The Methodology Collaborative
The IPH Methodology Collaborative brings together researchers from across the Institute who share expertise and interests in research methodology. The Collaborative provides a forum to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, facilitate the exchange of knowledge, and strengthen methodological capability across the Institute.
The Collaborative has three core aims:
- Promote collaboration in the application of research methods
- Advance methodological research and innovation
- Enhance the quality and consistency of research methods education
By supporting these activities, the Collaborative seeks to improve research quality, increase competitiveness for research funding, and enhance the learning experience for students and early-career researchers.
What is Methodological Research?
Methodological research is research about research methods themselves and focuses on the development, evaluation, and improvement of the methods used to design, conduct, analyse, and report research. Rather than addressing a specific health or scientific question, methodological research examines how research is carried out and seeks to identify better ways of generating reliable, robust, and impactful evidence.
Methodological research can include the development of new research designs, statistical and analytical approaches, methods for evidence synthesis, outcome measurement, and strategies for patient and public involvement. It also evaluates the strengths, limitations, and appropriate use of existing methods across different research settings.
Methodological research helps improve the quality, efficiency, transparency, and reproducibility of research, ultimately strengthening the evidence used to inform policy, practice, and future scientific discovery.
Who is involved in the collaborative?
The Collaborative brings together expertise spanning a wide range of methodological disciplines, including qualitative and mixed methods research, epidemiology, health economics, causal inference, Bayesian methods, prediction modelling, psychometrics, federated analysis, machine learning, evidence synthesis, and the co-development of complex interventions.
Anyone with an interest in methodological research, or the application and education of research methodologies is very welcome to join the collaborative. Please contact the IPH Collaborative leads or join the teams channel.