Social Work Research Methods: Learning by Doing

Social Work Research Methods is a step-by-step journey through the process of conducting research. With over 30 years of teaching experience, author Reginald O. York helps readers discover how research can enable them to better serve clients in the field. Each chapter features a hands-on approach to producing research, with practical chapter exercises that reinforce methods mastery. Using their own data, students engage in realistic research activities and gain an appreciation for science-informed practice as a means of evaluating client outcomes.  

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Author Part 1: The Fundamentals of Science and Social Work Research Chapter 1: Science, Research, and Social Work Practice How do we Know what we Know? Avoiding Errors in Decision Making Science as a Way of Knowing Science and Critical Thinking Social Work Practice and Science Common Sense and the Scientific Method Pseudoscience as an Alternative to Science Applying the Basic Principles of Science: Does the Full Moon Make Us Different? Chapter 2: Purposes and Processes of Social Work Research Four Purposes of Social Work Research Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement The Research Process Chapter 3: Ethics and Cultural Competence in Social Work Research Section A: Ethics in the Use of Human Subjects in Research Section B: Cultural Competence in Social Work Research Chapter 4: Evidence-based Practice The Nature of Evidence and Evidence-based Practice Steps in the Process of Evidence-based Practice Critical Appraisal of Evidence-based Practice Part 2: Conducting Different Types of Social Work Research Chapter 5: Conducting Research that Employs Social Surveys The Nature of the Social Survey Types of Social Surveys When to Use Each Type of Survey Conducting Your Own Social Survey Composing Your Own Questionnaire Advantages and Disadvantages of the Survey Chapter 6: Conducting Research That Describes People: What Are the Traits That Describe the Good Manager? Preliminary Step for Practice Exercise 2 for This Chapter Types of Social Work Research The Phases of Descriptive Research Chapter 7: Conducting Research That Explains Things: What Explains Life Satisfaction? The Four Major Phases of Explanatory Research An Explanatory Research Study Example: Does Stress or Social Support Explain Life Satisfaction? Chapter Appendix: Questionnaire for Study of Life Satisfaction Chapter 8: Conducting Research that Evaluates Services The Parts of the Evaluation System The Phases of Outcome Evaluation Research Research Example: Are the Services of the New Horizons Treatment Program Effective in the Reduction of Depression for Adult Clients? Chapter Appendix: Statistical Analysis of the Data for the New Horizons Treatment Program Chapter 9: Conducting Qualitative Research that Explores the Unknown Exploratory Research and Qualitative Research Methods What Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches to Research Have in Common The Phases of Exploratory Research Employing Qualitative Research Methods Approaches to Qualitative Research Data Collection in Qualitative Research Data Analysis in Qualitative Research Chapter 10: Conducting Program Evaluations What Does Your Agency Do to Evaluate Programs? The Nature of Program Evaluations Advantages of Program Evaluations Characteristics of Good Programs Finding Evidence for Human Service Programs Types of Program Evaluations The Logic Model as a Way of Portraying Critical Aspects of the Program Evaluation Some Qualitative Approaches for Program Evaluation Issues in Program Evaluation Part 3: Conducting Each Phase of Social Work Research Chapter 11: Developing Your Knowledge Base and Intervention Purpose and Knowledge as the Foundation for the Research Study The Literature Review for a Research Study Describing the Intervention or Program Preliminary Information for the Practice Exercises Chapter 12: Drawing Your Study Sample The Study Sample and the Study Population Generalization of Study Results Sampling Error Sampling Elements, Sampling Frames, and Sampling Intervals Random Samples and Scientific Generalization Nonrandom Samples and Logical Generalization Chapter 13: Measuring Your Study Variables Why Fret Over Measurement? The Nature of Measurement in Social Work Research Standardized Tools and Individualized Tools Measurement Error Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Measurement Securing the Tool for Measuring Your Study Variables Evaluating Measurement Tools Tips for Developing Your Own Measurement Tool Computing the Score for Your Scale Describing Your Measurement Tool Determining Practical Significance With Your Measurement Method Special Challenges of the Single-Subject Research Study Individualized Scales as an Option Chapter 14: Selecting a Research Design for a Group Evaluation Study The Nature of Causation in Research Threats to Internal Validity What Threats Should Be of Special Concern in My Situation? Two General Types of Research Designs Group Research Designs Preexperimental Designs That Fail to Address Threats to Internal Validity Quasi-Experimental Designs That Address Causation Minimally Experimental Designs That Address Threats Optimally Summary of Group Research Designs Chapter 15: Selecting a Research Design for a Single Client The Nature of the Single-Subject Research Study Single-Subject Designs that Fail to Address Maturation or History Single-Subject Designs that Address Maturation Single-Subject Designs That Address Both Maturation and History Data Analysis for Single-Subject Research Chapter 16: Analyzing Data and Drawing Conclusions Using Descriptive Statistics to Describe People Using Inferential Statistic to Test Your Hypothesis in Explanatory Research Questions You Must Answer to Find Your Statistic in Explanatory Research Finding Your Statistic in Explanatory Research Interpreting Data in Explanatory Research Using Inferential Statistics to Test Your Hypothesis When You Are Evaluating Practice Presenting Your Study Conclusions Chapter Appendix: Instructions for Using an Internet Website to Analyze Data Chapter 17: Analyzing Qualitative Data An Overview of Qualitative Data Analysis Narrative Analysis Glossary References Index

About the Author :
Reginald O. York, PhD, is a professor in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Previously, he served on the social work faculties of East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He is the author of Human Service Planning (The University of North Carolina Press, 1982), Building Basic Competencies in Social Work Research (Allyn and Bacon, 1997), Conducting Social Work Research (Allyn and Bacon, 1998), Evaluating Social Work Practice (Pearson, 2009), and Statistics for Human Service Evaluation (Sage Publications, 2017). Prior to his entry into academia, he served as a foster care social worker, a child protective services supervisor, and the director of two human service organizations. His research interests include evidence-based practice, social work education, and human service management.

Review :
"This book provides hands-on knowledge to student learners in a way that grounds their classroom learning with professional practice expectations." "This is a research book for social workers that has social work cases and explains in detail the applicability to research situations. Research is explained in a simple way for social work students." "A solid text that addresses the goals of the course and competencies in the field."