Assurance Working Group

About

The overall aim of the ACSS assurance working group is to explore how best to facilitate assurance of the quality, value and impact of social science in the FSA. The group have recently completed their work developing a  ‘good science’ quality assurance toolkit with UCL. The toolkit which will support the commissioning of high-quality research across FSA sciences and can be accessed below. Working group members continue to be key contributors to the Social Science Gateway Process, and as such review the research questions and methodology of all new social science projects. 

Members

• Hannah Lambie-Mumford (Chair) 
• Julie Barnett  
• Julie Hill 
• Prof. George Gaskell
• Prof. Fiona Gillison
• Dr. Naomi Maynard
• Professor Charlotte Hardman

Terms of reference 

The ACSS Assurance Working Group supports the quality of FSA science by:

1. overseeing the commissioning, development and piloting of a "good science" quality assurance checklist/toolkit which will support the commissioning of high-quality research across our sciences, (December 22 delivery).
2. advising on a brief for independent evaluation looking at the social research output against the GSR standards and making recommendations on any areas of improvement, (Spring 23 delivery).
3. feeding into shorter term ad hoc requests to support continuing improvement

The TORs will be refreshed following completion of 1 and 2, to reflect any future needs identified by these activities. 

Papers 

The group last updated the wider committee  at the 10^th ACSS plenary meeting. Please see the update provided in Paper 10.1 of the 10th Open ACSS Meeting

Outputs

The Assurance Working Group commissioned researchers at University College London to develop a good science Quality Assurance Toolkit (QAT) to support the FSA in producing and procuring high-quality research. Designed by University College London (UCL), the QAT will be an important resource for promoting high standards in research across the Agency. Following the creation of the QAT, the FSA are now working to adapt the toolkit for use across the Analytics Unit.  

Chair of the Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS) Assurance Working Group, Dr Hannah Lambie-Mumford, welcomed the publication of the QAT: “We are delighted to be publishing the Quality Assurance Toolkit. The team at UCL worked closely with the FSA to ensure that the toolkit will help the FSA maintain high standards and transparency in social research. The Assurance working group was set up to facilitate assurance of the quality, value and impact of social science in the FSA, and the publication of the QAT marks a milestone in our work.”

To view/print the toolkit in its entirety, please press the view/print entire guide button.

FSA Quality Assurance Toolkit