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Why Research in the Quantitative Social Sciences?
Daily Impact
In the news, we hear about the rising devastation due to climate change, industry disruptions due to generative AI, and inflation, to name just a few pressing topics quantitative social scientists study. Quantitative social scientists study these issues by employing vast amounts of data, computer analysis, and analytical models to guide their findings and develop policy suggestions. Their job is to provide cost and benefit analysis, offer guidance to governments on best policies, educate business leaders on best practices, and in general help people make the best choices using sound research.
Big questions, many disciplines
Research in the quantitative social sciences is highly interdisciplinary and draws scholars from disciplines such as Economics, Psychology, Mathematics, Statistics, Finance, Accounting, Computer Science, Sociology, Engineering, and many others. Because the questions researchers tackle are so large, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to find the right answers. Here is a sample of the questions asked by researchers in the quantitative social sciences:
Pathways to Research and Doctoral Careers: PREDOC.org
You have big questions, about topics like racial inequity and income inequality. You want to change the world, combat problems like climate change, and influence policy.
Pursue a research career. Prepare with a predoctoral role.
Prepare with rigorous quantitative coursework, coding, and research experience.
Apply in the fall of your last year of school.
Demonstrate your skill in a data task.
Start your research journey with a pre-doctoral opportunity.
Big questions—Big answers—Big impact. Learn more and find resources to help you prepare at PREDOC.org.
- What is the source of discrimination?
- Why do some neighborhoods need revitalizing?
- What can we do about the wage gap?
- Is income the best way to measure inequality?
- Can we design more efficient interventions to alleviate poverty?
- What happens when economics doesn't reflect the real world?
- Was the reconstruction period a failure?
- What are labor market trends in low-income countries?
- Can a bus ticket end seasonal hunger for the poorest families?
- How can insights inform development research, policy, and practice in today’s divided world?
- Do movement restrictions damage the US economy?
- What is dependency theory and why is it relevant to development economists?
- How can we help with pollution?
- What does green investing mean for companies, shareholders, and society?
- What countries should be leading policy solutions?
- Should countries legalize marijuana and/or other drugs?
- How can we keep youth out of prison?
- Why does early childhood intervention boost economic success?
- How can artificial intelligence generate fake news?
Interested? Here's how to learn more.
Interested? Here's how to learn more.
Hear from early-career researchers
The American Economic Association followed several early-stage researchers to show the different kinds of questions and careers a research background can lead to.
Hear from early-career researchers
Get advice from Nobel laureates
Hear the advice Nobel laureates give to researchers just getting started in economics and business.
Get advice from Nobel laureates
