social science

Quant meets Qual: The ultimate research power couple

As a social scientist I often get asked about how I exactly ‘do’ my research, how do I collect data, what types of data, how it gets analyzed, and if it’s valid. The answers to all of these questions largely depend on the research question being asked but there is one thing that is common across the vast majority of my projects which is the use of mixed methods. Rest assured, this isn't a dense methodology piece on sampling or statistical validation. It's simply an inside look at the practical 'how' and 'why' behind applying mixed methods to turfgrass research.


Ecosystem Services help establish the value of turfgrass greenspaces

This article was originally published in the March 2023 Master Gardener Volunteer News publication. Learn more about the Master Gardener program at the UMN Extension website. This is the third in a series about lawns and our relationship to them.

Documents on this page published before April 2026 were created before current policy requirements took effect, and therefore may not be accessible. To request this content in an accessible format, contact the author or the site administrator.

 

By Michael Barnes


A (very) brief history of lawns

This article was originally published in the February 2023 Master Gardener Volunteer News publication. Learn more about the Master Gardener program at the UMN Extension website. This is the second in a series about lawns and our relationship to them.

Documents on this page published before April 2026 were created before current policy requirements took effect, and therefore may not be accessible. To request this content in an accessible format, contact the author or the site administrator.

 

By Michael Barnes


Let's talk turf! Part 1

This article was originally published in the January 2023 Master Gardener Volunteer News publication. Learn more about the Master Gardener program at the UMN Extension website. Let's talk turf is the first in a new series focusing on turfgrass topics from a social science perspective.

Documents on this page published before April 2026 were created before current policy requirements took effect, and therefore may not be accessible. To request this content in an accessible format, contact the author or the site administrator.

By Michael Barnes