Overview
I'm a social researcher with an interest in causal inference. My core skills are in statistics, R programming, GIS and general research design. I do a lot of research using natural and quasi-experiments that cover various topics.
I am currently leading a project to evaluate the impact of Sure Start in Northern Ireland on health and social care outcomes. See here for more details.
Publication
2018
- Zhang, M., Scourfield, J., Cheung, S. Y. and Sharland, E. 2018. Comparing fathers and mothers who have social work contact: A research note. Social Work Research 42(2), pp. 131-136. (10.1093/swr/svx027)
- Maxwell, N., Scourfield, J., De Villiers, T., Pithouse, A. and Zhang, M. L. 2018. The pre-training characteristics of Frontline participants and mainstream social work students. British Journal of Social Work 48(2), pp. 487-504. (10.1093/bjsw/bcx042)
2017
- Zhang, M. L., Henderson, M., Cheung, S. Y., Scourfield, J. and Sharland, E. 2017. Predicting the recipients of social work support, and its impact on emotional and behavioural problems in early childhood. Child and Family Social Work 22(2), pp. 772-781. (10.1111/cfs.12294)
- Sharland, E., Holland, P., Henderson, M., Zhang, M., Cheung, S. Y. and Scourfield, J. B. 2017. Assembling life history narratives from quantitative longitudinal panel data: what's the story for families using social work?. International Journal of Social Research Methodology 20, pp. 667-679. (10.1080/13645579.2017.1279915)
2016
- Zhang, M. 2016. Graduate destinations and labour market stratification across different fields of study. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- Maxwell, N. et al. 2016. Independent evaluation of the Frontline pilot: Research report. Project Report. [Online]. Department for Education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/frontline-pilot-independent-evaluation
Articles
- Zhang, M., Scourfield, J., Cheung, S. Y. and Sharland, E. 2018. Comparing fathers and mothers who have social work contact: A research note. Social Work Research 42(2), pp. 131-136. (10.1093/swr/svx027)
- Maxwell, N., Scourfield, J., De Villiers, T., Pithouse, A. and Zhang, M. L. 2018. The pre-training characteristics of Frontline participants and mainstream social work students. British Journal of Social Work 48(2), pp. 487-504. (10.1093/bjsw/bcx042)
- Zhang, M. L., Henderson, M., Cheung, S. Y., Scourfield, J. and Sharland, E. 2017. Predicting the recipients of social work support, and its impact on emotional and behavioural problems in early childhood. Child and Family Social Work 22(2), pp. 772-781. (10.1111/cfs.12294)
- Sharland, E., Holland, P., Henderson, M., Zhang, M., Cheung, S. Y. and Scourfield, J. B. 2017. Assembling life history narratives from quantitative longitudinal panel data: what's the story for families using social work?. International Journal of Social Research Methodology 20, pp. 667-679. (10.1080/13645579.2017.1279915)
Monographs
- Maxwell, N. et al. 2016. Independent evaluation of the Frontline pilot: Research report. Project Report. [Online]. Department for Education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/frontline-pilot-independent-evaluation
Thesis
- Zhang, M. 2016. Graduate destinations and labour market stratification across different fields of study. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.