Have you got a worthy research idea, but need certain data to carry out your work? Are you a researcher wanting to develop an experimental or methodological element?
The 2019 competition has now closed. The 2020 competition will be announced in early 2020.
The chance to access rich household data, you can’t get through other research channels.
The IP competition is a test-bed for new and existing projects without the associated cost.
Understanding Society will provide you with a high level of support throughout your research.
Researchers submit ideas for an experiment or test to be carried in the subsequent wave or waves of the Innovation Panel. Experiments may address a wide range of methodological questions, but must meet some specific criteria. Methodological studies could relate to the design of survey instruments (e.g. question wording, item order, etc.) or to survey design features (e.g. procedures intended to reduce non-response or to improve fieldwork efficiency).
This year we are particularly interested in proposals that explore measurement challenges related to the productivity research agenda. Proposals might include:
Download the call for proposals or apply to the competition.
The proposed research design must:
Having met the mandatory criteria, proposals are then judged on their scientific merit and value for money based on the following:
The quality and publication potential of the research design, including:
The research questions should be within the general remit of Understanding Society.
The latest Innovation Panel Competition will take place in the Spring/Summer of 2019. The key milestones are summarised below.
| Phase | Action & events | Date |
| Call for entries | Online application opens | 11 Feb 2019 |
| Deadline for entries | Ensure proposal meets mandatory criteria | 31 March 2019 |
| Notification of decisions | Proposers notified by email | July 2019 |
| Development work | Work with implementation team to finalise the details of your experiment | July-Dec 2019 |
| Fieldwork | Interview IP households | May-September 2020 |
| Early data available to proposers | Report on key outcome/s for a Working Paper | December 2020 |
| Data released through UK Data Service | Publish your findings | Summer 2021 |
How do I apply?
Our online application process takes you through all the steps needed to complete your entry. You will also need to upload your references, CVs and specifications of questions or other required text.
What experiments have previously been carried out?
The experiments implemented in the Innovation Panel are summarised each year in an Understanding Society Working Paper. You can find the Working Paper series here.
I’m not sure whether I meet the criteria. Who can I talk to?
Please get in touch with Annette Jäckle, Understanding Society Associate Director for Innovations, to discuss your ideas in the first instance.
Who judges the competition?
All proposals are reviewed for feasibility and considered by a panel made up of members of the Understanding Society Principal Investigator’s team and of the Methodological Advisory Committee.
Can I make more than one proposal?
Yes – there is no set limit to the number or proportion of proposals that will be accepted. As many good proposals as can reasonably be carried out in conjunction with one another will be accepted.
When will I find out if my idea has been accepted?
Proposers are usually notified in July 2019. Final acceptance is conditional on fully establishing the feasibility of the proposed study with the fieldwork agency.
Do I have to pay for anything?
Standard data collection costs will be borne by Understanding Society and there will be no cost to successful proposers. Costs for non-standard elements of data collection (e.g. additional mailings or task-related incentive payouts) will be borne by proposers.
When will the data be made available?
The data are made available to competition proposers as soon as possible and in advance of general release via the UK Data Service.
What do you expect from successful applicants?
Successful proposers work with the Innovation Panel survey team to develop and finalise the details of the implementation of the proposal. Researchers are expected to analyse and report on the main outcome(s) in a summary form appropriate for inclusion in a Working Paper and publish their findings based on the resultant data.
Download the call for proposals
Note: The deadline for applications is the 31 March 2019. You will be notified about the decision for your proposal by the end of July 2019
