How to become Social Science Research Assistant in 2024

Social Science Research Assistant Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. May help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.

Social Science Research Assistant is Also Know as

In different settings, Social Science Research Assistant is titled as

  • Clinical Research Assistant
  • Graduate Assistant
  • Graduate Research Assistant
  • Research Aide
  • Research Assistant
  • Research Associate
  • Research Technician
  • Social Research Assistant

Education and Training of Social Science Research Assistant

Social Science Research Assistant is categorized in Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Experience Required for Social Science Research Assistant

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Education Required for Social Science Research Assistant

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Degrees Related to Social Science Research Assistant

Training Required for Social Science Research Assistant

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Related Ocuupations

Some Ocuupations related to Social Science Research Assistant in different industries are

What Do Social Science Research Assistant do?

  • Prepare, manipulate, and manage extensive databases.
  • Provide assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations.
  • Obtain informed consent of research subjects or their guardians.
  • Perform descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses of data, using computer software.
  • Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in databases, correcting any errors.
  • Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
  • Edit and submit protocols and other required research documentation.
  • Develop and implement research quality control procedures.
  • Conduct internet-based and library research.
  • Present research findings to groups of people.
  • Perform data entry and other clerical work as required for project completion.
  • Design and create special programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry and cleaning.
  • Code data in preparation for computer entry.
  • Provide assistance in the design of survey instruments such as questionnaires.
  • Screen potential subjects to determine their suitability as study participants.
  • Administer standardized tests to research subjects, or interview them to collect research data.
  • Recruit and schedule research participants.
  • Track research participants, and perform any necessary follow-up tasks.
  • Allocate and manage laboratory space and resources.
  • Supervise the work of survey interviewers.
  • Track laboratory supplies and expenses such as participant reimbursement.
  • Perform needs assessments or consult with clients to determine the types of research and information required.
  • Collect specimens such as blood samples, as required by research projects.

Qualities of Good Social Science Research Assistant

  • Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Mathematical Reasoning: The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Number Facility: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Memorization: The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • Speed of Closure: The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Time Sharing: The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • Wrist-Finger Speed: The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
  • Dynamic Strength: The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
  • Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of a glare or bright lighting.
  • Night Vision: The ability to see under low-light conditions.
  • Peripheral Vision: The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.
  • Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Sound Localization: The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.
  • Spatial Orientation: The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
  • Gross Body Equilibrium: The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
  • Gross Body Coordination: The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
  • Dynamic Flexibility: The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Stamina: The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Explosive Strength: The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
  • Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Speed of Limb Movement: The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.
  • Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
  • Response Orientation: The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
  • Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Tools Used by Social Science Research Assistant

  • Computer data input scanners
  • Computer laser printers
  • Desktop computers
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Personal computers
  • Photocopying equipment
  • Tablet computers
  • Transcription equipment

Technology Skills required for Social Science Research Assistant

  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Appletree
  • C++
  • Database software
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • Extensible markup language XML
  • Graphics software
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • JavaScript
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • Microsoft Visual Basic
  • Microsoft Word
  • Online library databases
  • Oracle Java
  • Perl
  • Python
  • Qualtrics Insight
  • R
  • SAS
  • StataCorp Stata
  • Statistical software
  • Structured query language SQL
  • Tableau
  • The MathWorks MATLAB
  • Video development software
  • Web browser software