Research for Effective Social Work Practice

Very often research texts for social work students are dry, boring, and hard for students to relate to. Not this book. Nor do authors Judy L. Krysik and Jerry Finn shy away from teaching research skills that are actually interesting and useful to students interested in real-life social work practice. See Chapter 13 on writing in this book, for example, as well as Chapter 6 on qualitative research methods. Go to www.routledgesw.com/research to learn more. Five unique cases on the web teach students how to apply research issues and skills to a variety of different levels of social work intervention, and clients. See especially the new case RAINN based on the evaluation of a national hotline for rape and sexual abuse: This case focuses on research and ethical issues related to program evaluation.

Table of Contents:
Preface About the Authors Acknowledgements 1. The Context of Social Work Research 2. The Politics and Ethics of Social Work Research 3. Research Problems and Research Questions 4. Single Subject Research 5. Research in Agencies and Communities 6. Qualitative Research with Dr. Robin Bonifas 7. Group Research Design 8. Sampling 9. Measurement 10. Data Collection and Data Entry 11. Descriptions of Quantitative Data 12. Bivariate Statistics and Statistical Inference 13. A Researcher’s Writing and Presentation Tools References Glossary/Index

About the Author :
Dr. Judy Krysik is currently an Associate Professor in Social Work, Arizona State University, Phoenix. She teaches research methods, evaluation, program planning, and practice with children and families. Her current research is on the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect and the coproduction of knowledge. She is a Board Member of Prevent Child Abuse Arizona. She is involved in CSWE as co-chair of the Values and Ethics track and she serves on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Social Work Education, Social Work Research, and the Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics. 　 Dr. Jerry Finn is currently an Emeritus Professor in Social Work, University of Washington, Tacoma. Dr. Finn has 32 years of teaching experience in social work that includes courses in human behavior, research, practice, and information technology and human services at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, and he has served on doctoral committees. In addition, he has published numerous scholarly articles and two edited books, primarily in areas related to the impact of information technology on human services. Dr. Finn has served as treasurer of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) with the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) as treasurer and registrar. He is currently consulting with human service agencies in the areas of program evaluation and information technology.

Review :
Research for Effective Social Work Practice is the best methods textbook that I have ever used in the classroom. My students find the examples in the book extremely relevant and relatable. The accessibility of the language makes it fun and interesting to read. Yes, I said fun! My students have responded to this research text like no other. -- Karen Gerdes, Social Work, Arizona State University I applaud the authors in their continuing efforts to improve an already excellent product. The text is well organized with numerous examples that assist students to be competent researchers and research consumers. It is a one of the few texts that provides information on both qualitative and quantitative research in a clear and engaging manner. I highly recommend the book! --Glenn Stone, Social Work, Ball State University This text provides an important framework for research faculty and students. All of the essential elements for preparing students to become informed consumers of contemporary research are provided in this one work, and the connection to practice is evident every step of the way. --Jody Brook, Social Welfare, University of Kansas