of the research publication process. These workshops are run by faculty who have firsthand expertise and success in these research areas.

"Flash" Workshops

We host a series of "flash" workshops that provide quick introductions to various research tools, programs, software, and resources. These workshops are often run by CSSI staff and other UI research support professionals.

Upcoming Workshops

Introduction to Implementation Science with Dr. Heather Reisinger promotional image

Introduction to Implementation Science with Dr. Heather Reisinger

Thursday, September 17, 2026 3:30pm to 5:00pm
Social Sciences Research Building
Research discoveries often take years to reach routine practice. Implementation science seeks to understand and address this gap by studying how evidence-based interventions can be adopted, implemented, and sustained in real-world settings. In this introductory workshop, Dr. Reisinger will provide an overview of the core concepts, questions, and methods of implementation science, including implementation frameworks, strategies, and outcomes. Participants will also learn about resources available through the University of Iowa Implementation Science Center to support implementation science research, training, and collaboration.
Intro to Networks in R with Dr. Elizabeth Menninga promotional image

Intro to Networks in R with Dr. Elizabeth Menninga

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 9:30am to 11:30am
Social Sciences Research Building
This workshop is an introduction to social network analysis. Participants will discuss core concepts (e.g., density and transitivity) as well as descriptive and inferential techniques, such as community detection, that can be used to understand and analyze networks. All coding will be done in R. Familiarity with R is encouraged but not required to participate in the workshop.
Using Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) for Coviariate Selection with Dr. Jon Davis promotional image

Using Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) for Coviariate Selection with Dr. Jon Davis

Thursday, October 15, 2026 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Social Sciences Research Building
This workshop introduces directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) as a practical tool for selecting variables to include in analyses. Participants will learn how DAGs can help identify potential confounding and support transparent analytic decisions. Using examples from epidemiological research, the workshop will demonstrate how to develop and interpret DAGs, apply them to covariate selection, and perform sensitivity analyses to evaluate the robustness of the covariate selection process. This workshop is intended for students, researchers, and public health professionals with a basic understanding of regression modeling. No prior experience with DAGs or causal inference methods is required.

Past Workshops

Using LLM to Develop Variables for Social Sciences with Bodi Vasi, PhD promotional image

Using LLM to Develop Variables for Social Sciences with Bodi Vasi, PhD

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Social Sciences Research Building
This workshop will examine how social scientists can use Large Language Models (LLM) to develop variables that can be used in statistical analyses by social scientists. As social scientists have gained access to an increasing amount of textual data, automated text analysis (ATA) has become one of their standard toolsets. LLM is another ATA tool, yet social scientists are just beginning to use it. This interactive and applied workshop explores how social scientists can use LLM to develop measures that can be used as variables in quantitative analyses. The workshop does not require any prerequisite knowledge and is open to all social scientists.
Intro to Python with Anindita Bandyopadhyay promotional image

Intro to Python with Anindita Bandyopadhyay

Wednesday, April 15, 2026 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Virtual
This workshop will introduce Python and foundational machine learning concepts, utilizing a dataset comprising textual content. Participants will learn the basics of coding in Python, set up a data science environment, and explore key machine learning concepts applied to text data. No prior experience with Python or machine learning is required. This is a virtual workshop and will be held over Zoom.
Survey Accessibility in a Flash: Universal Design for Universal Insight promotional image

Survey Accessibility in a Flash: Universal Design for Universal Insight

Wednesday, April 15, 2026 12:00pm to 12:50pm
Virtual
Join the Center for Social Science Innovation and the Office of Civil Rights Compliance for a quick introduction to survey accessibility, with a focus on the importance of accessibility in survey research and best practices during survey recruitment, development, and deployment. The workshop will introduce participants to general principles of digital accessibility and use Qualtrics to demonstrate best practices for developing accessible recruitment materials and surveys. The strategies learned from this workshop will be applicable to a range of survey design needs, including for research purposes and for distributing general feedback surveys.
Geospatial Data Analysis in R with Mainul Islam promotional image

Geospatial Data Analysis in R with Mainul Islam

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Virtual
This virtual workshop will introduce packages related to geospatial analysis to design a bivariate map in the R coding environment. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to use geospatial packages in an R workflow to create a publication-quality bivariate map. A bivariate map helps to understand the spatial relationships, correlations, and patterns between two different spatial variables. This is an introductory workshop appropriate for those with only a basic familiarity with R and geospatial analysis. Example code will be provided. This is a virtual workshop and will be held over Zoom.
View more events