Methods Consultation in Sociology
The Methods Consultation Service provides methodological and statistical support to students and early-career researchers at the Institute of Sociology. It is intended to help you address methodological and statistical questions that arise in the course of your own research projects.
The consultation focuses primarily on quantitative research methods. We offer practical, problem-oriented support with methodological and technical issues arising in seminar papers, theses, and research projects.
Areas of support
- Operationalisation: Advice on developing appropriate measures and translating theoretical concepts into variables; feedback on questionnaires and measurement instruments.
- Data management: Conceptual support in developing strategies for data preparation and structuring (no operational implementation).
- Choice of methods: Support in identifying and selecting appropriate statistical methods for your research question and data.
- Interpretation of results: Assistance in interpreting statistical results and assessing their plausibility, substantive meaning, and explanatory value.
- Software-related problems: Support with software installation, specific syntax issues, and the interpretation of error messages (for example in R, Stata, or Python).
Important information
- Duration: Consultations generally last between 15 and 30 minutes. Please provide a brief description of your question or problem in advance.
- Independent work: The service follows a "help-you-help-yourself" approach. We do not conduct analyses on your behalf, write programmes or scripts, or modify your files. Instead, we help you understand the relevant methods and resolve methodological or technical problems. You remain responsible for carrying out the analyses and for the scientific interpretation of your results. In other words, we follow a strict ("hands-off policy").
- Capacity: To ensure that the service remains accessible to as many students and researchers as possible, the number of consultations per person is limited according to the principle of ("fair use").
- Scope: The Methods Consultation Service is not a substitute for formal methods courses or individual tutoring. We do not provide consultations on purely qualitative research methods.
Appointments and contact
You can arrange an individual appointment by email or attend the open consultation hours.
For more complex questions or consultations requiring more time, please arrange an individual appointment by email in advance.
Open consultation hours
Ideal for brief questions or initial clarification.
Spring semester: Thursdays, 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Autumn semester: Wednesdays, 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Location: A107, Fabrikstrasse 8, Bern
Appointment requests
For complex problems or longer consultations, it is recommended that you arrange an appointment in advance by email at rudolf.farys@unibe.ch.
