Research Methods For Social Workers,9780205408184

Research Methods For Social Workers

by ;
Edition: 5th
ISBN13: 9780205408184
ISBN10: 0205408184
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2006-01-01
Publisher(s): Allyn & Bacon
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List Price: $108.20

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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

Preface xi
PART I Research and Social Work Practice
1(52)
Toward Evidence-Based-Practice
3(28)
Historical Antecedents
4(4)
Research and Practice---More Similar Than Different
8(1)
Alternative Knowledge Sources
9(2)
Logic
10(1)
Tradition
11(1)
Authority
11(1)
Other Problems with Alternative Knowledge Sources
11(3)
Welfare Recipients
12(1)
People Who Are Homeless
12(2)
The Scientific Alternative
14(1)
Types of Knowledge
15(2)
Descriptive Knowledge
15(1)
Predictive Knowledge
16(1)
Prescriptive Knowledge
16(1)
Basic and Applied Research
17(1)
Basic Research
17(1)
Applied Research
17(1)
Quantitative and Qualitative Research
18(6)
Quantitative Research
18(3)
Qualitative Research
21(3)
The Environment for Social Work Research
24(2)
Summary
26(1)
For Discussion
27(1)
Endnotes
28(3)
Ethical Issues in Research
31(22)
Treatment of Research Participants
32(10)
The Nazi and Japanese Medical Experiments
33(3)
The Tuskegee Public Health Studies
36(2)
The Milgram Studies of Obedience in Authority
38(2)
The Laud Humphreys Study of Homosexual Behavior
40(2)
Today's Standards for Treatment of Participants
42(6)
Voluntary Informed Consent
42(3)
No Unnecessary Pain and Suffering
45(1)
Anonymity/Confidentality
46(1)
Need to Conduct the Research
47(1)
Other Ethical Obligations of Researchers
48(2)
Summary
50(1)
For Discussion
50(1)
Endnotes
51(2)
PART II The Planning Stages
53(54)
Research Problems and Questions
55(16)
Why We Begin with Research Problems
56(1)
Identifying Potential Research Problems
56(7)
Setting Problem Priorities
57(4)
Identifying the Real Problem
61(2)
Selecting Research Questions
63(5)
Summary
68(1)
For Discussion
68(1)
Endnotes
69(2)
Finding and Using Existing Knowledge
71(18)
What Is a Review of Literature?
71(2)
Purpose of a Review of Literature
73(1)
Potential Sources
74(7)
Professional Journal Articles
74(2)
Reliable Websites
76(1)
Books
76(1)
Personal Interviews with Authorities
77(1)
Research Reports and Monographs
78(1)
Research Presentations at Conferences
78(1)
Newspaper Articles
79(1)
Standard Reference Materials
80(1)
Other, Even More ``Questionable'' Sources
81(2)
Content of Workshops
81(1)
Radio and Television Broadcasts
81(1)
Magazines and Periodicals
82(1)
Organizing the Product
83(1)
Writing the Report
84(3)
Direction and Flow
85(1)
Use of Quotations and Citations
85(1)
Role of the Researcher
86(1)
Summary
87(1)
For Discussion
88(1)
Endnotes
88(1)
Focused Research Questions and Research Hypotheses
89(18)
Focused Questions
89(2)
Research Hypotheses
91(13)
Related Definitions
92(5)
Types of Relationships between Variables
97(2)
Types of Research Hypotheses
99(1)
When Are Research Hypotheses Appropriate?
100(1)
Wording of Research Hypotheses
101(2)
The ``Perfectly Worded'' Research Hypothesis
103(1)
Use of Subhypotheses
104(1)
Summary
104(1)
For Discussion
105(1)
Endnotes
106(1)
PART III Research Designs
107(170)
Definitions and General Characteristics
109(30)
What Is a Research Design?
109(1)
Design Nomenclature
110(1)
Cross-Sectional, Pretest-Posttest, or Longitudinal
111(2)
Exploratory, Descriptive, or Explanatory
113(13)
Exploratory Designs
115(2)
Descriptive Designs
117(3)
Explanatory Designs
120(6)
What Is a ``Good'' Research Design?
126(9)
Assessing Design Quality
127(1)
Other Assessment Criteria
128(7)
Summary
135(1)
For Discussion
136(1)
Endnotes
137(2)
Common Methods for Acquiring Research Data
139(26)
Secondary Data Analysis
140(5)
Sources
140(1)
Different Uses
141(1)
Tasks Required
141(1)
Advantages
142(1)
Limitations
143(1)
Oral Histories as Secondary Data
143(2)
Original Data Sources
145(16)
In-Person Interviews
146(5)
Group Interviews
151(1)
Systematic Observation
152(6)
Telephone
158(2)
Electronic Communication
160(1)
Mailed Questionnaires
161(1)
Summary
161(1)
For Discussion
162(1)
Endnotes
163(2)
Other Ways to Describe Research
165(26)
The Survey
165(5)
Common Problems
166(4)
The Case Study
170(2)
Suitable Topics
171(1)
Strengths and Limitations
172(1)
Grounded Theory
172(1)
Content Analysis
173(2)
Historical Research
175(2)
Ethnographic Research
177(3)
Cross-Cultural Research
180(1)
Feminist Research
181(4)
Goals and Assumptions
181(1)
A Response to Traditional Research Methods
181(1)
Design Characteristics
182(1)
Examples
183(2)
Meta-Analysis
185(2)
Summary
187(1)
For Discussion
188(1)
Endnotes
188(3)
Sampling Issues and Options
191(20)
Terminology
192(7)
Case
192(1)
Universe and Population
192(1)
Sampling Frame
193(1)
Sample
193(1)
Representativeness
194(1)
Size
194(2)
Sampling Error
196(1)
Sampling Bias
197(1)
Statistic and Parameter
198(1)
Random Sample
198(1)
Probability Sampling
199(4)
Simple Random Sampling
199(1)
Systematic Random Sampling
200(1)
Stratified Sampling
201(1)
Cluster Sampling
202(1)
Nonprobability Sampling
203(3)
Convenience Sampling
204(1)
Purposive Sampling
204(1)
Snowball Sampling
205(1)
Quota Sampling
206(1)
Selecting a Good Sample
206(2)
Available Resources
206(1)
Overall Design and Purpose of the Study
207(1)
Statistical Analyses to Be Used
208(1)
Level of Representativeness Required
208(1)
Summary
208(1)
For Discussion
209(1)
Endnotes
209(2)
Measurement Concepts and Issues
211(20)
What Is Measurement?
212(1)
Preparation for Measurement
212(2)
Conceptualization
212(1)
Operationalization
213(1)
Levels of Measurement
214(3)
Nominal Level
214(1)
Ordinal Level
215(1)
Interval Level
216(1)
Ratio Level
216(1)
Criteria for Good Measurement
217(9)
Reliability
217(6)
Validity
223(3)
Cultural Issues in Measurement
226(2)
Summary
228(1)
For Discussion
228(1)
Endnotes
229(2)
Data Collection Instruments
231(22)
Fixed-Alternative and Open-Ended Items
232(1)
Composite Indexes and Scales
233(10)
Composite Indexes
234(1)
Scales
234(9)
Using Existing Instruments
243(1)
Revising Existing Instruments
244(1)
Constructing New Instruments
245(3)
Issues in Development
245(3)
Use of Self-Administered Instruments
248(3)
Advantages
249(1)
Supervised Administration
249(2)
Summary
251(1)
For Discussion
251(1)
Endnotes
252(1)
Analyzing Data and Disseminating Findings
253(24)
The Data in Perspective
253(2)
Preparing for Data Analysis
255(1)
Data Analysis: An Overview
256(8)
Qualitative Analysis
256(1)
Quantitative Analysis
257(1)
Uses of Statistical Analysis
258(6)
Interpreting and Reporting the Results
264(1)
Disseminating the Results
265(9)
Reports and Monographs
266(2)
Internal Correspondence and In-Service Training
268(1)
Major Conferences
269(2)
Other Professional Gatherings
271(1)
Publication in Professional Journals
272(2)
Summary
274(1)
For Discussion
275(1)
Endnotes
276(1)
PART IV Evaluation Research
277(58)
Evaluating Programs
279(26)
Use of Logic Models
280(2)
Program Evaluation as Applied Research
282(1)
Historical Background
282(2)
Types of Program Evaluations
284(6)
Needs Assessments
285(2)
Formative Evaluations
287(1)
Outcome Evaluations
288(2)
Determining the Appropriate Design
290(3)
Who Conducts Program Evaluations?
293(4)
Participating in Program Evaluations: Concerns and Issues
297(1)
Other Ethical Issues
298(1)
Reports of Program Evaluations
299(2)
Summary
301(1)
For Discussion
302(1)
Endnotes
303(2)
Evaluating Individual Practice Effectiveness
305(30)
Before Single-System Research
305(4)
Supervisor Feedback
305(1)
Consumer Feedback
306(1)
Goal Attainment Scaling
307(2)
Single-System Research
309(23)
Steps Involved
314(1)
Some Popular Designs
315(14)
Strengths and Weaknesses
329(2)
Ethical Issues
331(1)
Summary
332(1)
For Discussion
333(1)
Endnotes
334(1)
Postscript 335(2)
Index 337

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