Staff

Prof Carole Torgerson

Contact Prof Carole Torgerson

Biography

After taking degrees in English Literature and Modern English Poetry from the Universities of York and Stirling, Carole Torgerson taught English in a wide variety of schools in England and Scotland. She undertook her doctorate in design issues in experimental research at the University of Sheffield before starting her academic career. She was Reader in Evidence-based Education at the University of York, before moving to The University of Birmingham as Professor of Experimental Design and then to Durham University where she is Professor of Education.

Carole is principal member of the United States Institutes of Education Sciences (IES) Reading and Writing and Science and Mathematics review panels, and a consultant methodologist to the IES on research design. She is the co-organiser of the annual international Randomised Controlled Trials in the Social Sciences Conference, 2006-12.

Carole’s main teaching interests are masters, doctoral and post-doctoral education and training in research design, methodology and methods in education and the social sciences; experimental research (RCTs and QEDs) and literature reviews; undergraduate teaching in research methods; rigorous evaluation design and methods in all areas of social policy.

She is Co-I (with Stephen Gorard, University of Birmingham) on an ESRC-funded Researcher Development Initiative grant: The research design basis for undergraduate quantitative methods (QM) teaching:
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/education/projects/quantitative-methods-teaching.aspx

Research Interests
Carole's main methodological research interests are in experimental design and research synthesis. Much of her funded research has been in evaluations using randomised controlled trial designs and systematic reviews and meta-analyses of experimental research. She has received awards from the DfE, Home Office, ESRC, HEA, CfBT, HEFCE, NIHR, MRC and a range of other organisations.

Supervision
PhD supervision: The use of systematic review, meta-analytic, experimental and quasi-experimental designs in any area of education; literacy; English education; music education.

Research Groups

• Assessment, Evaluation and Effectiveness

Research Projects

• Independent evaluation of SHINE on Manchester schools
• The research design basis for undergraduate quantitative methods (QM) teaching
• Toolkit for Higher Education Access: A series of systematic reviews

Selected Publications

Journal papers: academic

• Firmstone, V.R., Elley, K.M., Skrybant, M.T., Fry-Smith, A., Bayliss, S. & Torgerson, C.J. (2013). Systematic review of the effectiveness of continuing dental professional development on learning, behavior or patient outcomes. Journal of Dental Education 77(3): 300-315.
• Chisholm, K., Patterson, P., Torgerson, C., Turner, E. & Birchwood, M. (2012). A randomised controlled feasibility trial for an educational school-based mental health intervention: study protocol. BMC Psychiatry 12(23).
• Ainsworth, H., Torgerson, D. & Torgerson, C. et al (2012). Computer-based instruction for improving student nurses' general numeracy: Is it effective? Two RCTs. Educational Studies
• See, B.H., Gorard, S. & Torgerson, C. (2012). Promoting post-16 participation of ethnic minority students from disadvantaged backgrounds: a systematic review of the most promising interventions. Research in Post-Compulsory Education 17(4): 409-422.
• Marsden, E. & Torgerson, C. (2012). Single group pre- and post-test designs: Some methodological concerns. Oxford Review of Education 38(5): 583-616.
• Strong, G.K., Torgerson, C., Torgerson, D. & Hulme, D. (2011). A systematic meta-analytic review of evidence for the effectiveness of the 'Fast ForWord' language intervention program. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 52(3): 224-235.
• See, B.H., Torgerson, C., Gorard, S., Ainsworth, H., Low, G. & Wright, K. (2011). Factors that promote high post-16 participation of some minority ethnic groups in England: A systematic review of the UK-based literature. Research in post-compulsory education 16(1): 85-99.
• Oxman, A.D., Bjorndal, A. & Torgerson, C. (2010). A framework for mandatory impact evaluation to ensue well informed public policy decisions. The Lancet 375.
• Ainsworth, H., Torgerson, D., Torgerson, C., Bene, J., Grant, C., Ford, S. & Watt, I. (2010). The effect of hypnotherapy on exam anxiety and exam performance: a pilot randomised controlled trial. Effective Education 2(2): 143-154.
• Clarkson, J., Ramsay, C., Torgerson, C. & Vale, L. (2010). The translation research in a dental setting (TRiaDS) programme protocol. Implementation Science 54(57).
• Baker, J.A., Ainsworth, H.R., Torgerson, C. & Torgerson, D. (2009). A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials evaluating the effect of hypnosis on exam anxiety. Effective Education 1(1): 27-41.
• Torgerson, C. (2009). Randomised controlled trials in education research: a case study of an individually randomised pragmatic trial. Education 3-13 37(4): 313-321.
• Andrews, R., Torgerson, C., Low, G. & McGuinn, N. (2009). Teaching argument writing to 7 - 14-year-olds: an international review of the evidence of successful practice. Cambridge Journal of Education 39(3): 291-310.
• Brooks, G., Burton, M., Cole, P., Miles, J., Torgerson, C. & Torgerson, D. (2008). Randomised controlled trial of incentives to improve attendance at adult literacy classes. Oxford Review of Education 34(5): 493-504.
• Torgerson, C. (2008). Randomized experiments evaluating policy interventions are feasible. The Psychology of Education Review 32(2).

Books: authored

• Torgerson, D. & Torgerson, C. (2008). Designing and running randomised trials in health, education and the social sciences. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

Books: sections

• Torgerson, C., Hall, J. & Light, K. (2012). Systematic reviews. In Research Methods and Methodologies in Education. Arthur, J., Waring, M., Coe, R. & Hedges, L.V. Sage. 217-230.
• Torgerson, C.J., Torgerson, D.J. & Brown, C.A. (2010). Randomized controlled trials and non-randomized designs. In Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation. Wholey, J. Wiley.
• Andrews, R., Torgerson, C.J. & See, B.H. (2009). Discipline-specific skills in argumentation. In Argumentation in Higher Education: Improving Practice through Research. Andrews, R. Routledge/Falmer: New York.
• Torgerson, C.J. & Torgerson, D.J. (2009). Randomized controlled trials in education research. In Education Science: A Critical Reader. St. Clair, R. Open University Press: Milton Keynes.

Reports: official

• Torgerson, C.J., Wiggins, A., Torgerson, D.J., Ainsworth, H., Barmby, P., Hewitt, C., Jones, K., Hendry, V., Askew, M., Bland, M. Coe, R., Higgins, S., Hodgen, J., Hulme, C. & Tymms, P. (2011). Every Child Counts: The Independent evaluation executive Summary. Department for Education (DfE).
• Torgerson, C.J., Wiggins, A., Torgerson, D.J., Ainsworth, H., Barmby, P., Hewitt, C., Jones, K., Hendry, V., Askew, M., Bland, M., Coe, R., Higgins, S., Hodgen, J., Hulme, C. & Tymms, P. (2011). The Every Child Counts Independent Evaluation Report to DfE.
• Wiggins, A., Barmby, P., Kokotsaki, D., Lyth, A. & Torgerson, C. (2009). City GATES evaluation Phase 1: Existing data analysis. CfBT.
• Wiggins, A. & Torgerson, C. (2009). City GATES evaluation Phase 2: recommendations. CfBT.
• Hendry, V., Ainsworth, H. & Torgerson, C.J. (2009). Evaluating three models of school-university partnerships at the University of York: Learning lessons and planning for the future. HEFCE.
• Torgerson, C.J., See, B.H., Low, G. & Gorard, S. (2008). What are the factors that drive high post-16 participation of many minority ethnic groups, and what strategies are effective in encouraging participation? A focused review of the aspirations literature. EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.

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