Research Methods for Social Workers
7th Edition
Published on 6. May 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
360 pages
978-0-205-82011-5 (ISBN)
Description
This social work research methods text is written in an accessible, reader-friendly style and includes numerous examples of how research can be used to inform social work practice.
It is part of the Connecting Core Competencies Series that integrates CSWE's core competencies and practice behaviors throughout.
It is part of the Connecting Core Competencies Series that integrates CSWE's core competencies and practice behaviors throughout.
More details
Other editions
New editions
Bonnie Yegidis | Bonnie L. Yegidis | Robert W. Weinbach
Research Methods for Social Workers
Book
08/2017
8th Edition
Pearson
€176.99
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Previous edition
Bonnie L. Yegidis | Robert W. Weinbach
Research Methods for Social Workers
Book
06/2008
6th Edition
Pearson
€80.65
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Persons
Bonnie L. Yegidis, Ph. D., MSW Bonnie Yegidis is Professor and Director of the School of Social Work at the University of South Florida, Tampa. She teaches in the research methods and social work practice sequences in the School, and has conducted research on family violence, cross-cultural issues in social work practice, and evidence based social work practice. Dr. Yegidis earned her MSW degree from West Virginia University and her Ph. D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with a concentration in Measurement and Evaluation, from the University of South Florida. She is the recipient of a number of awards and honors including Social Worker of the Year from the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and the Distinguished Alum Award from West Virginia University.
Robert W. Weinbach, Ph.D., MSW. Bob Weinbach is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina, where he continues to teach graduate level research courses in the College of Social Work. He is also the first author of Statistics for Social Workers, Eighth Edition; The Social Worker as Manager, Sixth Edition; and is the author of Evaluating Social Work Services and Programs (all published by Allyn & Bacon), as well as over 75 other publications and invited book chapters. He earned graduate degrees in social work from SUNY-Buffalo and Ohio State University and has worked in both medical and psychiatric social work practice and as a program evaluator.
Laura L. Myers, Ph.D., M.S.W. Laura Myers is an Associate Professor and BSW Program Director at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, FL. Laura received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy and completed her coursework and Master's thesis in Computer Science and Statistics from the University of Southern Mississippi. After several years of computer consulting for accounting firms, she returned to school to complete her M.S.W. and Ph.D. in Social Work at the University of Georgia. Laura lives in Tallahassee with her husband, Dr. Bruce Thyer, and their four children, John, William, Joseph, and Cynthia. Laura is interested in research, scholarly writing, human diversity and social discrimination, eating disorders, and social work and spirituality.
Robert W. Weinbach, Ph.D., MSW. Bob Weinbach is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina, where he continues to teach graduate level research courses in the College of Social Work. He is also the first author of Statistics for Social Workers, Eighth Edition; The Social Worker as Manager, Sixth Edition; and is the author of Evaluating Social Work Services and Programs (all published by Allyn & Bacon), as well as over 75 other publications and invited book chapters. He earned graduate degrees in social work from SUNY-Buffalo and Ohio State University and has worked in both medical and psychiatric social work practice and as a program evaluator.
Laura L. Myers, Ph.D., M.S.W. Laura Myers is an Associate Professor and BSW Program Director at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, FL. Laura received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy and completed her coursework and Master's thesis in Computer Science and Statistics from the University of Southern Mississippi. After several years of computer consulting for accounting firms, she returned to school to complete her M.S.W. and Ph.D. in Social Work at the University of Georgia. Laura lives in Tallahassee with her husband, Dr. Bruce Thyer, and their four children, John, William, Joseph, and Cynthia. Laura is interested in research, scholarly writing, human diversity and social discrimination, eating disorders, and social work and spirituality.
Content
Chapter 1 Toward Evidence-Based Practice
Introduction to Book
Historical Antecedents
Research and Practice
Alternative Knowledge Sources
Logic
Tradition
Authority
Faulty Knowledge Can Promote Stereotypes
Misuse of Research Data
The Scientific Alternative
Types of Scientific Knowledge
Descriptive knowledge
Predictive knowledge
Prescriptive knowledge
Basic and Applied Research
Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Current Climate for Social Work Research
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engaging in Research Informed Practice
Case Study // Crisis and Kinship in Foster Care
Chapter 2 Ethical Issues in Research
What are ethics?
Who provides data for our research?
Earlier abuses of research participants
The Nazi and Japanese medical experiments
The Tuskegee public health studies
The Milgram studies of obedience to authority
The Laud Humphreys studies of homosexual behavior
Today's standards for protection of research participants
Institutional Review Boards
Voluntary informed consent
No unnecessary pain and suffering
Anonymity/Confidentiality
Need to conduct the research
Contemporary issues related to research volunteers
Are research volunteers truly voluntary?
Dual-role relationships
Using deception in research
Withholding treatment and use of placebos
Availability of experimental interventions
Other ethical obligations of researchers
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video// Research Based Practice: Contracting with the client to select an evidence-based therapy
Case Study //Foster Care: Crisis and Kinship in Foster Care
Chapter 3 Research Problems and Questions
Why we begin with research problems
Identifying potential research problems
Setting problem priorities
Identifying and specifying the research problem
Selecting research questions
Qualitative versus quantitative questions
Developing qualitative research questions
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engaging the client to share their experiences of alientation, marginalization
Case Study // Domestic Violence: Betty and Charlie Bristol
Chapter 4 Finding and Using Existing Knowledge
What is a review of the literature?
Purposes of a review of literature
Potential Sources
Professional journal articles
Trustworthy websites
Books
Personal interviews with authorities
Research reports and monographs
Research presentations at conferences
Newspaper articles
Standard reference materials
Other, even more "questionable" sources
Content of workshops
Radio and television broadcasts
Magazines and periodicals
Using Internet searches to locate information sources
Organizing the product of a literature review
Writing the literature review
Direction and flow
Use of quotations and citations
Role of the researcher
Research methods using literature review as focus
Systematic reviews
Meta-analysis
Content analysis
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Diversity in practice: Learning from the client to co-create an action plan
Case Study // Domestic violence: Betty and Charlie Bristol
Chapter 5 Focused Research Qquestions and Research Hypotheses
Focused questions
Research hypotheses
Variable and constant
Demographic variable
Value label or value
Frequency
Dependent variable and independent variable
Confounding variables
Types of relationships between variables
Association
Correlation
Causation
Types of research hypotheses
When are research hypotheses appropriate?
Wording of research hypotheses
Use of subhypotheses
The "perfectly worded" research hypothesis
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Learning from the client to co-create an action plan
Case Study // Foster Care: Dan
Chapter 6 Group Research Designs
What is Research Design?
Different Categorizations of Research Designs
Cross-sectional, pretest-posttest, or longitudinal
Exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory
Pre-experimental, Experimental, and Quasi-experimental Designs
Pre-experimental designs
Experimental designs
Quasi-experimental designs
Characteristics of a Good Research Design
Internal Validity External Validity
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Applying Critical Thinking
Case Study // Medical Social Work: Annie
Chapter 7 Single-System Evaluation Designs
When are Single-System Evaluations Appropriate?
Elements Involved in Single-System Evaluation
Defining the outcome or dependent variable
Measuring the outcome or dependent variable
Defining the independent variable or intervention
Conducting the baseline phase
Conducting the intervention phase
Graphing and analyzing the data
Single-System Designs
B design
AB design
Successive intervention designs
Withdrawal designs
Multiple-baseline design
Strengths and Weaknesses of Single-System Evaluations
Ethical Issues
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engagement, Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation: Intervention
Case Study // Foster Care: Dan
Chapter 8 Qualitative Research Methods
The Case Study
Suitable topics
Strengths and limitations
Grounded Theory
Ethnographic Research
Cross-Cultural Research
Feminist Research
Goals and assumptions
A response to traditional research methods
Design characteristics
Examples
Participatory Action Research
Evaluation Criteria for Qualitative Research
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Diversity in Practice: Building Self-awareness
Case Study // Community Practice: Golem, Albania
Chapter 9 Sampling Issues and Options
Terminology
Case
Universe, Theoretical Population, and Accessible Population
Sampling Frame
Sample
Representativeness
Size
Sampling Error
Sampling Bias
Statistic and Parameter
Random Selection
Random Sample
Summary of Terms
Probability Sampling
Simple Random Sampling
Systematic Random Sampling
Stratified Sampling
Cluster Sampling
Nonprobability Sampling
Convenience Sampling
Purposive Sampling
Snowball Sampling
Quota Sampling
Selecting a Good Sample
Available Resources
Overall Design and Purpose of the Study
Statistical Analyses to be Used
The Importance of Sample Representativeness
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Ethical Practice: Recognizing Personal Values
Case Study // Medical Social Work: Stephanie and Rose Doer
Chapter 10 Measurement Concepts and Issues
What is Measurement in Research?
Preparation for Measurement
Conceptualization
Operationalization
Levels of Measurement
Nominal-Level
Ordinal-Level
Interval-Level
Ratio-Level
More on Levels of Measurement
Criteria for Good Measurement
Reliability
Validity
Sources of Measurement Error
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Policy Practice: Building Alliances
Case Study // Domestic Violence: Mikki's Story
Chapter 11 Methods for Acquiring Research Data
Secondary Data Analysis
Sources
Different Uses
Tasks Required
Advantages
Limitations
Oral Histories
Systematic Observations
Unstructured Observations
Structured Observations
Surveys
In-Person Interviews
Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Interviews
Advantages
Disadvantages
Interviewing Protocol
Group Interviews
Focus Groups
Other Group Data Collection
Telephone Interviews
Electronic Communication
PracticeTest
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engagement, Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation: Assessment
Case Study // Mental Health: Dee
Chapter 12 Data Collection Instruments
Fixed-Alternative and Open-Ended Items
Composite Indexes and Scales
Composite Indexes
Scales
Using Existing Data Collection Instruments
Revising Existing Data Collection Instruments
Constructing New Data Collection Instruments
Issues in Development
Use of Self-Administered Data Collection Instruments
Advantages
Supervised Administration
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Professional Identity: Professional Roles and Boundaries
Case Study // Mental Health: Alice and Eric
Chapter 13 Analyzing Data: The Data in Perspective
Preparing for Data Analysis
Data Analysis: An Overview
Qualitative Analysis
Quantitative Analysis
Uses of Statistical Analysis
Interpreting and Reporting the Results
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engagement, Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation: Assessment
Case Study // Community Practice: Organizing Social Work in the Republic of Armenia, Part I
Chapter 14 Disseminating Rresearch Findings
Reports and Monographs
Internal Correspondence and In-Service Training
Major Conferences
Other Professional Gatherings
Publication in Professional Journals
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Critical Thinking: Demonstrating Effective Oral and Written Communication
Case Study // Mental Health: Carletta
Introduction to Book
Historical Antecedents
Research and Practice
Alternative Knowledge Sources
Logic
Tradition
Authority
Faulty Knowledge Can Promote Stereotypes
Misuse of Research Data
The Scientific Alternative
Types of Scientific Knowledge
Descriptive knowledge
Predictive knowledge
Prescriptive knowledge
Basic and Applied Research
Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Current Climate for Social Work Research
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engaging in Research Informed Practice
Case Study // Crisis and Kinship in Foster Care
Chapter 2 Ethical Issues in Research
What are ethics?
Who provides data for our research?
Earlier abuses of research participants
The Nazi and Japanese medical experiments
The Tuskegee public health studies
The Milgram studies of obedience to authority
The Laud Humphreys studies of homosexual behavior
Today's standards for protection of research participants
Institutional Review Boards
Voluntary informed consent
No unnecessary pain and suffering
Anonymity/Confidentiality
Need to conduct the research
Contemporary issues related to research volunteers
Are research volunteers truly voluntary?
Dual-role relationships
Using deception in research
Withholding treatment and use of placebos
Availability of experimental interventions
Other ethical obligations of researchers
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video// Research Based Practice: Contracting with the client to select an evidence-based therapy
Case Study //Foster Care: Crisis and Kinship in Foster Care
Chapter 3 Research Problems and Questions
Why we begin with research problems
Identifying potential research problems
Setting problem priorities
Identifying and specifying the research problem
Selecting research questions
Qualitative versus quantitative questions
Developing qualitative research questions
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engaging the client to share their experiences of alientation, marginalization
Case Study // Domestic Violence: Betty and Charlie Bristol
Chapter 4 Finding and Using Existing Knowledge
What is a review of the literature?
Purposes of a review of literature
Potential Sources
Professional journal articles
Trustworthy websites
Books
Personal interviews with authorities
Research reports and monographs
Research presentations at conferences
Newspaper articles
Standard reference materials
Other, even more "questionable" sources
Content of workshops
Radio and television broadcasts
Magazines and periodicals
Using Internet searches to locate information sources
Organizing the product of a literature review
Writing the literature review
Direction and flow
Use of quotations and citations
Role of the researcher
Research methods using literature review as focus
Systematic reviews
Meta-analysis
Content analysis
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Diversity in practice: Learning from the client to co-create an action plan
Case Study // Domestic violence: Betty and Charlie Bristol
Chapter 5 Focused Research Qquestions and Research Hypotheses
Focused questions
Research hypotheses
Variable and constant
Demographic variable
Value label or value
Frequency
Dependent variable and independent variable
Confounding variables
Types of relationships between variables
Association
Correlation
Causation
Types of research hypotheses
When are research hypotheses appropriate?
Wording of research hypotheses
Use of subhypotheses
The "perfectly worded" research hypothesis
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Learning from the client to co-create an action plan
Case Study // Foster Care: Dan
Chapter 6 Group Research Designs
What is Research Design?
Different Categorizations of Research Designs
Cross-sectional, pretest-posttest, or longitudinal
Exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory
Pre-experimental, Experimental, and Quasi-experimental Designs
Pre-experimental designs
Experimental designs
Quasi-experimental designs
Characteristics of a Good Research Design
Internal Validity External Validity
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Applying Critical Thinking
Case Study // Medical Social Work: Annie
Chapter 7 Single-System Evaluation Designs
When are Single-System Evaluations Appropriate?
Elements Involved in Single-System Evaluation
Defining the outcome or dependent variable
Measuring the outcome or dependent variable
Defining the independent variable or intervention
Conducting the baseline phase
Conducting the intervention phase
Graphing and analyzing the data
Single-System Designs
B design
AB design
Successive intervention designs
Withdrawal designs
Multiple-baseline design
Strengths and Weaknesses of Single-System Evaluations
Ethical Issues
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engagement, Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation: Intervention
Case Study // Foster Care: Dan
Chapter 8 Qualitative Research Methods
The Case Study
Suitable topics
Strengths and limitations
Grounded Theory
Ethnographic Research
Cross-Cultural Research
Feminist Research
Goals and assumptions
A response to traditional research methods
Design characteristics
Examples
Participatory Action Research
Evaluation Criteria for Qualitative Research
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Diversity in Practice: Building Self-awareness
Case Study // Community Practice: Golem, Albania
Chapter 9 Sampling Issues and Options
Terminology
Case
Universe, Theoretical Population, and Accessible Population
Sampling Frame
Sample
Representativeness
Size
Sampling Error
Sampling Bias
Statistic and Parameter
Random Selection
Random Sample
Summary of Terms
Probability Sampling
Simple Random Sampling
Systematic Random Sampling
Stratified Sampling
Cluster Sampling
Nonprobability Sampling
Convenience Sampling
Purposive Sampling
Snowball Sampling
Quota Sampling
Selecting a Good Sample
Available Resources
Overall Design and Purpose of the Study
Statistical Analyses to be Used
The Importance of Sample Representativeness
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Ethical Practice: Recognizing Personal Values
Case Study // Medical Social Work: Stephanie and Rose Doer
Chapter 10 Measurement Concepts and Issues
What is Measurement in Research?
Preparation for Measurement
Conceptualization
Operationalization
Levels of Measurement
Nominal-Level
Ordinal-Level
Interval-Level
Ratio-Level
More on Levels of Measurement
Criteria for Good Measurement
Reliability
Validity
Sources of Measurement Error
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Policy Practice: Building Alliances
Case Study // Domestic Violence: Mikki's Story
Chapter 11 Methods for Acquiring Research Data
Secondary Data Analysis
Sources
Different Uses
Tasks Required
Advantages
Limitations
Oral Histories
Systematic Observations
Unstructured Observations
Structured Observations
Surveys
In-Person Interviews
Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Interviews
Advantages
Disadvantages
Interviewing Protocol
Group Interviews
Focus Groups
Other Group Data Collection
Telephone Interviews
Electronic Communication
PracticeTest
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engagement, Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation: Assessment
Case Study // Mental Health: Dee
Chapter 12 Data Collection Instruments
Fixed-Alternative and Open-Ended Items
Composite Indexes and Scales
Composite Indexes
Scales
Using Existing Data Collection Instruments
Revising Existing Data Collection Instruments
Constructing New Data Collection Instruments
Issues in Development
Use of Self-Administered Data Collection Instruments
Advantages
Supervised Administration
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Professional Identity: Professional Roles and Boundaries
Case Study // Mental Health: Alice and Eric
Chapter 13 Analyzing Data: The Data in Perspective
Preparing for Data Analysis
Data Analysis: An Overview
Qualitative Analysis
Quantitative Analysis
Uses of Statistical Analysis
Interpreting and Reporting the Results
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Engagement, Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation: Assessment
Case Study // Community Practice: Organizing Social Work in the Republic of Armenia, Part I
Chapter 14 Disseminating Rresearch Findings
Reports and Monographs
Internal Correspondence and In-Service Training
Major Conferences
Other Professional Gatherings
Publication in Professional Journals
Practice Test
MySocialWorkLab
Video // Critical Thinking: Demonstrating Effective Oral and Written Communication
Case Study // Mental Health: Carletta