For sessions and speaker details, please see the listing under daylong programs for this Workshop.
This workshop will be held on Saturday, January 9, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm and on Sunday, January 10, from 9:00 am -12:00 pm. This year’s workshop follows a different format than in previous years, eliminating the fee for a box lunch and offering an opportunity for small-group feedback on individual research projects for those who register for and attend the workshop. Participants are not required to have any specific equipment or preparation.
For a law professor conducting on-going empirical research, you can register for the Sunday morning session only. This new feature is designed to allow researchers opportunities for targeted feedback on their projects. Priority is given to participants who attend the entire workshop. “Alums” of previous AALS empirical workshops are welcome.
This workshop provides an overview of how to approach and assess empirical research including (1) best practices for formulating research questions; (2) matching questions to methods and data; (3) IRBs and research ethics; (4) options for data analysis; (5) funding possibilities; (6) cross-disciplinary research collaborations; and (7) approaches to publishing empirical research. No background in social science is required. On the one hand, the workshop provides guidance for law professors interested in drawing on qualitative, survey research and/or experimental social science studies pertinent to their research on law. On the other hand, it is also designed to support law professors who seek to augment their scholarship by using empirical methods.
During the lunchtime session on Saturday (bring your own lunch) and on Sunday morning, participants will have an opportunity for small-group targeted discussions that permit more time for individualized feedback.