The Practice of Research in Social Work

930 Pages·2016·15.435 MB·English

by  Rafael J. Engel, Russell K. Schutt

The Practice of Research in Social Work
4e
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The Practice of Research in Social Work
4e

Rafael J. Engel
University of Pittsburgh

Russell K. Schutt
University of Massachusetts Boston
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FOR INFORMATION:
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Engel, Rafael J., author. | Schutt, Russell K., author.
Title: The practice of research in social work / Rafael J. Engel, Russell K. Schutt.
Description: Fourth edition. | Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
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Identifiers: LCCN 2015038935 | ISBN 978-1-5063-0426-7 (pbk.: alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Social service—Research.
Classification: LCC HV11.E57 2017 | DDC 361.3072—dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015038935
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
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Brief Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Science, Society, and Social Work Research
2. The Process of Social Work Research
3. Ethical and Scientific Guidelines for Social Work Research
4. Measurement
5. Sampling
6. Causation and Research Design
7. Group Experimental Designs
8. Single-Subject Design
9. Survey Research
10. Qualitative Methods
11. Qualitative Data Analysis
12. Secondary Data Analysis and Mixed Methods
13. Evaluation Research
14. Quantitative Data Analysis
15. Reporting Research
Appendix A. Questions to Ask About a Quantitative Research Article
Appendix B. How to Read a Quantitative Research Article
Appendix C. Questions to Ask About a Qualitative Research Article
Appendix D. How to Read a Qualitative Research Article
On the Study Site
Appendix E. Reviewing Inferential Statistics
Glossary
References
Index
About the Authors
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Detailed Contents

1. Preface
2. Acknowledgments
3. 1. Science, Society, and Social Work Research
1. Reasoning About the Social World
2. Everyday Errors in Reasoning
1. Selective or Inaccurate Observation
2. Overgeneralization
3. Illogical Reasoning
4. Resistance to Change
5. Adherence to Authority
3. The Social Scientific Approach
4. Social Work and the Social World
5. Social Work Research and Evidence-Based Practice
6. Research in the News: Why Did New York City’s Homeless Population Increase?
7. Social Work Research in Practice
1. Descriptive Research
1. Example: Who Are the Homeless?
2. Exploratory Research
1. Example: How Do the Homeless Adapt to Shelter Life?
3. Explanatory Research
1. Example: What Community-Level Factors Cause Homelessness?
4. Evaluation Research
1. Example: Should Housing or Treatment Come First?
8. Alternative Research Orientations
1. Quantitative and/or Qualitative Methods
2. Positivist or Constructionist Philosophies
3. Researcher or Participatory Orientation
9. Social Work Research in a Diverse Society
10. Conclusion
11. Key Terms
12. Highlights
13. Discussion Questions
14. Practice Exercises
15. Web Exercise
16. Developing a Research Proposal
17. A Question of Ethics
4. 2. The Process of Social Work Research
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1. Social Work Research Questions
1. Identifying Social Work Research Questions
2. Refining Social Work Research Questions
3. Evaluating Social Work Research Questions
1. Social Importance
2. Scientific Relevance
3. Feasibility
2. Consider Social Diversity When Formulating a Question
3. Foundations of Social Work Research
1. Searching the Literature
2. Reviewing Research
4. Implications for Evidence-Based Practice
1. Campbell Collaboration and Cochrane Community
2. Government-Supported Resources
5. Theory and Social Work Research
6. Alternative Research Strategies
7. Research in the News: Does Money Buy Happiness?
1. Deductive Research
1. Domestic Violence and the Research Circle
2. Inductive Research
1. An Inductive Approach to Explaining Domestic Violence
2. Exploratory Research
3. Descriptive Research
8. Social Research Standards
1. Measurement Validity
2. Generalizability
3. Causal Validity
4. Authenticity
9. Conclusion
10. Key Terms
11. Highlights
12. Discussion Questions
13. Practice Exercises
14. Web Exercises
15. Developing a Research Proposal
5. 3. Ethical and Scientific Guidelines for Social Work Research
1. Research on People
2. Historical Background
3. Research in the News: Is It Ethical Science?
4. Ethical Principles
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1. Protecting Research Participants
1. Avoid Harming Research Participants
2. Obtain Informed Consent
3. Maintain Privacy and Confidentiality
2. Honesty and Openness
3. Achieving Valid Results
4. The Use of Research
5. Institutional Review Board Reviews
6. Internet Research
7. Scientific Guidelines for Social Work Research
8. Conclusion
9. Key Terms
10. Highlights
11. Discussion Questions
12. Practice Exercises
13. Web Exercises
14. Developing a Research Proposal
6. 4. Measurement
1. Concepts
1. Conceptualization in Practice
1. Alcohol Abuse
2. Depression
3. Poverty
2. From Concepts to Observations
3. Research in the News: How to Measure Race and Ethnicity in America?
1. Operationalization
2. Scales to Measure Variables
3. Treatment as a Variable
4. Gathering Data
5. Combining Measurement Operations
6. Measurement in Qualitative Research
4. Levels of Measurement
1. Nominal Level of Measurement
2. Ordinal Level of Measurement
3. Interval Level of Measurement
4. Ratio Level of Measurement
5. The Case of Dichotomies
6. Types of Comparisons
5. Measurement Error
6. Assessing Measurement Accuracy
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