Research Methods for Social Workers

by Bonnie L. Yegidis; Robert W. Weinbach

• ISBN13: 9780205157662
• ISBN10: 0205157661
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1995-07-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon, Inc.

Summary

The Fifth Edition of Research Methods for Social Workers includes new information on needs assessment, how quantitative and qualitative methods can be used together, more coverage of ethical issues throughout the text and an updated literature review section. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Research and Social Work Practice	p. 1
Toward Evidence-Based Practice	p. 3
Historical Antecedents	p. 4
Research and Practice-More Similar Than Different	p. 8
Alternative Knowledge Sources	p. 9
Logic	p. 10
Tradition	p. 11
Authority	p. 11
Other Problems with Alternative Knowledge Sources	p. 11
Welfare Recipients	p. 12
People Who Are Homeless	p. 12
The Scientific Alternative	p. 14
Types of Knowledge	p. 15
Descriptive Knowledge	p. 15
Predictive Knowledge	p. 16
Prescriptive Knowledge	p. 16
Basic and Applied Research	p. 17
Basic Research	p. 17
Applied Research	p. 17
Quantitative and Qualitative Research	p. 18
Quantitative Research	p. 18
Qualitative Research	p. 21
The Environment for Social Work Research	p. 24
Summary	p. 26
For Discussion	p. 27
Endnotes	p. 28
Ethical Issues in Research	p. 31
Treatment of Research Participants	p. 32
The Nazi and Japanese Medical Experiments	p. 33
The Tuskegee Public Health Studies	p. 36
The Milgram Studies of Obedience in Authority	p. 38
The Laud Humphreys Study of Homosexual Behavior	p. 40
Today's Standards for Treatment of Participants	p. 42
Voluntary Informed Consent	p. 42
No Unnecessary Pain and Suffering	p. 45
Anonymity/Confidentality	p. 46
Need to Conduct the Research	p. 47
Other Ethical Obligations of Researchers	p. 48
Summary	p. 50
For Discussion	p. 50
Endnotes	p. 51
The Planning Stages	p. 53
Research Problems and Questions	p. 55
Why We Begin with Research Problems	p. 56
Identifying Potential Research Problems	p. 56
Setting Problem Priorities	p. 57
Identifying the Real Problem	p. 61
Selecting Research Questions	p. 63
Summary	p. 68
For Discussion	p. 68
Endnotes	p. 69
Finding and Using Existing Knowledge	p. 71
What Is a Review of Literature?	p. 71
Purpose of a Review of Literature	p. 73
Potential Sources	p. 74
Professional Journal Articles	p. 74
Reliable Websites	p. 76
Books	p. 76
Personal Interviews with Authorities	p. 77
Research Reports and Monographs	p. 78
Research Presentations at Conferences	p. 78
Newspaper Articles	p. 79
Standard Reference Materials	p. 80
Other, Even More "Questionable" Sources	p. 81
Content of Workshops	p. 81
Radio and Television Broadcasts	p. 81
Magazines and Periodicals	p. 82
Organizing the Product	p. 83
Writing the Report	p. 84
Direction and Flow	p. 85
Use of Quotations and Citations	p. 85
Role of the Researcher	p. 86
Summary	p. 87
For Discussion	p. 88
Endnotes	p. 88
Focused Research Questions and Research Hypotheses	p. 89
Focused Questions	p. 89
Research Hypotheses	p. 91
Related Definitions	p. 92
Types of Relationships between Variables	p. 97
Types of Research Hypotheses	p. 99
When Are Research Hypotheses Appropriate?	p. 100
Wording of Research Hypotheses	p. 101
The "Perfectly Worded" Research Hypothesis	p. 103
Use of Subhypotheses	p. 104
Summary	p. 104
For Discussion	p. 105
Endnotes	p. 106
Research Designs	p. 107
Definitions and General Characteristics	p. 109
What Is a Research Design?	p. 109
Design Nomenclature	p. 110
Cross-Sectional, Pretest-Posttest, or Longitudinal	p. 111
Exploratory, Descriptive, or Explanatory	p. 113
Exploratory Designs	p. 115
Descriptive Designs	p. 117
Explanatory Designs	p. 120
What Is a "Good" Research Design?	p. 126
Assessing Design Quality	p. 127
Other Assessment Criteria	p. 128
Summary	p. 135
For Discussion	p. 136
Endnotes	p. 137
Common Methods for Acquiring Research Data	p. 139
Secondary Data Analysis	p. 140
Sources	p. 140
Different Uses	p. 141
Tasks Required	p. 141
Advantages	p. 142
Limitations	p. 143
Oral Histories as Secondary Data	p. 143
Original Data Sources	p. 145
In-Person Interviews	p. 146
Group Interviews	p. 151
Systematic Observation	p. 152
Telephone	p. 158
Electronic Communication	p. 160
Mailed Questionnaires	p. 161
Summary	p. 161
For Discussion	p. 162
Endnotes	p. 163
Other Ways to Describe Research	p. 165
The Survey	p. 165
Common Problems	p. 166
The Case Study	p. 170
Suitable Topics	p. 171
Strengths and Limitations	p. 172
Grounded Theory	p. 172
Content Analysis	p. 173
Historical Research	p. 175
Ethnographic Research	p. 177
Cross-Cultural Research	p. 180
Feminist Research	p. 181
Goals and Assumptions	p. 181
A Response to Traditional Research Methods	p. 181
Design Characteristics	p. 182
Examples	p. 183
Meta-Analysis	p. 185
Summary	p. 187
For Discussion	p. 188
Endnotes	p. 188
Sampling Issues and Options	p. 191
Terminology	p. 192
Case	p. 192
Universe and Population	p. 192
Sampling Frame	p. 193
Sample	p. 193
Representativeness	p. 194
Size	p. 194
Sampling Error	p. 196
Sampling Bias	p. 197
Statistic and Parameter	p. 198
Random Sample	p. 198
Probability Sampling	p. 199
Simple Random Sampling	p. 199
Systematic Random Sampling	p. 200
Stratified Sampling	p. 201
Cluster Sampling	p. 202
Nonprobability Sampling	p. 203
Convenience Sampling	p. 204
Purposive Sampling	p. 204
Snowball Sampling	p. 205
Quota Sampling	p. 206
Selecting a Good Sample	p. 206
Available Resources	p. 206
Overall Design and Purpose of the Study	p. 207
Statistical Analyses to Be Used	p. 208
Level of Representativeness Required	p. 208
Summary	p. 208
For Discussion	p. 209
Endnotes	p. 209
Measurement Concepts and Issues	p. 211
What Is Measurement?	p. 212
Preparation for Measurement	p. 212
Conceptualization	p. 212
Operationalization	p. 213
Levels of Measurement	p. 214
Nominal Level	p. 214
Ordinal Level	p. 215
Interval Level	p. 216
Ratio Level	p. 216
Criteria for Good Measurement	p. 217
Reliability	p. 217
Validity	p. 223
Cultural Issues in Measurement	p. 226
Summary	p. 228
For Discussion	p. 228
Endnotes	p. 229
Data Collection Instruments	p. 231
Fixed-Alternative and Open-Ended Items	p. 232
Composite Indexes and Scales	p. 233
Composite Indexes	p. 234
Scales	p. 234
Using Existing Instruments	p. 243
Revising Existing Instruments	p. 244
Constructing New Instruments	p. 245
Issues in Development	p. 245
Use of Self-Administered Instruments	p. 248
Advantages	p. 249
Supervised Administration	p. 249
Summary	p. 251
For Discussion	p. 251
Endnotes	p. 252
Analyzing Data and Disseminating Findings	p. 253
The Data in Perspective	p. 253
Preparing for Data Analysis	p. 255
Data Analysis: An Overview	p. 256
Qualitative Analysis	p. 256
Quantitative Analysis	p. 257
Uses of Statistical Analysis	p. 258
Interpreting and Reporting the Results	p. 264
Disseminating the Results	p. 265
Reports and Monographs	p. 266
Internal Correspondence and In-Service Training	p. 268
Major Conferences	p. 269
Other Professional Gatherings	p. 271
Publication in Professional Journals	p. 272
Summary	p. 274
For Discussion	p. 275
Endnotes	p. 276
Evaluation Research	p. 277
Evaluating Programs	p. 279
Use of Logic Models	p. 280
Program Evaluation as Applied Research	p. 282
Historical Background	p. 282
Types of Program Evaluations	p. 284
Needs Assessments	p. 285
Formative Evaluations	p. 287
Outcome Evaluations	p. 288
Determining the Appropriate Design	p. 290
Who Conducts Program Evaluations?	p. 293
Participating in Program Evaluations: Concerns and Issues	p. 297
Other Ethical Issues	p. 298
Reports of Program Evaluations	p. 299
Summary	p. 301
For Discussion	p. 302
Endnotes	p. 303
Evaluating Individual Practice Effectiveness	p. 305
Before Single-System Research	p. 305
Supervisor Feedback	p. 305
Consumer Feedback	p. 306
Goal Attainment Scaling	p. 307
Single-System Research	p. 309
Steps Involved	p. 314
Some Popular Designs	p. 315
Strengths and Weaknesses	p. 329
Ethical Issues	p. 331
Summary	p. 332
For Discussion	p. 333
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