I offer social scientific research as a core service that brings rigorous, evidence- insights to your organizational, programmatic, and policy challenges. Drawing on both mixed-methods and participatory traditions—from survey design and statistical analysis to ethnography, discourse analysis, and participatory action research—I partner with you to generate knowledge that advances social justice, equity, and collective agency. Whether you need a custom needs assessment, an organizational culture study, or a full research design and implementation, my social scientific research service integrates critical frameworks, stakeholder engagement, and transparent methods to ensure your initiatives are informed, credible, and transformative.
Operationalization, Measurement, and Identification Criteria: Philosophy & Theory
In my practice, determining what to measure—and how—is both a metaphysical and epistemological endeavor. Before designing or coding schemes, we ask foundational questions about the nature of the phenomena under study: What are the essential qualities of “power,” “resilience,” or “community agency”? How do these constructs exist in social reality, and how might our categories risk reifying or erasing lived experience? Drawing on phenomenological and critical theory traditions, I treat concepts not as fixed essences but as provisional objects of inquiry—defined through iterative dialogue and performativity, and grounded in sociocultural context.
Epistemologically, measurement is an act of world-making. Each indicator represents a theory of knowledge about social life: choosing interview prompts to capture nuance privileges narrative depth, while survey scales embody assumptions about comparability and abstraction. I resist the illusion of value-neutral metrics by making explicit the normative commitments underlying operationalization — whether we prioritize frequency counts of supportive practices or thematic richness in participant stories.
For example, research artifacts like identification criteria emerge through reflexive negotiation. We co-construct coding rubrics and threshold rules in participatory workshops, ensuring that cut-points reflect community meanings rather than bureaucratic expediency. This reflexive operationalization honors both the contingent, constructed nature of social phenomena and our commitment to rigorous, credible inquiry.
As a sociologist, I — of course — do surveys and statistical analysis. But, I’m a theory girl at heart — coming up with cogent ways to answer “how do I actually research this” is what gives me (and the research teams I join) an extra edge. Learn more about my Co-Investigator and Research Capacity Building services if you’re interested!
Foundations: Theory, Methods, and Critical Inquiry
At the heart of my approach lies a commitment to combining robust social theory with methodological rigor. Social scientific research, as defined by leading scholars, requires systematic collection and analysis of data—both numerical and narrative—to uncover patterns of human behavior and institutional dynamics. I ground every project in interpretive frameworks that surface power relations, ideological constructs, and structural inequalities. Drawing on Foucault’s concepts of power/knowledge, Bourdieu’s theory of social capital, and intersectional analysis, we shape research questions that go beyond surface symptoms to reveal root causes.
Mixed-Methods Integration
While my focus often centers on qualitative depth, I integrate quantitative tools when they enhance validity and triangulation. Common approaches include:
- Survey Research: Designing and administering instruments—online, telephone, or paper-based—that capture attitudes, experiences, and demographics. I analyze responses through descriptive and inferential statistics to identify trends, segmentation, and correlational patterns[8].
- Statistical Analysis: Employing regression, cluster analysis, and nonparametric tests to test hypotheses and model relationships, ensuring findings meet standards of reliability and validity.
- Qualitative Inquiry: Conducting in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation to generate rich, contextualized data. I code and thematically analyze narratives to surface emergent concepts and collective meanings.
- Content & Discourse Analysis: Systematically examining texts, organizational documents, and media artifacts to reveal how language enacts power, frames issues, and reproduces norms. Techniques include thematic coding, ideological square mapping, and critical narrative analysis.
- Participatory Action Research (PAR): Engaging stakeholders as co-researchers in every phase—from question formulation to data interpretation—so that research becomes an empowering, capacity-building process rather than an extractive exercise[5].
Service Offerings: Tailored Research Engagements
Organizational Diagnostics, Culture Studies, and Industrial-Organizational Psychology
I conduct comprehensive social scientific audits of organizational culture, leadership practices, and employee experience. Through mixed-methods surveys, ethnographic site visits, and stakeholder interviews, we identify misalignments between stated values and lived practices. Findings inform targeted interventions in HR & Organizational Consulting and DEI Transformation, ensuring change efforts rest on solid empirical foundations.
Program Evaluation & Impact Assessment
Building on my evaluation expertise, I design and implement utilization-focused evaluations that center qualitative insights while integrating quantitative indicators. Using Most Significant Change techniques, beneficiary narratives, and outcome mapping, I help organizations measure both intended and emergent impacts. These approaches reinforce Evaluation by honoring participant expertise and promoting adaptive learning.
Needs Assessments & Community Research
I partner with community groups, nonprofits, and public agencies to conduct needs assessments that foreground community-defined priorities. Combining survey sampling, participatory focus groups, and social network analysis, we map service gaps, power dynamics, and resource flows. Results guide strategic planning in Strategic Planning and inform grant proposals in Grant Writing and Administration.
Policy Analysis & Discourse Studies
Using critical discourse analysis and policy mapping, I examine how legislation, institutional policies, and public narratives shape inclusion, access, and equity. From analyzing gendered language in workplace policies to tracing the framing of anti-LGBTQ legislation, we uncover the weasel words and ideological frames that enable systemic injustice. Learn more about my Academic Research Specializations!
Methodology: A Four-Phase Research Process
- Co-Design & Question Framing
We begin with collaborative workshops to refine research questions, select appropriate methods, and establish ethical protocols—ensuring the study aligns with your values and community priorities. - Data Collection & Fieldwork
We uncover instrument design, sampling strategies, and field operations—whether coordinating surveys, conducting interviews, or facilitating participatory mapping sessions. - Analysis & Interpretation
We work together on thematic, statistical, and discourse analyses. - Reporting & Knowledge Mobilization
Final reports combine executive summaries, data visualizations, narrative case studies, and actionable recommendations.
Working Together: Next Steps
Research succeeds through partnership and shared accountability. To explore how social scientific research can advance your mission—be it uncovering organizational blind spots, public health, or non-profit work—book a complimentary discovery call. We’ll clarify your objectives, co-create a research plan, and set milestones that ensure timely, impactful results.
Reach out through the Contact page to begin your research journey.
Continue the Conversation
I regularly publish reflections on methodology, power analysis, and on research in general: