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LN

July 16th, 2022

Why you should take part in LSE GROUPS

0 comments | 4 shares

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

LN

July 16th, 2022

Why you should take part in LSE GROUPS

0 comments | 4 shares

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

From 6 to 17 June, I took part in LSE GROUPS, a two-week student-led research project organised by the LSE Eden Centre.

This year’s main topic was “London’s resilience and the new normal”, reviewing the changes and resilience of communities, cities or industries after times of crisis. Our assignment was to carry out intensive research on a topic of our choice in teams. At the end of the week, we presented our findings in a conference, along with a research paper.

In this blog, I will explain the reasons why I enjoyed LSE GROUPS, and why you should sign up next year.

1) Groupwork

One of the main advantages of taking part in the project was the opportunity to work in a team, during the entire day. This large amount of contact hours is an aspect that I missed in my undergraduate studies. On top of gaining group-working skills, I was lucky enough to be in a fantastic team and meet wonderful people. It was also enriching to meet people from outside my department which brought different perspectives to the project.

2) Research opportunity

This project was the first time I actually conducted research. I learned how to conduct quantitative research, analysing survey results using STATA. I also wrote my first research paper in a team, presenting (or attempting to present) our results in a clear and straightforward way.

I learned that one of the biggest struggles when conducting research is to come out with an original research question, that serves a purpose. It took us four full days just to figure this part out!

Using STATA to find a correlation in our data was complicated. While we got some help from IT resource sessions, it still took a few tries to come up with correct regression coefficients. Despite the struggles, I am glad that I could finally put my abstract knowledge of econometrics to use in a real-world, applied project.

3) The challenge

At times, taking part in this project was challenging. It is expected from you, just after exams, to work from 9 to 5 on an original research project, independently. We had a supervisor coming to help us twice a day, but we had to do most of the work on our own. Also, it can be hard to efficiently work in a group of seven people, and we had to learn how to delegate tasks.

What I found particularly rewarding was the final conference, where we had to present our findings to all the other groups. It was my first time talking in front of so many people and having to answer questions from the public. I am very grateful that I got the opportunity to brave my fears, while also learning about the projects of all the other groups.

In conclusion, I would recommend you take part in LSE GROUPS if you want to get a taste of what research is really like, and if you want to apply your abstract university knowledge to solve tangible issues.

It is a great way to make new friends and improve so many skills useful in life, such as learning to assert oneself and cope with pressure, among others.

About the author

LN

Hi! My name is Hélène, and I am currently a second year Management student at the LSE.

Posted In: Student life

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