Research Methods for Social Work : Becoming Consumers and Producers of Research

by Dudley, James R.

• ISBN13: 9780205365296
• ISBN10: 0205365299
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Research Methods for Social Work, First Edition, is ideal for a one-semester research methods course for undergraduate or graduate social work students with little or no prior knowledge of research. It has a practical and easy-to-read writing style and offers numerous social work examples. The text also comes with an Instructors Manual and Test Bank. The text places considerable emphasis on how research and social work practice are connected. The text prepares students to be effective in both the consumer and producer research roles. The text emphasizes the CSWE-mandated areas of social work. Quantitative and qualitative methods are covered throughout the text. Illustrations and case vignettes are included throughout each chapter. The author has taught both research methods and social work practice courses for over 25 years and understands first-hand how practice and research are connected and so vital to each other.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
chapter 1 Why Social Workers Need Research
Research as a Source of Knowledge	2	(2)
What Is Research?	4	(1)
Distinctiveness of Scientific Research	5	(5)
Development of Theory	6	(1)
Importance of Diversity in Theories	7	(1)
Systematic and Rigorous Methods	8	(1)
Empirical Evidence	8	(1)
Commitment to Neutrality	9	(1)
Obligation to an Ethical Code	10	(1)
Similarities between Social Work Practice and the Scientific Research Process	10	(1)
Consumer and Producer Roles	10	(5)
Consumer Role	10	(3)
Producer Role	13	(1)
Using Critical Thinking Skills as a Consumer and a Producer	14	(1)
Why Do Social Work Researchers Conduct Studies?	15	(2)
Research Topics of Interest to Social Workers	17	(1)
Chapter Reflections: The Book's Perspective about the People Who Are Studied	18	(2)
chapter 2 Philosophies and Perspectives about Research	20	(17)
Inductive and Deductive Philosophies	21	(3)
Inductive Research	21	(2)
Deductive Research	23	(1)
Assessment of Your Philosophical Tendencies	24	(1)
Quantitative and Qualitative Methodologies	24	(5)
Quantitative Methods	26	(1)
Qualitative Methods	27	(2)
Some Specialized Areas in Social Work Research	29	(5)
Participatory Action Research	29	(3)
Feminist Research	32	(1)
Afrocentric Research	33	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Critical Thinking and Social Work Research	34	(3)
chapter 3 Research Ethics and Social Work's Mandates	37	(27)
Ethical Problems in Research	38	(6)
Physical Harm	38	(1)
Psychological Harm	39	(1)
Invasion of Privacy	39	(2)
Deception of Participants	41	(1)
Misrepresentation of Findings	42	(1)
Balancing Risks and Gains	43	(1)
Ethical Safeguards of Research	44	(7)
Confidentiality	44	(1)
Informed Consent	45	(5)
Monitoring Study Effects and Offering Assistance	50	(1)
Involving Participants in Decision Making	50	(1)
Selecting Researchers without a Conflict of Interest	51	(1)
Mandates of Social Work	51	(10)
Adhering to Values and Ethics of Social Work	51	(2)
Promoting an Interest in Diversity	53	(4)
Promoting Social and Economic justice	57	(4)
Chapter Reflections: Attending to Social Work Mandates throughout the Book	61	(3)
chapter 4 Understanding the Research Topic	64	(18)
What Issues Affect Topic Selection?	65	(5)
Political Perspective	65	(1)
Sociocultural Views	66	(1)
Professional Discipline	66	(1)
Specializations within Social Work	67	(1)
Personal Life Experiences	68	(1)
Funding, Employer Mandates, and Other External Influences	69	(1)
Research Topics and Social Work	70	(4)
The Research Topic and the Producer Role	71	(3)
The Research Topic and the Consumer Role	74	(1)
The Literature Review	74	(5)
Tips on Completing Literature Searches	75	(1)
Purposes in Completing a Literature Review	76	(1)
Strategies for Gathering Information	77	(1)
Writing Up a Literature Review	78	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	79	(3)
chapter 5 Defining and Measuring Concepts	82	(33)
Concepts, Variables, Values, and Constants	82	(6)
Constructing and Measuring Variables	84	(4)
Understanding Measurement	88	(2)
How Knowledge Is Generated	90	(1)
Quantitative and Qualitative Measurements	90	(5)
Numbers	91	(1)
Words	92	(1)
Longer Word Forms	93	(2)
Levels of Measurement	95	(2)
Validity and Reliability	97	(7)
Validity	98	(2)
Reliability	100	(4)
Standardized Scales	104	(4)
Likert Scales	106	(1)
Thurstone and Guttman Scales	107	(1)
Diversity Issues and Standardized Scales	108	(1)
A Goal Attainment Scale for Evaluating Social Work Practice	108	(4)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	112	(3)
chapter 6 Focusing a Research Study	115	(17)
Exploratory Studies Ask General Research Questions	117	(2)
Explanatory Studies Test Hypotheses	119	(5)
Constructing Hypotheses	120	(1)
Types of Variables	121	(3)
Three Conditions of Causal Relationships	124	(2)
Practical Uses of Hypotheses	126	(2)
Hypothesizing to Evaluate Social Work Practice	127	(1)
Generating Hypotheses	128	(1)
Focusing a Research Study and the Consumer Role	128	(2)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	130	(2)
chapter 7 Designing the Study	132	(15)
Review of Prior Steps	132	(1)
Considering Secondary Research	133	(2)
Is the Study Exploratory or Explanatory?	135	(2)
Exploratory Research Designs	136	(1)
Explanatory Research Designs	136	(1)
Three Key Questions	137	(1)
An Illustration of an Exploratory Study	137	(3)
An Illustration of an Explanatory Study	140	(4)
Designing a Study and the Consumer Role	144	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	145	(2)
chapter 8 Considering Sampling Techniques	147	(15)
Important Concepts about Sampling	147	(2)
Selecting a Sample	149	(1)
Probability and Nonprobability Sampling	150	(7)
Types of Probability Sampling	151	(3)
Types of Nonprobability Sampling	154	(3)
Using Combinations of Sampling Approaches	157	(1)
Sample Size	157	(2)
Probability Samples	158	(1)
Nonprobability Samples	158	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	159	(3)
chapter 9 Constructing Surveys	162	(21)
Using Interviews in Research	162	(3)
Types of Interviews	162	(3)
Ways to Conduct Interviews	165	(1)
Using Questionnaires in Research	165	(2)
Types of Questionnaires	165	(1)
Ways to Administer Questionnaires	166	(1)
Similarities between Data Collection in Research and Social Work	167	(2)
Importance of High Response Rates	169	(1)
Validity and Reliability Issues	170	(1)
Comparing Interviews and Questionnaires	170	(1)
Interviews	170	(1)
Questionnaires	171	(1)
How to Construct a Survey	171	(8)
Constructing Qualitative Surveys	179	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	180	(3)
chapter 10 Constructing Observational Studies	183	(14)
Conducting Structured Observations	184	(2)
Conducting Unstructured Observations	186	(3)
Participant Observation	186	(1)
Nonparticipatory Unstructured Observation	187	(2)
Ethical Problems in Observing Covertly	189	(1)
Advantages of Observational Research	190	(1)
Validity and Reliability Issues	191	(1)
How to Construct an Observational Data Collection Instrument	191	(1)
Observing Social Artifacts and Other Nonhuman Entities	192	(1)
Examples of Observations in Social Work Settings	193	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	194	(3)
chapter 11 Exploring Causal Relationships	197	(28)
Relevance of Causal Relationships in Social Work Practice	198	(1)
Claiming That the Intervention Makes a Difference	199	(3)
Documenting the Impact of Social Work Interventions	202	(1)
Extraneous Influences	203	(1)
Validity and Group Designs	204	(1)
Group Designs for Exploring the Impact of an Intervention	205	(11)
One-Group Posttest-Only Design	205	(2)
One-Group Pretest/Posttest Design	207	(1)
Pretest/Posttest Comparison Group Design	208	(2)
Time Series Design	210	(2)
Pretest/Posttest Control Group Design	212	(4)
Single System Designs and Practice Evaluations	216	(5)
Different Types of Single System Designs	217	(2)
Implementing a Single System Design	219	(2)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	221	(4)
chapter 12 Collecting the Data	225	(12)
Differences in Collecting Quantitative and Qualitative Data	225	(3)
Quantitative Methods	226	(1)
Qualitative Methods	226	(2)
Preparation for Data Collection	228	(4)
Preparation for Quantitative Methods	228	(1)
Preparation for Qualitative Methods	229	(1)
Preparation for Leading Focus Groups	230	(2)
Considering the Influence of the Personal Characteristics of the Researcher	232	(1)
Collecting the Data and the Consumer Role	233	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	234	(3)
chapter 13 Analyzing Data	237	(8)
What Is Data Analysis?	238	(1)
Planning for Data Analysis	239	(1)
Quantitative versus Qualitative Data Analysis	240	(2)
Quantitative Data Analysis	240	(1)
Qualitative Data Analysis	241	(1)
Analyzing Data and the Consumer Role	242	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	243	(2)
chapter 14 Quantitative Data Analysis	245	(26)
Coding the Data	245	(5)
Coding Questions That Directly Elicit a Numerical Response	246	(1)
Coding Forced-Response Questions	246	(4)
A Code Book	250	(1)
Descriptive Statistics for Data Analysis	250	(4)
Frequency Distributions	251	(1)
Measures of Central Tendencies	252	(1)
Measures of Variability	253	(1)
Bivariate Statistics for Data Analysis	254	(12)
Significance	254	(1)
Statistical Significance	255	(1)
Statistical Tests	256	(1)
Measuring the Association between Two Variables	257	(5)
Comparing Two or More Groups	262	(4)
Working with a Data Set	266	(2)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	268	(3)
chapter 15 Qualitative Data Analysis	271	(20)
Varied Types of Qualitative Data	272	(1)
How Are Qualitative Data Analyzed?	272	(1)
Option 1: Case Studies	273	(3)
Option 2: Summarizing Responses to Open-Ended Questions	276	(4)
How to Summarize Reponses for Open-Ended Questions	277	(3)
Option 3: Theme Analysis	280	(6)
How to Conduct a Theme Analysis	281	(5)
Data Collection Approaches and the Three Options	286	(1)
Other Types of Qualitative Data Analysis	286	(2)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	288	(3)
chapter 16 Preparing the Report	291	(16)
Tasks Involved in Preparing a Report	291	(1)
Task 1. Highlighting Background Material on the Study	292	(1)
Task 2. Organizing the Findings	292	(4)
Focusing the Findings	293	(1)
Accuracy and Clarity	294	(1)
Use of Graphics	294	(2)
Task 3. Developing Recommendations	296	(4)
Task 4. Writing or Presenting the Report	300	(3)
Considering Potential Readers of the Report	300	(1)
Contents of a Traditional Research Report	301	(1)
Reporting on Qualitative Studies	302	(1)
Task 5. Disseminating and Utilizing the Results	303	(2)
Utilization by Staff Members	303	(1)
Informing and Empowering Clients	304	(1)
Reporting on the Research and the Consumer Role	305	(1)
Chapter Reflections: Values and Ethics, Diversity, At-Risk Groups, and Social Justice	305	(2)
APPENDIX A The Consumer Role: Questions to Ask When Critiquing a Research Report	307	(3)
APPENDIX B Ethical Standards of the National Association of Social Workers	310	(16)
Glossary	326	(5)
Index	331