Research Methods for Social Workers

by ;
Edition: 2nd
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 1995-07-01
Publisher(s): Allyn & Bacon, Inc.
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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

Prefacep. xi
Research and Social Work Practicep. 1
Toward Evidence-Based Practicep. 3
Historical Antecedentsp. 4
Research and Practice-More Similar Than Differentp. 8
Alternative Knowledge Sourcesp. 9
Logicp. 10
Traditionp. 11
Authorityp. 11
Other Problems with Alternative Knowledge Sourcesp. 11
Welfare Recipientsp. 12
People Who Are Homelessp. 12
The Scientific Alternativep. 14
Types of Knowledgep. 15
Descriptive Knowledgep. 15
Predictive Knowledgep. 16
Prescriptive Knowledgep. 16
Basic and Applied Researchp. 17
Basic Researchp. 17
Applied Researchp. 17
Quantitative and Qualitative Researchp. 18
Quantitative Researchp. 18
Qualitative Researchp. 21
The Environment for Social Work Researchp. 24
Summaryp. 26
For Discussionp. 27
Endnotesp. 28
Ethical Issues in Researchp. 31
Treatment of Research Participantsp. 32
The Nazi and Japanese Medical Experimentsp. 33
The Tuskegee Public Health Studiesp. 36
The Milgram Studies of Obedience in Authorityp. 38
The Laud Humphreys Study of Homosexual Behaviorp. 40
Today's Standards for Treatment of Participantsp. 42
Voluntary Informed Consentp. 42
No Unnecessary Pain and Sufferingp. 45
Anonymity/Confidentalityp. 46
Need to Conduct the Researchp. 47
Other Ethical Obligations of Researchersp. 48
Summaryp. 50
For Discussionp. 50
Endnotesp. 51
The Planning Stagesp. 53
Research Problems and Questionsp. 55
Why We Begin with Research Problemsp. 56
Identifying Potential Research Problemsp. 56
Setting Problem Prioritiesp. 57
Identifying the Real Problemp. 61
Selecting Research Questionsp. 63
Summaryp. 68
For Discussionp. 68
Endnotesp. 69
Finding and Using Existing Knowledgep. 71
What Is a Review of Literature?p. 71
Purpose of a Review of Literaturep. 73
Potential Sourcesp. 74
Professional Journal Articlesp. 74
Reliable Websitesp. 76
Booksp. 76
Personal Interviews with Authoritiesp. 77
Research Reports and Monographsp. 78
Research Presentations at Conferencesp. 78
Newspaper Articlesp. 79
Standard Reference Materialsp. 80
Other, Even More "Questionable" Sourcesp. 81
Content of Workshopsp. 81
Radio and Television Broadcastsp. 81
Magazines and Periodicalsp. 82
Organizing the Productp. 83
Writing the Reportp. 84
Direction and Flowp. 85
Use of Quotations and Citationsp. 85
Role of the Researcherp. 86
Summaryp. 87
For Discussionp. 88
Endnotesp. 88
Focused Research Questions and Research Hypothesesp. 89
Focused Questionsp. 89
Research Hypothesesp. 91
Related Definitionsp. 92
Types of Relationships between Variablesp. 97
Types of Research Hypothesesp. 99
When Are Research Hypotheses Appropriate?p. 100
Wording of Research Hypothesesp. 101
The "Perfectly Worded" Research Hypothesisp. 103
Use of Subhypothesesp. 104
Summaryp. 104
For Discussionp. 105
Endnotesp. 106
Research Designsp. 107
Definitions and General Characteristicsp. 109
What Is a Research Design?p. 109
Design Nomenclaturep. 110
Cross-Sectional, Pretest-Posttest, or Longitudinalp. 111
Exploratory, Descriptive, or Explanatoryp. 113
Exploratory Designsp. 115
Descriptive Designsp. 117
Explanatory Designsp. 120
What Is a "Good" Research Design?p. 126
Assessing Design Qualityp. 127
Other Assessment Criteriap. 128
Summaryp. 135
For Discussionp. 136
Endnotesp. 137
Common Methods for Acquiring Research Datap. 139
Secondary Data Analysisp. 140
Sourcesp. 140
Different Usesp. 141
Tasks Requiredp. 141
Advantagesp. 142
Limitationsp. 143
Oral Histories as Secondary Datap. 143
Original Data Sourcesp. 145
In-Person Interviewsp. 146
Group Interviewsp. 151
Systematic Observationp. 152
Telephonep. 158
Electronic Communicationp. 160
Mailed Questionnairesp. 161
Summaryp. 161
For Discussionp. 162
Endnotesp. 163
Other Ways to Describe Researchp. 165
The Surveyp. 165
Common Problemsp. 166
The Case Studyp. 170
Suitable Topicsp. 171
Strengths and Limitationsp. 172
Grounded Theoryp. 172
Content Analysisp. 173
Historical Researchp. 175
Ethnographic Researchp. 177
Cross-Cultural Researchp. 180
Feminist Researchp. 181
Goals and Assumptionsp. 181
A Response to Traditional Research Methodsp. 181
Design Characteristicsp. 182
Examplesp. 183
Meta-Analysisp. 185
Summaryp. 187
For Discussionp. 188
Endnotesp. 188
Sampling Issues and Optionsp. 191
Terminologyp. 192
Casep. 192
Universe and Populationp. 192
Sampling Framep. 193
Samplep. 193
Representativenessp. 194
Sizep. 194
Sampling Errorp. 196
Sampling Biasp. 197
Statistic and Parameterp. 198
Random Samplep. 198
Probability Samplingp. 199
Simple Random Samplingp. 199
Systematic Random Samplingp. 200
Stratified Samplingp. 201
Cluster Samplingp. 202
Nonprobability Samplingp. 203
Convenience Samplingp. 204
Purposive Samplingp. 204
Snowball Samplingp. 205
Quota Samplingp. 206
Selecting a Good Samplep. 206
Available Resourcesp. 206
Overall Design and Purpose of the Studyp. 207
Statistical Analyses to Be Usedp. 208
Level of Representativeness Requiredp. 208
Summaryp. 208
For Discussionp. 209
Endnotesp. 209
Measurement Concepts and Issuesp. 211
What Is Measurement?p. 212
Preparation for Measurementp. 212
Conceptualizationp. 212
Operationalizationp. 213
Levels of Measurementp. 214
Nominal Levelp. 214
Ordinal Levelp. 215
Interval Levelp. 216
Ratio Levelp. 216
Criteria for Good Measurementp. 217
Reliabilityp. 217
Validityp. 223
Cultural Issues in Measurementp. 226
Summaryp. 228
For Discussionp. 228
Endnotesp. 229
Data Collection Instrumentsp. 231
Fixed-Alternative and Open-Ended Itemsp. 232
Composite Indexes and Scalesp. 233
Composite Indexesp. 234
Scalesp. 234
Using Existing Instrumentsp. 243
Revising Existing Instrumentsp. 244
Constructing New Instrumentsp. 245
Issues in Developmentp. 245
Use of Self-Administered Instrumentsp. 248
Advantagesp. 249
Supervised Administrationp. 249
Summaryp. 251
For Discussionp. 251
Endnotesp. 252
Analyzing Data and Disseminating Findingsp. 253
The Data in Perspectivep. 253
Preparing for Data Analysisp. 255
Data Analysis: An Overviewp. 256
Qualitative Analysisp. 256
Quantitative Analysisp. 257
Uses of Statistical Analysisp. 258
Interpreting and Reporting the Resultsp. 264
Disseminating the Resultsp. 265
Reports and Monographsp. 266
Internal Correspondence and In-Service Trainingp. 268
Major Conferencesp. 269
Other Professional Gatheringsp. 271
Publication in Professional Journalsp. 272
Summaryp. 274
For Discussionp. 275
Endnotesp. 276
Evaluation Researchp. 277
Evaluating Programsp. 279
Use of Logic Modelsp. 280
Program Evaluation as Applied Researchp. 282
Historical Backgroundp. 282
Types of Program Evaluationsp. 284
Needs Assessmentsp. 285
Formative Evaluationsp. 287
Outcome Evaluationsp. 288
Determining the Appropriate Designp. 290
Who Conducts Program Evaluations?p. 293
Participating in Program Evaluations: Concerns and Issuesp. 297
Other Ethical Issuesp. 298
Reports of Program Evaluationsp. 299
Summaryp. 301
For Discussionp. 302
Endnotesp. 303
Evaluating Individual Practice Effectivenessp. 305
Before Single-System Researchp. 305
Supervisor Feedbackp. 305
Consumer Feedbackp. 306
Goal Attainment Scalingp. 307
Single-System Researchp. 309
Steps Involvedp. 314
Some Popular Designsp. 315
Strengths and Weaknessesp. 329
Ethical Issuesp. 331
Summaryp. 332
For Discussionp. 333
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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