Research Methods for Social Work
Published on 26. August 1999
Book
Hardback
274 pages
978-0-205-28741-3 (ISBN)
Description
This new social work research methods text is written by an anthropologist and a social worker who have team-taught social work research methods courses at the University of Connecticut for many years. The book incorporates the lively and interesting ways of teaching research methods developed in that partnership.
The text emphasizes understanding the "big ideas" behind research methods such as reliability and validity, ruling out plausible alternatives, grounded knowledge, and maintenance of epistemic relationships between generalization and data. The authors draw examples from their own research and that of others to illustrate research methods. This approach helps students to understand that research is a vital part of social work practice, and helps them make the direct connection between research knowledge and working with people.
The text emphasizes understanding the "big ideas" behind research methods such as reliability and validity, ruling out plausible alternatives, grounded knowledge, and maintenance of epistemic relationships between generalization and data. The authors draw examples from their own research and that of others to illustrate research methods. This approach helps students to understand that research is a vital part of social work practice, and helps them make the direct connection between research knowledge and working with people.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 185 mm
Width: 242 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
454 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-205-28741-3 (9780205287413)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Most chapters include "Introduction," "Key Terms and Concepts," and "Summary."
1.Scientific Reasoning and Critical Thinking.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Goals of the Book.
Application of This Chapter to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Epistemology.
The Nature of Science.
Critical Thinking.
Sociocultural Forces at Work: Paradigm Shifts.
2.Ethics in Social Work Research.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Ethics in the Larger Society.
Ethics in Professional Social Work.
Ethics in Social Work Research.
Learning Objectives.
Equitable Selection of Subjects.
Informed Consent.
Voluntary Participation.
Privacy and Confidentiality.
Reasonable Risk/Harm to Subjects.
Withholding Treatment.
Deception and Debriefing.
Data Monitoring.
Reporting Research.
Sources of Ethical Guidance.
NASW Code of Ethics.
Code of Federal Regulations.
Consultation.
Special Guidelines in Single-System Designs.
Sources of Ethical Conflict.
Agency-Worker-Client Differences.
Desire for "Confirmation" (Preordained Outcomes).
Funding (Whose Priorities? What Pressures?).
3.Formulation of Research Questions.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Relevance to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Researchable (Empirical) and Nonempirical Questions.
Characteristics of Scientifically Useful Questions.
Sociocultural Origins of Research Questions.
Question Formulation for Student Projects.
4.Measurement.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Measurement and Limitations of Human Perception and Cognition.
Conceptualization: Development of Meaning Systems.
Operationalization.
Desirable Characteristics of Measures - Reliability and Validity.
5.Research Designs.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Relevance to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
The Nature of Research Designs.
Designs to Support Explanatory Inference.
Designs to Support Predictive Inference.
Designs to Support Descriptive Inference.
6.Sampling and Generalization.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Application of This Chapter to Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
The Act of Sampling.
The Vocabulary of Sampling.
Nonprobability Sampling.
Techniques of Probability Sampling.
Setting Probability Sample Size Targets.
7.Data Collection.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Relevance to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Data Collection Procedures.
Social Settings in Which Data Are Collected.
Examples of Flexible-Response Data Collection Procedures.
Examples of Fixed-Response Data Collection Procedures.
8.Analysis of Numerical Data.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Application to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Purposes of Data Analysis.
Data Reduction.
Pattern Identification.
Generalizing from Samples to Populations.
Issues in Hypothesis Testing.
9.Analysis of Nonnumerical Data.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Applications of This Chapter to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Relationship between Numerical and Nonnumerical Data Analysis.
Nonnumerical Data Reduction: Spradley's DRS System.
Testing for Generalization.
10.Practice Evaluation in Single and Multiple Systems.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Application of This Chapter to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
General Issues in Evaluation Research.
Practice Evaluation in Single Systems.
Practice Evaluation across Multiple Systems.
Appendix: Table of Random Numbers.
Glossary.
References.
Index.
1.Scientific Reasoning and Critical Thinking.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Goals of the Book.
Application of This Chapter to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Epistemology.
The Nature of Science.
Critical Thinking.
Sociocultural Forces at Work: Paradigm Shifts.
2.Ethics in Social Work Research.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Ethics in the Larger Society.
Ethics in Professional Social Work.
Ethics in Social Work Research.
Learning Objectives.
Equitable Selection of Subjects.
Informed Consent.
Voluntary Participation.
Privacy and Confidentiality.
Reasonable Risk/Harm to Subjects.
Withholding Treatment.
Deception and Debriefing.
Data Monitoring.
Reporting Research.
Sources of Ethical Guidance.
NASW Code of Ethics.
Code of Federal Regulations.
Consultation.
Special Guidelines in Single-System Designs.
Sources of Ethical Conflict.
Agency-Worker-Client Differences.
Desire for "Confirmation" (Preordained Outcomes).
Funding (Whose Priorities? What Pressures?).
3.Formulation of Research Questions.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Relevance to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Researchable (Empirical) and Nonempirical Questions.
Characteristics of Scientifically Useful Questions.
Sociocultural Origins of Research Questions.
Question Formulation for Student Projects.
4.Measurement.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Measurement and Limitations of Human Perception and Cognition.
Conceptualization: Development of Meaning Systems.
Operationalization.
Desirable Characteristics of Measures - Reliability and Validity.
5.Research Designs.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Relevance to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
The Nature of Research Designs.
Designs to Support Explanatory Inference.
Designs to Support Predictive Inference.
Designs to Support Descriptive Inference.
6.Sampling and Generalization.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Application of This Chapter to Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
The Act of Sampling.
The Vocabulary of Sampling.
Nonprobability Sampling.
Techniques of Probability Sampling.
Setting Probability Sample Size Targets.
7.Data Collection.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Relevance to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Data Collection Procedures.
Social Settings in Which Data Are Collected.
Examples of Flexible-Response Data Collection Procedures.
Examples of Fixed-Response Data Collection Procedures.
8.Analysis of Numerical Data.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Application to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Purposes of Data Analysis.
Data Reduction.
Pattern Identification.
Generalizing from Samples to Populations.
Issues in Hypothesis Testing.
9.Analysis of Nonnumerical Data.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Applications of This Chapter to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
Relationship between Numerical and Nonnumerical Data Analysis.
Nonnumerical Data Reduction: Spradley's DRS System.
Testing for Generalization.
10.Practice Evaluation in Single and Multiple Systems.
Relationship of This Chapter to the Whole.
Application of This Chapter to the Roles of Social Workers.
Learning Objectives.
General Issues in Evaluation Research.
Practice Evaluation in Single Systems.
Practice Evaluation across Multiple Systems.
Appendix: Table of Random Numbers.
Glossary.
References.
Index.