Energy Research and Social Science Review: Promoting novelty, rigor, and style in energy social science: Towards codes of practice for appropriate methods and research design

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Energy Research and Social Science

Review

Promoting novelty, rigor, and style in energy social science: Towards codes of practice for appropriate methods and research design

ABSTRACT

A series of weaknesses in creativity, research design, and quality of writing continue to handicap energy social science. Many studies ask uninteresting research questions, make only marginal contributions, and lack innovative methods or application to theory. Many studies also have no explicit research design, lack rigor, or suffer from mangled structure and poor quality of writing. To help remedy these shortcomings, this Review offers suggestions for how to construct research questions; thoughtfully engage with concepts; state objectives; and appropriately select research methods. Then, the Review offers suggestions for enhancing theoretical, methodological, and empirical novelty. In terms of rigor, codes of practice are presented across seven method categories: experiments, literature reviews, data collection, data analysis, quantitative energy modeling, qualitative analysis, and case studies. We also recommend that researchers beware of hierarchies of evidence utilized in some disciplines, and that researchers place more emphasis on balance and appropriateness in research design. In terms of style, we offer tips regarding macro and microstructure and analysis, as well as coherent writing. Our hope is that this Review will inspire more interesting, robust, multi-method, comparative, interdisciplinary and impactful research that will accelerate the contribution that energy social science can make to both theory and practice.

Slippery, indistinct, elusive, complex, diffuse, messy, textured, vague, unspecific, confused, disordered, emotional, painful, pleasurable, hopeful, horrific, lost, redeemed, visionary, angelic, demonic, mundane, intuitive, sliding and unpredictable.

- Professor John Law, describing the practice of social science research methods.

One. Introduction

Two. Getting started: research questions, frameworks, objectives and designs

Two point one. Asking socially relevant (and impactful) research questions

Two point two. Engaging with theory and conceptual frameworks

Two point three. Stating research objectives

Core Disciplines

Two point four. Explicating a research design

Two point four point one. Experiments and quasi-experiments

Two point four point two. Literature reviews

Two point four point three. Surveys and data collection

Two point four point four. Data analysis and statistics

Two point four point five. Quantitative energy models

Two point four point six. Qualitative research

Two point four point seven. Case studies and cross-case comparisons

Three. Promoting theoretical, methodological, and empirical novelty

Three point one. Theoretical novelty: create, synthesize, or test theories

Three point one point one. Theoretical invention

Three point one point two. Theoretical synthesis

Three point one point three. Theoretical triangulation

Three point two. Methodological novelty: develop novel or cutting edge methods

Three point two point one. Multiple or mixed methods

Three point two point two. Behavioral realism

Three point two point three. Repeated data collection and longitudinal research

Three point three. Empirical novelty: new applications, new data, and new types of evidence

Three point three point one. New applications

Three point three point two. New data from exceptional groups or populations

Three point three point three. New types of evidence

Four. Promoting rigor via codes of practice, hierarchies of evidence, and appropriate balance

Four point one. Towards codes of practice

Four point one point one. Experiments and quasi-experiments

Four point one point two. Literature reviews

Four point one point three. Surveys and data collection

Thus, we propose the following codes of practice for survey data collection:

Four point one point four. Data analysis and statistics

In summary, the practices of the rigorous data analyst include:

Four point one point five. Quantitative energy models

Four point one point six. Qualitative research

Four point one point seven. Case studies and cross-case comparisons

Stronger evidence

Four point three. Appreciate balance, appropriateness and multi-method designs

Five. Promoting style via structure, clarity, and critical thinking

Five point one. Seek cohesive and coherent macrostructure

Five point two. Pursue clarity of expression in microstructure.

Five point three. Aim for transparency, test and critically examine your analysis

Six. Conclusion

Overview

The Review examines inadequacies in energy social science research and proposes strategies for improvement. It emphasizes the need for innovative research questions, rigorous methodologies, and clear communication to effectively address critical global energy challenges.

Key Points

1Many energy social science studies lack novelty and rigorous research designs
2Improved research quality is essential for addressing pressing global energy issues
3The Review provides guidelines to enhance methodological and theoretical contributions
4Effective communication is crucial for maximizing research impact
5Researchers are encouraged to reflect on their work's relevance to societal problems.

Details

Authors: Benjamin K. Sovacoola, Jonn Axsen, Steve Sorrell
Category: Social Sciences

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