Would you like to use experiments in your research, but are not sure where to begin? Or are you already familiar one type of experiments (lab?) and looking to broaden your toolkit to include other types? (Field? Survey?). This five-day interdisciplinary summer school offers a practical and accessible introduction to the main experimental methods in the social sciences. Participants will be introduced to the logic of causal inference and to the design, implementation, analysis, and presentation of survey, field, and laboratory experiments. The course is designed both for those who are new to experimental research and for researchers who already work with one experimental tradition and want to expand their knowledge of others. Teaching is led by an interdisciplinary team from Politics, Economics, Business, and Psychology, and combines short lectures with discussion, group work, and hands-on practical exercises. Across the week, participants will gain practical exposure to R, Stata, Excel, and Qualtrics, alongside key topics such as research ethics, preregistration, and responsible experimental practice. The course is suitable for researchers, PhD students, professionals, and members of public institutions, including those interested in running their first experiment and those who want to move beyond a single approach to experimental design. It is also relevant for participants interested in commissioning experimental research through survey companies or other providers. No prior knowledge of experimental design or statistics is required.

Dates: 29 June-3 July 2026

Location: University of Southampton, Highfield Campus
Fees: £300 for students; £650 for academic institutions, Research Councils, charities, and the public sector; £950 for all other participants.

More details: https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/training/show.php?article=14735