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Secure Empirical Analysis Lab (SEAL)

Faculty of Social Sciences

SEAL Services

Services

Client fees include:

  • Use of the lab facilities on a 24/7 basis.
  • Electronic access cards as required for all research team members.
  • Account setup and data loading.
  • Data vetting and release in accordance with any data sharing agreements.
  • Post-project data clearing and closeout documentation as required.
  • Data and project files archiving at close of project.
  • Use of all lab software including Stata, SAS, R, Python and QGIS with a full complement of software add-ons plus the Microsoft Office suite of programs. We upgrade all software to the latest version in November of every year.  Contact SEAL for other software needs such as NVivo or QDA Data Miner.
  • Use of the Canadian Census, Labour Force Survey and other datasets to support researchers. Contact SEAL to discuss your data needs.
  • Backup are performed on a daily basis.
  • Use of lab conference rooms.

Secure Remote Access using MobiKeys

Remote access on a 24/7 basis with purchase of a MobiKey.  MobiKeys are not sharable by clients but can be reassigned to other co-researchers or research assistants at no cost.  We replace obsolete MobiKeys free of charge.

Fee Support

The McMaster Faculty of Social Sciences has a Research Support Funding Program that will offset some SEAL lab fees for qualified applicants.  Contact us at seal@mcmaster.ca for an application form or you can download the application form here: TBA

Grant Application Support

SEAL can provide you with a quote to support your grant application.  You can request a quote by emailing us at seal@mcmaster.ca or by filling in a brief application form found at: https://surveys.mcmaster.ca/socsci/index.php/919438?lang=en

Many grant applications require an in-kind contribution from McMaster.  Contact us if we can assist you with this.

Assistance with Ethics Clearance

We can assist you with applications for ethics clearance.  You will find the application forms for ethics at https://research.mcmaster.ca/ethics/.  As a general rule, if you are from the Faculty of Health Sciences, St. Joseph Health Care Hamilton or Hamilton Health Sciences, you apply to HiREB, otherwise you apply to MREB.  If you are a researcher from another university, contact us to discuss ethics approval for your project.

SEAL Research Ready Datasets

SEAL has an expanding set of research ready datasets that are available for researchers.  Currently, we have datasets in the areas of educational, poverty and charities.  Metadata on research ready datasets is available on Dataverse.  Contact SEAL for details of datasets that are available. 

SEAL Dataverse: https://dataverse.scholarsportal.info/dataverse/sp/?q=SEAL%20Lab.

Research Support

SEAL can provide staff resources for data analysis if researchers need statistical skills and resources.  We have provided statistics analysis of surveys and data for researchers who do not have access to statistical analysis resources.

We can assist in project development (grant and ethics board applications). 

Contact SEAL for more information. 

Research Data Management

Many funding organizations require a Research data management plan.  We can assist in developing and implementing a RDM plan.  This is particularly relevant in the areas of metadata, storage/backup, preservation and sharing/reuse.

Contact us:

email: seal@mcmaster.ca