MY580 Methods Short Courses

Exclusive Autumn Term Special:

Integrating Generative AI in the Questionnaire Design Process

Effective questionnaire design remains one of the greatest challenges in survey research, requiring a mix of artistic skill, scientific expertise, and thorough evaluation and testing procedures to minimise measurement errors in the data produced. Increasingly powerful Large Language Models offer researchers new ways to support the questionnaire development process, along with substantial gains in cost efficiency. However, the integration of LLM’s in questionnaire design, evaluation and testing (QDET) procedures should be handled in a critical way, based on knowledge of the scientific principles and craft of effective social measurement, as well as of optimal prompt engineering methods.

This workshop aims to a) present an overview of persistent challenges in QDET; b) demonstrate different ways in which LLMs can be used to address these; and c) explore opportunities and tactics for future applications of GenAI in QDET aimed both at facilitating procedures for researchers but also improving survey measurement quality.

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Please note that MY580 Methods Short Courses run predominantly during Winter Term and Spring Term. The remaining 2025/26 schedule will be published in January 2026 on this webpage. Thank you for your interest in studying with us.

Historically, one of the main reasons for the establishment of the Department of Methodology was the identification by the Economic and Social Research Council of a 'methods gap' in the training of research students. Among the stipulated requirements was a set of research skills for each discipline. Given the considerable overlap in these research skills across departments, the Department of Methodology was established to meet some of these needs efficiently.

About our MY580 Methods Short Courses

We offer short courses under MY580 on a variety of specific and advanced topics in qualitative and quantitative research methods.

These courses are primarily aimed at PhD students but may be taken by Masters students. The short courses are non-examinable, self-contained and may be attended independently. They take place in Winter and Spring terms, with the schedule and course outline available below and on the MY580 Moodle page.

Sign up via Eventbrite, which opens for bookings two weeks prior to the corresponding course.

As part of the Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) network, the department reserves a small number of places on MY580 short courses for non-LSE external visitors. Interested parties can also sign up via Eventbrite under external ticket admissions (non-LSE).

Please ensure to check out the Frequently Asked Questionssection below. For queries about our short courses, please email methodology.comms@lse.ac.uk.
Browse our past short courses and keep up to date with upcoming ones on our Eventbrite page.