School of Social and Political Science

Dr Victoria Gorton

Job Title

Lecturer in Data and Society

Victoria Gorton's default profile image

Building (Address)

Old Surgeons' Hall

Street (Address)

High School Yards

City (Address)

Edinburgh

Country (Address)

UK

Post code (Address)

EH1 1LZ

Research interests

Background

Dr Vicky Gorton is a lecturer in Data and Society in the Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (STIS) department. Vicky is an interdisciplinary researcher with experience in the analysis of large-scale survey and administrative datasets, as well as creative qualitative and mixed methods. Her research interests include: learning-teaching of data science and quantitative methods within Higher Education, critical data studies, COVID-19 policy, and approaches to public engagement with statistics.

Prior to joining STIS, Vicky was a research fellow on the ‘Policing the Pandemic’ project at the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR). This research examined the role of police enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. This included the statistical analysis of linked health and crime administrative data, with results being fed into the ongoing UK and Scottish COVID inquires. Having worked as a statistician for the Scottish Government through the pandemic, she has an extensive understanding of COVID-19 policy and its impact on crime statistics.

Prior to the pandemic, much of Vicky’s research focused on the learning-teaching of quantitative methods in the social sciences (which was the focus of her PhD). Vicky has strong ties to the University of Edinburgh's Research Training Centre having previously worked on ESRC-funded research that examined statistics anxiety among UK social science undergraduate students.

Staff Hours and Guidance

By arrangement.

Publications by user content

Publication Research Explorer link
Gorton V, McVie S, Matthews B, Murray K. Investigating the association between health vulnerabilities and police enforcement during the Covid-19 pandemic: A novel study using linked administrative data in Scotland. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. 2024 Nov 8.
Murray K, McVie S, Mattews B, Gorton V. From parking tickets to the pandemic: Fixed penalty notices, inequity, and the regulation of everyday behaviours. The British Journal of Criminology: An International Review of Crime and Society (BJC). 2024 Nov;64(6):1310-1327. azae016. Epub 2024 Apr 13. doi: 10.1093/bjc/azae016
McVie S, Murray K, Gorton V, Matthews B. Policing the pandemic in England and Wales: Police use of Fixed Penalty Notices from 27 March 2020 to 31 May 2021. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh., 2023. 104 p.
Gorton V, McVie S. Fixed Penalty Notices during the pandemic - update. 2022. 7 p.
Gorton V, McVie S. Covid-19 fines in Scotland: What we know so far. 2022.
Gorton V, Matthews B, McVie S, Murray K. Police Use of Covid-19 Fixed Penalty Notices in Scotland: Trends in enforcement from March 2020 to May 2021. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh., 2022. 60 p.
Gorton V, McVie S, Murray K. Partygate raises important questions about rules, guidance and compliance during COVID. 2022.
Naumann I, Packwood H, Sakali J, Ribe E, Ralston K, Marshall AD et al. Child and Parental Wellbeing during the Covid-Pandemic. 2022 Feb 1. doi: 10.7488/era/1914
Gorton V, McVie S, Murray K, Matthews B. Policing the Pandemic Infographics 2022.
McVie S, Murray K, Matthews B, Gorton V. Policing the Pandemic. 2022.
Ralston K, Gorton V, MacInnes J, Gayle V, Crow G. Anxious women or complacent men? Anxiety of statistics in a sample of UK Sociology undergraduates. International Journal of Social Research Methodology. 2020 May 13. Epub 2020 May 13. doi: 10.1080/13645579.2020.1761186
Victoria Gorton's Research Explorer profile