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Social Work Research Methods
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Social Work Research Methods
Four Alternative Paradigms

  • Teresa Morris - California State University, San Bernardino, USA


March 2006 | 352 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Social Work Research Methods is the first book to expand social work research methods to include alternative models and integrate these methodologies into general social work practice. In addition to traditional positivist research, author Teresa Morris also describes research methods for post positivism, critical theory and constructivism in a straight forward and accessible style.

Key features include:

- integrates research methods into a practice model;

- step-by-step guidance is given on how to carry out quantitative and qualitative research with illustrative examples from research projects that have used each of the paradigms;

- offers choices in research method;

- provides a conceptual frameworks to make decisions about which research methods to use in which situation;

- provides the tools to carry out research

as well as the theoretical rationales for each approach;

- discusses the ethics and politics of research and the researcher's responsibility to diversity;

- discusses the use of technology at each stage of a research project.

 
Introduction
Research and Generalist Practice

 
Brief History of Philosophy of Science

 
 
PART I: THE POSITIVIST PARADIGM
 
Introduction
 
Chapter 1. Engagement - Entrée to the Research Setting Defined
 
Chapter 2. Assessment - Development of Understanding the Research Focus
 
Chapter 3. Planning - Rationales for Carrying out the Research Project
Explanatory Designs

 
Descriptive Designs

 
 
Chapter 4. Implementation - Gathering the Data
Managing and Implementing Data Collection

 
 
Chapter 5: Evaluation - Developing an Understanding of the Data and its Meaning
Data Entry

 
Descriptive Statistics

 
Inferential Statistics

 
 
Chapter Six: Termination and Follow Up - Reporting on Findings and Exiting the Research Setting
Research Setting

 
Conclusion

 
 
PART II: POST POSITIVISM
 
Introduction
 
Chapter 7. Assessment and Engagement - Development of Understanding of the Research Focus and Entree to the Research Setting
 
Chapter 8: Planning, Implementation, Evaluation - Rationale for Gathering Data, Data Gathering and Developing an Understanding of the Data and its Meaning
Planning: Rationale for Gathering Data

 
Implementation: Data Gathering

 
Evaluation: Developing an Understanding of the Data and its Meaning

 
 
Chapter 9: Termination and Follow Up - Reporting on Findings and Exiting the Research Setting and Communication and Distribution of Findings
Conclusion

 
 
PART III: CRITICAL THEORY
Introduction

 
Chapter 10: Assessment, Engagement, and Planning - Development of Understanding of the Research Focus, Entree to the Research Setting. Rationale for Carrying out the Research

 
Planning: Rationale for Carrying out the Research

 
 
Chapter Eleven: Implementation - Gathering Data
Data Collection for Looking and Developing the Ideological Analysis

 
Data Collection for Action

 
Data Collection for Evaluation of Action Plans

 
 
Chapter 12: Evaluation - Developing an Understanding of the Data and its Meaning
Emergent Analysis

 
Ideological Analysis

 
Action Analysis

 
 
Chapter 13: Termination and Follow Up - Reporting on Finding, Exiting the Research Setting, and Communication and Distribution of Research Findings
Reporting to Participants and the Target Entity

 
Reporting to the Participants, Funding Sources and Academic Settings

 
Alternate Forms of Presentation

 
Reflection and Celebration

 
Conclusion

 
 
PART IV: CONSTRUCTIVISM
Introduction

 
 
Chapter 14: Engagement, Assessment and Planning - Entrée to the Research Setting, Development of Understanding of the Researcher Focus, Rationales for Gathering Data
 
Chapter 15: Implementation and Evaluation - Gathering Data and Developing and Understanding of the Data and its Meaning
Implementation: Gathering Data

 
Stages of Data Collection

 
Evaluation: Understanding the Meaning of Data

 
 
Chapter 16: Termination and Follow Up - Reporting on Findings, Exiting the Research Setting and Communication and Distribution of Findings
Researcher's Journals

 
The Case Study, or Research Report

 
Exiting the Research Setting

 
Conclusion

 
 
PART V: CROSS CUTTING THEMES: ETHICS, DIVERSITY AND TECHNOLOGY
Introduction

 
Chapter 17: The Ethics and Politics of Research

 
Introduction

 
Ethics

 
Politics

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 18: The Researcher's Responsibility to Diversity
Introduction

 
Engagement (Gaining Entrée to the Research Setting)

 
Assessment (Developing an Understanding of the Research Focus)

 
Planning (Rationales and Plans for Carrying out These Research Projects)

 
Implementation: Gathering the Data

 
Evaluation (Developing an understanding and Interpretation of the Data)

 
Termination and Follow Up

 
 
Chapter 19: The Function of Technology at Each Step of the Way
Engagement (Gaining Entrée to the Research Setting)

 
Assessment (Developing an Understanding of the Research Focus)

 
Planning (Rationales and Plans for Carrying out the Research Project)

 
Implementation (Gathering the Data)

 
Evaluation (Developing an Understanding and Interpretation of the Data

 
Termination and Follow Up

 
 
Glossary
 
Phenomenology - An Approach to Understanding the World that Uses Refection, Evidence (i.e. Awareness of Something) and Description
 
References and Bibliography

It doesn't have enough depth regarding the fundamentals of research.

Dr Henrika McCoy
Jane Addams College of Social Work (MC 309), University of Illinois at Chicago
May 31, 2012

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