Quantitative research makes a very important contribution to both understanding and responding effectively to the problems that social work service users face. In this unique and authoritative text, a group of expert authors explore the key areas of data collection, analysis and evaluation and outline in detail how they can be applied to practice.
"In the field of social work, qualitative research is starting to gain more prominence as are mixed methods and various issues regarding race, ethnicity and gender. These changes in the field are reflected and updated in "The Handbook of Social Work Research Methods, Second Edition". This text contains meta analysis, designs to evaluate treatment and provides the support to help students harness the power of the Internet. This handbook brings together leading scholars in research methods in social work." --Book Jacket.
This comprehensive text contains introductory and intermediate coverage of qualitative and quantitative social work research and evaluation applications for undergraduate and graduate social work students. Features Integrates diversity and strengths/empowerment coverage throughout the text. Includes a complete chapter on ethics in social work research (Chapter 5), which shows students how to integrate research and ethics content. Provides comprehensive coverage on how to do a literary review, write a qualitative and quantitative paper/report, and cite Internet sources. Includes case studies and vignettes throughout the text, which bring a real-world focus to the subject. Includes Statistical Package for the Social Sciences in Appendix F, which illustrates data entry using SPSS with actual screen images to show students how to do tests of the null hypothesis, interpret significance tests, and understand measures of association. What the reviewers are saying . . . This book thoroughly presents all the most important topics for an introductory research text. I really like the balanced presentation of quantitative and qualitative research, the boxed material, and the reasonable price. I think this is a very good book. Thomas Barton, University of North Texas This text does a superb job in covering topics important to social work research students. I can t say enough positive things about how comprehensive I find this book it is clearly a superior text. The coverage of ethics, literature review, and writing research reports places this book head and shoulders above the rest. Janice Matthews Rasheed, Loyola University of Chicago [MyHelpingLabAd]"
Social work research often focuses on qualitative designs and many students believe that the quantitative research pathway is either too complicated or is beyond their grasp. This book outlines how social work students can undertake a research project from either a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methodological approach. The authors introduce key concepts in an accessible and structured manner and go on to demonstrate each of the approaches from inception of research idea, to realisation of methodological approach, to research process, to data analysis and conclusion. More than just another research text, this book remains grounded in social work practice and has clear links to the Professional Capabilities Framework for Social Work.
Social work students need to understand the relationship between research, knowledge and practice to be effective practitioners. In the second edition of this highly regarded book, Hugh McLaughlin shows how a research-minded perspective and an appreciation of evidence-based practice can lead students to achieve the highest level of individual and collective social work practice. Topics covered include: - How to assess, appraise and apply research - The philosophy of research - Improving the use of research in practice - Interdisciplinary contributions to social work and social work research Providing reflexive questions, practice examples and suggested reading throughout, this book is essential reading for all undergraduate students of social work. It will also be valuable reading for postgraduates and qualified social workers wishing to consolidate their understanding of social work research.
Over thirty years of input from instructors and students have gone into this popular research methods text, resulting in a refined ninth edition that is easier to read, understand, and apply than ever before. Using unintimidating language and real-world examples, it introduces students to the key concepts of evidence-based practice that they will use throughout their professional careers. It emphasizes both quantitative and qualitative approaches to research, data collection methods, and data analysis, providing students with the tools they need to become evidence-based practitioners.
Quantitative methodology is a highly specialized field, and as with any highly specialized field, working through idiosyncratic language can be very difficult made even more so when concepts are conveyed in the language of mathematics and statistics. The Sage Handbook of Quantitative Methodology for the Social Sciences was conceived as a way of introducing applied statisticians, empirical researchers, and graduate students to the broad array of state-of-the-art quantitative methodologies in the social sciences. The contributing authors of the Handbook were asked to write about their areas of expertise in a way that would convey to the reader the utility of their respective methodologies. Relevance to real-world problems in the social sciences is an essential ingredient of each chapter. The Handbook consists of six sections comprising twenty-five chapters, from topics in scaling and measurement, to advances in statistical modelling methodologies, and finally to broad philosophical themes that transcend many of the quantitative methodologies covered in this handbook.
Clinical Assessment for Social Workers provides a wide range of standardized assessment tools, derived from different perspectives, to give readers greater flexibility in information gathering and intervention planning. Incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods, the authors encourage readers to approach assessment as both an art and a science. They advocate for discovering the balance between scientific, evidence-based approaches and the development of personal practice wisdom.
Designed for reviewers of research manuscripts and proposals in the social and behavioral sciences, and beyond, this title includes chapters that address traditional and emerging quantitative methods of data analysis.
