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Representing some of the best research efforts currently found among social workers, Quantitative Methods in Social Work serves as both a guide and a challenge to social work researchers interested in the application of quantitative methods to social work problem solving. This application of research methods has not been described or discussed adequately in any formal way until now. In a comprehensive manner, this book documents the most advanced quantitative methodologies currently applied by social work researchers and describes issues and techniques that accompany specific applications. It increases social workers'understanding of state-of-the-art applied statistical analysis, enabling th...
Measurement refers generally to the process of assigning a numeric value to, or ordering characteristics or traits of, entities under study. Measurement is necessary for building and testing theory, specifying problems, and defining goals. It is arguably one of the most important and diffcult tasks in social work research. Social work researchers who are not expert in developing, selecting, and using measures will not be able to contribute maximally to the social work knowledge base. Such knowledge and skills related to measurement ultimately determines the extent to which social work research can effectively inform social policy and social work interventions. This book is to serve as a guid...
"This pocket guide provides a concise overview of how to complete a systematic review, and criteria that should be used for assessing the quality of existing reviews. It examines evidence-based practice, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis."--WorldCat.
This slim volume is one of a number of excellent guides published as part of Oxford's "Pocket Guide to Social Work Research Methods" series. Compact but comprehensive, it provides a thorough introduction to one of the fastest-growing genres of research in the social work field today: secondary data analysis. After an all-too-brief summary of what constitutes this genre and a balanced analysis of its advantages and disadvantages, Vartanian (Bryn Mawr) provides guidelines for those considering the feasibility and appropriateness of using secondary data in their work. He then offers extensive summaries of 29 of the most commonly used secondary data sets. For all of the data sets, he provides a ...
Clinical Data-Mining (CDM) involves the conceptualization, extraction, analysis, and interpretation of available clinical data for practice knowledge-building, clinical decision-making and practitioner reflection. Depending upon the type of data mined, CDM can be qualitative or quantitative; it is generally retrospective, but may be meaningfully combined with original data collection.Any research method that relies on the contents of case records or information systems data inevitably has limitations, but with proper safeguards these can be minimized. Among CDM's strengths however, are that it is unobtrusive, inexpensive, presents little risk to research subjects, and is ethically compatible...
When social workers draw on experience, theory, or data in order to develop new strategies or enhance existing ones, they are conducting intervention research. This relatively new field involves program design, implementation, and evaluation and requires a theory-based, systematic approach. Intervention Research presents such a framework. The five-step strategy described in this brief but thorough book ushers the reader from an idea's germination through the process of writing a treatment manual, assessing program efficacy and effectiveness, and disseminating findings. Rich with examples drawn from child welfare, school-based prevention, medicine, and juvenile justice, Intervention Research ...
This pocket guide offers researchers a framework for conducting research in a culturally sensitive manner with individuals, families, and communities in diverse settings. This unique framework focuses on a process, rather than a typology of behaviors, attitudes, values, and beliefs. All too frequently, cross-cultural research improperly attributes behaviors, beliefs, and values entirely to culture, when a closer examination would reveal the shared influences of gender, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and racial and ethnic backgrounds that interact in complex ways. By encouraging practitioners to incorporate an intersectionality lens into their work, this pocket guide helps research...
Many otherwise strong doctoral students get stuck at the dissertation stage, but this trusty guide takes students from the early planning phase to finishing the final draft. It contains straightforward advice for each stage of the dissertation process: selecting a chair, completing the literature review, developing a hypothesis, selecting a study sample and appropriate measures, managing and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data, establishing good writing habits, and overcoming obstacles to completing the dissertation on schedule. Practical guidelines, tips and strategies, and action steps checklists in each chapter make this a handy pocket guide for students as well as advisors seeking a comprehensive, unintimidating road map to the social work dissertation.
With practice exercises, guidelines for formulating problems and gathering and analyzing data, tips for working with software, this pocket guide offers social work researchers a strong, practical introduction to grounded theory research.