Team science: A qualitative study of benefits, challenges, and lessons learned

This project was support by funding from the University of South Carolina (UofSC) Office of Research and the UofSC College of Social Work. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of UofSC.

Abstract

This qualitative study includes interviews with 9 team scientists to examine benefits, challenges, and lessons learned from team-based research in the social sciences. Data analyses were conducted using MaxQDA software to identify provisional and emergent themes. Benefits of team science included enhanced insights from multidisciplinary perspectives, increased scholarly productivity and impact, and mentoring of newer faculty by those with greater experience. Challenges of team science included working with individuals who had divergent philosophies and styles, increased time and effort needed to conduct the research, communicating around professional roles and responsibilities, and fit within the academic context. Lessons learned from the research included establishing relationships with potential team members prior to partnering with them, defining and documenting contributions of team members at the outset, examining institutional supports for team-based research and education, and clarifying processes around issues such as authorship and team membership. Implications are discussed as these relate to research, practice, and policy for team-based social science.

Keywords:

• Collaboration
• Interdisciplinary research
• Project management
• Transdisciplinary research

Notes

This project was support by funding from the University of South Carolina (UofSC) Office of Research and the UofSC College of Social Work. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of UofSC.

Additional information

Dr. DeHart is Assistant Dean for Research and a Research Professor at the University of South Carolina’s College of Social Work. She conducts funded team-based research examining issues such as incarceration, gendered pathways to offending, and intersections of victimization and offending.