The REF is a , carried out by expert panels for each of the 34 subject-based (UOAs), under the guidance of four main panels. Expert panels are made up of senior academics, international members, and .
For each submission, three distinct elements are assessed: the quality of outputs (e.g. publications, performances, and exhibitions), their impact beyond academia, and the environment that supports research.
In 2021, the Department of Methodology contributed to five UOAs: Social Work and Social Policy (ranked 1st overall); Anthropology (ranked 1st overall); Politics and International Studies (ranked 3rd overall); Sociology (ranked 9th overall); and Mathematical Sciences (ranked 9th overall).
Two Methodology Professors - Jouni Kuha and Kenneth Benoit - are featured in the selection of Impact Case Studies, which highight the real-world impact of recent research. See their studies via the links on the right-hand side of this page.