The ESRC Survey Link Scheme will not be running during 2008. Further announcements about the successor to the Scheme will be made in Autumn 2008. The ESRC competition for the creation of an ESRC Survey Resources Network may be consulted on the ESRC web pages. An account of the operation of the Scheme for the three years 2005 - 2007 is available here. Further information is available from Professor Martin Bulmer.
The ESRC Survey Link Scheme, supported by the ESRC Training and Development Board, existed to give academic social scientists the opportunity to acquaint themselves with professional social survey research, carried out by the agencies below. It thus provided a bridge between the academy and the practical worlds in which professional survey research is carried out.
Two free linked components were offered, each typically taking one day each:
- attendance at a free one-day workshop, which provided a briefing on a particular survey. The day included an introduction to survey interviewing in the field, an introduction to CAPI – Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing — and guidance through the CAPI questionnaire of a particular survey by professional staff from the agency carrying out the fieldwork. These workshops were held at various locations throughout the UK
- a free opportunity to go out with a professional interviewer for one day, and observe a social survey interview in the field. This was arranged close to where the scheme participant lived, and took place after attendance at the workshop.