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W342: Caveat Emptor: Becoming a Responsible Consumer of Research

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Association execs consume – and produce – a lot of research in our day-to-day work, but most of us don’t have formal training in research. A lot of the language of research programs– p-values and confidence intervals and margins of error – can be pretty jargony, and some of the concepts behind what makes for good (or less good) research can be challenging for people who haven’t had the opportunity to take a graduate level methods course. How can you be sure that the research you’re using or sponsoring is giving you the insight you need to make good decisions? How can you protect your association’s reputation as a trusted source of unbiased information for the profession or industry you serve? Join Elizabeth Engel and Polly Karpowicz for a webinar based on their recently-released whitepaper, where they will share a plain-language review of key concepts and approaches in consuming and sponsoring research so you don’t have to “beware” and can be confident that you’re setting yourself, your association, your members and other stakeholders, and the people in the profession or industry your association serves up for success in making data-informed decisions that will allow you to achieve your most important goals and solve your most pressing problems.  

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

  • Participants will develop a working knowledge of key concepts in defining research questions, choosing data collection methods, designing research instruments, collecting data, and interpreting and reporting results.
  • Participants will learn about the types of methodological bias that can creep into research projects and the steps they can take to ameliorate them.
  • Participants will hear case studies of associations running efficient, effective research programs.

Presented by: Elizabeth Engel, Chief Strategist, Spark Consulting, LLC; Polly Karpowicz, MBA, CAE, Nonprofit Consultant; Marc Beebe, Senior Director, Strategic Research, Public Imperatives, & Corporate Development at IEEE; and Jennifer L. Blanck, Director, Constituent Engagement for Institutional Advancement Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)