Research group: The Q-Step Centre

About our research

We are a centre of excellence for data and analysis skills, internationally recognised for how we teach and use those skills in our research.

The Q-Step Centre was founded ten years ago, along with 14 others across the UK, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and Nuffield Foundation. We are now a self-sustaining research centre dedicated to addressing the quantitative skills gap in social science students. Our work combines excellent teaching and impactful research.

We teach statistical literacy and develop students from various disciplines to become confident, competent data analysts – a key role in any sector. Our teaching model enables all students to gain confidence when working with data, regardless of their educational qualifications before coming to us.

Data skills can help in everyday life and create job opportunities in the private and public sectors, including:

• data analytics
• the police
• social care
• social policy
• research
• education
• probation
• the civil service, and many more

Among our study initiatives are:

• teaching data analysis to all students in the School of Sociology and Criminology. Each year, we teach approximately 1200 students between Level 3 and Level 7.
• giving students valuable real-world experience in research through our Q-Step in the Community programme. Placements are available at the university or with our local, public, private and third-sector partners. The host organisations benefit through more robust funding applications and evaluations.
• offering free online tutorials to promote statistical literacy — developed by students for students. We’ve also produced bespoke student guides for SAGE Research Methods.

Postgraduate students can take an MSc in Applied Quantitative Methods. We also support PhD candidates in their research studies.

Our quantitative expertise helps students develop statistical and analytical skills for academic and career success.

It also helps the wider research community at Manchester Met further our knowledge of society, including by:

• examining issues that affect hard-to-reach groups such as young people, sex workers and victims of domestic violence
• tackling challenging research topics, including quantitative aspects of love and the efficacy of community policing

The Economic and Social Research Council has highlighted our Q-Step approach as best practice. Our work featured in its report on improving maths education for 16 to18-year-olds.

The Nuffield Foundation commended our teaching approach, highlighting how we work closely with current data leaders to learn how they became successful data analysts. Read the Nuffield Foundation’s evaluation.

Research approach and themes

We aim to develop inclusive methods of teaching that help students succeed, remain in higher education, and achieve their career or academic goals.

This involves studying:

• reverse mentoring – with students as mentors to academic members of staff
• statistical anxiety of undergraduate social science students (working with other universities internationally)
• learning through experiences as part of the Q-Step in the Community programme
• working with children and young people
• working with vulnerable people
• equity in the workplace

We also encourage innovative quantitative methods in research, such as:  

• innovation in survey-based research
• reflexive quantitative methodologies
• pedagogic research (evaluating our teaching approach)