11 Key Attributes Social Science Research Assistants Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Ethan Jones

Monday, January 4, 2016

Social science research assistants assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. They may also help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.

The core tasks that social science research assistants are likely to carry out include:

Prepare, manipulate, and manage extensive databases.
Provide assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations.
Obtain informed consent of research subjects and/or their guardians.
Perform descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses of data, using computer software.
Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in databases; correct any errors.
Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that social science research assistants would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 92.4%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 91.6%

Analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 90.8%

Having a strong preference for conventional work environments. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 90.43%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 90%

Developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 89.4%

Being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 87.6%

Being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85.8%

Persistence in the face of obstacles.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85.6%

A willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85.6%

Establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 84.4%