The Practice of Research in Social Work

Principles of evidence-based practice come alive through illustrations of actual social work research in this Second Edition of Rafael J. Engel and Russell K. Schutt's innovative The Practice of Research in Social Work. The authors introduce research methods as an integrated set of techniques for investigating problems encountered in social work, directly linking each topic to issues associated with ethics, diversity, and evidence-based practice. Enabling students to critically evaluate research literature and develop the skills to engage in research and practice evaluation, the book emphasizes methods of particular concern in social work research and devotes chapters to group, survey, single subject, and qualitative designs. New and Retained Features: - Integration of substance and method. This textbook continues to offer the most contemporary treatments of developments in social work research with each chapter focusing on a particular substantive research question, supported by interesting and contemporary social work examples, such as Ch. 5's use of child welfare studies on the impact of intensive, in-home, family-based services. - New emphasis on evidence-based practice. Introduced in Chapter 1, each following chapter has a concluding section titled, Implications for Evidence-Based Practice. In addition, a discussion of web sites provides systematic reviews of evidence-based practice, such as the Campbell Collaboration. - Updated coverage of diverse populations. The new edition identifies concerns and strategies at each step of the research process to help readers see that every aspect of the research process should be guided by consideration of cultural and ethnic group similarities and differences. - An increased focus on ethics, including new ethics exercises. Ethical decision-making is presented as an integral part of the research design process, rather than as a disconnected step. New ethics practice exercises appear at the end of each chapter in the new edition, and up-to-date coverage of issues in ethical practice is included throughout the text, beginning with Chapter 2. - Expanded coverage of qualitative methods. The authors offer a thorough, engaging, and up-to-date presentation of qualitative methods appropriate to social work, including a new section on photovoice, an emerging qualitative research method that enables participants a greater role in the research process. - New examples of research in social work practice settings. New social work practice examples now illustrate the latest research on such topics as homelessness, domestic violence, substance abuse, gender, aging, child welfare, and welfare reform, including the methods used and the challenges researchers confronted. - New and revised pedagogy. The new edition includes more review exercises in a variety of formats than any other text of its kind, including exercises on developing a proposal, discussion questions, practice exercises, web exercises, new ethics exercises, and new SPSS exercises on the student web site: http:/www.sagepub.com/prsw2. Ancillaries Updated Instructors' Resources on CD-ROM contain teaching tips, computerized testing, PowerPoint slides and more. The online Student Study Site includes journal articles appropriate for supplemental reading, e-flash cards, SPSS exercises, and unique interactive exercises. The Practice of Research in Social Work, Second Edition is ideal for research methods courses in undergraduate and graduate-level social work programs. The Practice of Research in Social Work, Second Edition is ideal for research methods courses in undergraduate and graduate-level social work programs.

Table of Contents:
CHAPTER1: SCIENCE, SOCIETY, AND SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH Reasoning about the Social World Everyday Errors in Reasoning Overgeneralization Selective or Inaccurate Observation Illogical Reasoning Resistance to Change Adherence to Authority The Social Scientific Approach Social Work and the Social World Social Work Research and Evidence-Based Practice Striving for Validity Measurement Validity Generalizability Causal Validity Social Work in Research in a Diverse Society Social Work Research in Practice Descriptive Research Exploratory Research Explanatory Research Evaluation Research Quantitative and Qualitative Methods Strengths and Limitations of Social Work Research Conclusion CHAPTER 2: THE PROCESS AND PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH Social Work Research Questions Identifying Social Work Research Questions Refining Social Research Questions Evaluating Social Research Questions Implications of Social Diversity and Formulating a Question Foundations of Social Work Research Finding Information Reviewing Research Implications for Evidence-Based Practice Social Work Research Strategies The Role of Social Theory The Deductive/Inductive Cycle Descriptive Research Social Work Research Philosophies Scientific Guidelines for Social Work Research Social Work Research and Ethical Guidelines Honesty and Openness The Uses of Science Research on People Conclusion CHAPTER 3: CONCEPTUALIZATION AND MEASUREMENT Concepts Conceptualization in Practice From Concepts to Observations Operationalization Scales and Indexes Treatment as a Variable Gathering Data Combining Measurement Operations Measurement in Qualitative Research Levels of Measurement Nominal Level of Measurement Ordinal Level of Measurement Interval Level of Measurement Ratio Level of Measurement The Case of Dichotomies Types of Comparisons Measurement Error Evaluating Measures Reliability Measurement Validity Screening and Cut-off Scores Ways to Improve Reliability and Validity of Existing Measures Measurement in a Diverse Society Implications for Evidence-Based Practice Conclusion CHAPTER 4: SAMPLING Sample Planning Define Sample Components and the Population Evaluate Generalizability Assess the Homogeneity of the Population Recruitment Strategies with Diverse Populations Sampling Methods Probability Sampling Probability Sampling Methods Nonprobability Sampling Methods Sampling Distributions Estimating Sampling Error Determining Sampling Size Implications for Evidence-Based Practice Conclusion CHAPTER 5: CAUSATION AND RESEARCH DESIGN Causal Explanation Nomothetic Causal Explanation Idiographic Causal Explanation Research Designs and Criteria for Causal Explanations Association Time Order Nonspuriousness Mechanism Context Units of Analysis and Errors in Causal Reasoning Individual and Group Units of Analysis The Ecological Fallacy and Reductionism Implications for Evidence-Based Practice Conclusion CHAPTER 6: GROUP EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS Threats to Validity Internal (Causal) Validity Generalizability True Experiments Experimental and Comparison Groups Randomization Pretest and Posttest Measures Types of True Experimental Designs Difficulties in True Experiments in Agency-Based Research The Limits of True Experimental Designs Quasi-Experiments Nonequivalent Control Group Designs Time Series Designs Ex Post Facto Control Group Designs Common Group Designs for Program Evaluation and Research Types of Nonexperimental Designs Implications for Evidence-Based Practice Diversity, Group Design, and Evidence-Based Practice Ethical Issues in Experimental Research Deception Selective Distribution of Benefits Conclusion CHAPTER 7: SINGLE-SUBJECT DESIGN Foundations of Single-Subject Design Repeated Measurement Baseline Phase Treatment Phase Graphing Measuring Targets of Intervention Analyzing Single-Subject Designs Visual Analysis Interpreting Visual Analysis Problems of Interpretation Types of Single-Subject Designs Basic Design: A-B Withdrawal Designs Multiple Baseline Designs Multiple Treatment Designs Designs for Monitoring Subjects Implications for Evidence-Based Practice Single-Subject Design in a Diverse Society Ethical Issues in Single-Subject Design Conclusion CHAPTER 8: SURVEY RESEARCH Survey Research in Social Work Attractions of Survey Research The Omnibus Survey Errors in Survey Research Constructing Questions Writing Clear Questions Close-ended Questions and Response Categories Sensitive Questions Single or Multiple Questions Designing Questionnaires Build on Existing Instruments Refine and Test Questions Add Interpretive Questions Maintain Consistent Focus Order the Questions Consider Matrix Questions Make the Questionnaire Attractive Organizing Surveys Mailed Self-Administered Surveys Group-Administered Surveys Telephone Surveys In-Person Interviews Electronic Surveys Mixed-Mode Surveys A Comparison of Survey Designs Secondary Data Surveys Survey Research Designs in a Diverse Society Translating Instruments Interviewer-Respondent Characteristics Implications for Evidence-Based Practice Ethical Issues in Survey Research Conclusion CHAPTER 9: QUALITATIVE METHODS: OBSERVING, PARTICIPATING, LISTENING Fundamentals of Qualitative Methods Case Study: Making Gray Gold Participant Observation Choosing a Role Entering the Field Developing and Maintaining Relationships Sampling People and Events Taking Notes Managing the Personal Dimensions Systematic Observation Intensive Interviewing Establishing and Maintaining a Partnership Asking Questions and Recording Answers Focus Groups Photovoice Qualitative Research in a Diverse Society Implications for Evidence-Based Practice Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research Conclusion CHAPTER 10: QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS Features of Qualitative Data Analysis Qualitative Data Analysis as an Art Techniques of Qualitative Data Analysis Documentation Conceptualization, Coding, and Categorizing Examining Relationships and Displaying Data Authenticating Conclusions Reflexivity Alternatives in Qualitative Data Analysis Ethnography Qualitative Comparative Analysis Narrative Analysis Grounded Theory Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Content Analysis Ethics in Qualitative Data Analysis Conclusion CHAPTER 11: EVALUATION RESEARCH Evaluation Basics Describing the Program: The Logic Model Questions for Evaluation Research Need Assessment Process Evaluation Outcome Evaluation Efficiency Analysis Design Alternatives Black Box or Program Theory Researcher or Stakeholder Orientation Quantitative or Qualitative Methods Simple or Complex Outcomes Implications for Evidence-Based Practice C2-SPECTR Evaluation Research in a Diverse Society Ethics in Evaluation Conclusion CHAPTER 12: QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS Introducing Statistics Preparing Data for Analysis Identification Numbers Reviewing the Forms Coding Open-ended Questions Creating a Codebook Data Entry Data Cleaning Displaying Univariate Distributions Graphs Frequency Distributions Summarizing Univariate Distributions Measures of Central Tendency Measures of Variation Analyzing Data Ethically: How Not to Lie with Statistics Crosstabulating Variables Graphing Association Describing Association Evaluating Association Introduction to Inferential Statistics Choosing a Statistical Test Analyzing Data Ethically: How Not to Lie About Relationships Conclusion CHAPTER 13: REPORTING RESEARCH Social Work Research Proposals Case Study: Treating Substance Abuse Comparing Research Designs Meta-Analyses: A Tool for Evidence-Based Practice Case Study: Is Social Work Practice Effective Reporting Research Writing Research Peer-Review Journal Articles Applied Research Reports Social Work Research in a Diverse Society Ethics, Politics, and Research Reports Conclusion Appendix A: Summaries of Frequently Cited Research Articles Appendix B: Questions to Ask About a Research Article Appendix C: How to Read a Research Article Appendix D: Finding Information Appendix E: Table of Random Numbers Appendix F: Annotated List of Web Sites