What does a social research assistant do?
Social Research Assistants are responsible for providing support to social scientists in the area of surveys, laboratory work, and other related social research. Their duties include editing and submitting research documentation, acquiring research subjects' consent, preparing reports, managing databases, designing survey instruments, filter subject suitability, track participant's progress, manage laboratory resources and conduct data entry work. They also assist in research findings presentation, administer surveys, collect specimens, perform statistical analyses, supervise standardized testing, manage scheduling and recruitment of participants, and participate in basic researching.
Social research assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real social research assistant resumes:
- Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
- Perform statistical analysis on SPSS and summarize results in weekly reports.
- Code the data receive and analyze the results with SPSS to draw conclusions about significant findings.
- Prepare IRB applications and renewals for participating care facilities.
- Guide the technical implementation of an automate analysis system (electrophoresis station), with the enhancement of its operational efficiency.
- Calculate the GDP of each state.
- Provide analysis and research on various economic indicators such as nominal GDP and immigration statistics base on average income levels.
- Prepare and gather images of drosophila fly's using scanning electron microscopy to interpret phenotypic expressions for grant applications
Social research assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Social Research Assistants are proficient in Social Work, Data Entry, and SPSS. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Social Research Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Social Work, 12%
Revised and created modules for certification for social workers
- Data Entry, 6%
Perform data entry and coding for data that is influential in a variety of studies.
- SPSS, 6%
Performed data analysis using SPSS and Microsoft Excel
- Research Assistants, 6%
Interacted professionally with participants, fellow research assistants, and lab manager.
- Statistical Analysis, 6%
Perform statistical analysis and develop sociological arguments based on the experimental data.
- Literature Reviews, 5%
Supported professor in conducting systematic literature review on aging with disability by searching databases and reviewing journal abstracts
Common skills that a social research assistant uses to do their job include "social work," "data entry," and "spss." You can find details on the most important social research assistant responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a social research assistant to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "market research analysts must evaluate large amounts of data and information related to market conditions." Additionally, a social research assistant resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "prepared, completed and archived subject-related data entry forms. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling social research assistant duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "market research analysts must be able to clearly convey information when gathering material, interpreting data, and presenting results to clients." According to a social research assistant resume, here's how social research assistants can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "completed experiments exploring mobile communication and developmental social psychology"
Detail oriented. This is an important skill for social research assistants to perform their duties. For an example of how social research assistant responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "market research analysts must pay attention to minutiae to evaluate data." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a social research assistant: "notified students about the details of informed consent and other contractual provisions".
The three companies that hire the most social research assistants are:
- PSEA2 social research assistants jobs
- New York University1 social research assistants jobs
- John F Kennedy Middle School1 social research assistants jobs
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Compare different social research assistants
Social research assistant vs. Research scholar
Research scholars are college students who perform on projects in a particular field for a university or organization. Generally, they work with professors and other professionals in the field of study and focus on discovering new information that can be produced in trade or academic journals. Also, they pursue intellectual and academic activities as well as may engaged in educating other researchers. They are usually paid a stipend for a set duration of time, and some may work outside the university.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, social research assistant responsibilities require skills like "social work," "data entry," "sociology," and "research assistants." Meanwhile a typical research scholar has skills in areas such as "c++," "original research," "pcr," and "molecular biology." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Research scholars really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $71,344. Comparatively, social research assistants tend to make the most money in the education industry with an average salary of $58,040.The education levels that research scholars earn slightly differ from social research assistants. In particular, research scholars are 10.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a social research assistant. Additionally, they're 14.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Social research assistant vs. Research internship
A research intern is responsible for assisting the research team with conducting an investigation, compiling information, and analyzing results for an organized research study. Research interns' duties also include understanding the work processes and operation procedures, sharing strategies and recommendations on research methods, reaching out to appropriate research correspondents, managing clients' inquiries and concerns, keeping important client records for reference, studying current market trends, and maintaining the eagerness to learn. A research intern must have strong attention to detail and excellent communication skills to perform on daily research tasks.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that social research assistant responsibilities requires skills like "social work," "data entry," "sociology," and "research assistants." But a research internship might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "c++," "research intern," "java," and "r."
Research interns may earn a lower salary than social research assistants, but research interns earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $52,879. On the other hand, social research assistants receive higher pay in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $58,040.research interns earn similar levels of education than social research assistants in general. They're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 14.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Social research assistant vs. Research volunteer
An Assistant Research Scientist assists in planning, conducting, and analyzing various research projects. They also order and manage lab inventory, materials, and equipment.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from social research assistant resumes include skills like "social work," "data entry," "sociology," and "research assistants," whereas a research volunteer is more likely to list skills in "lab procedures," "cell culture," "laboratory techniques," and "r."
Research volunteers typically earn similar educational levels compared to social research assistants. Specifically, they're 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Social research assistant vs. Assistant research scientist
Types of social research assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
