Building Research Skills through Survey Data and Data Wrangling
Image: Participants at the SALDRU short courses. Credit: Nicola Branson.
This July, SALDRU welcomed a total of 64 participants from universities, government and industry to its annual Social Science Research Using Survey Data (SSR) and Data Wrangling short courses. Together, the courses aim to equip researchers with the foundational skills needed to transform complex datasets into credible evidence for research and policy.
The SSR course introduced participants to the fundamentals of working with survey data, combining practical Stata training with an introduction to the broader research process. Using the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS), participants learnt how research questions, data, and analytical methods fit together while developing some of the core skills needed to produce high-quality empirical analyses. Many participants had little previous experience with Stata but shared a common goal: to develop practical analytical skills that could be applied directly to their own research and professional work.
To conclude the course, participants took part in a friendly competition to use AI to improve the presentation of a visualisation they had developed in Stata to illustrate something of interest to them. The winning entry, produced by Anotida Makonese, demonstrates how the thoughtful use of AI can enhance the communication of research findings while leaving the underlying analysis and choice of research question firmly in the hands of the researcher.
Figure supplied by Anotida Makonese.
The Data Wrangling course built on these foundations, focusing on efficient, reproducible data management. Participants worked on practical challenges such as merging datasets, generating variables, automating repetitive tasks using loops, and writing well-structured do-files. The sessions helped demystify common Stata error messages and provided solutions to problems they regularly encounter in their own research.
Together, the two courses reflect SALDRU's ongoing commitment to strengthening quantitative research capacity in South Africa and across the continent by equipping researchers with both the technical tools and the research mindset needed to produce high-quality, policy-relevant evidence.