Instructor:     Diane Zosky, Ph.D.,ACSW, LCSW
                Bradley Hall 124
                Ph: 677-2392
                E-mail: zosky@bradley.edu
Office Hours: MWF 10:00-11:00 and 1:00-2:00 or by appointment
Class Schedule: MWF 9:00-9:50

Accommodation: Any student with a disability or special need who requires accommodationshould inform the instructor at the beginning of this course.

Non-Discrimination Statement: Students will be expected to display respect for fellow students and clients unique characteristics including race, color, gender, age, socioeconomic status, religion, creed, ethnic or national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, and political orientation. All assignments will use non-discriminatory language.

Intercollegiate Competition: Any student representing Bradley University in an intercollegiate competition (sports, speech, moot court, etc.) may be excused from class with advanced notice and the proper verification. Students will be allowed to make up work, however, it is the students responsibility to arrange this with the instructor.

Generalist Practice Principles

1. A systems approach provides the basic framework for understanding the generalist practice perspective and planning interventions with multiple systems.
2. Problems in living are presented from a person-in-environment perspective, with focus on the transactions between individuals and the environment.
3. Assessments and interventions must address both intrapsychic and environmental strengths and stressors.
4. Generalist practice involves assessment and interventions at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
5. Practice is based on the problem solving process and knowledge, skills, and values which are applicable across settings with diverse populations and in a variety of problem areas.
6. Critical analysis of social problems is inherent in generalist practice and results in both practice and policy responses.
7. Empirical research provides a solid foundation for both education and practice and generalist practitioners are expected to participate in practice evaluation activities.
8. Generalist practice often requires the social worker to function in multiple roles
depending on the needs of the client system.

I. Course Description:
Research Methods will prepare students for the systematic and analytical evaluation of practice and the generation of professional knowledge. Students will learn about the theory of knowledge generation and validation, the ethics of research, and the methods and process of conducting social work research. Students will examine several methods of scientific inquiry including quantitative, qualitative, and applied methods of practice and program evaluation.

II. Course Objectives:
Students will be expected to demonstrate learning in the following areas:

Knowledge

1. Students will develop their knowledge of the scientific method in order to better understand the relationship between social work research and social work practice.
2. Students will develop their knowledge of various research designs and have an understanding of how to apply designs to questions and problems for the evaluation or study of individuals, families, groups, organizations, or communities.
3. Students will develop their knowledge of the process of conducting research including problem formulation and conceptualization, conducting literature reviews, operationalizing the study, sampling techniques, data collection, data analysis, and interpretation.

Skills

1. Students will develop the skill to evaluate appropriateness of various research designs as applied to various research questions or issues of study.
2. Students will develop the skill for sampling techniques to enhance a studies validity and usefulness.
3. Students will develop the skills for data collection methods including evaluating or developing instruments.
4. Students will develop the skill to analyze and interpret data for the generation of knowledge to inform practice.
5. Students will develop skill in using computer data analysis methods including SPSS

Values

1. Students will understand the values and ethics associated with ethical and competent research.
2. Students will learn procedures necessary for research to protect vulnerable people and populations from duress or harm.

III. Resources

A. Required Texts:

1. Williams, M., Unrau, Y.A., and Grinnell, R.M. (1998). Introduction to SocialWork Research. Itasca, IL: F.E. Peacock.

1. Corbin and Straus.
2. Royse, David. (1992). Program Evaluation: An Introduction. Chicago: Nelson-Hall.
3. Various journal articles will be assigned or placed on reserve.
4. Weinbach, R.W. and Grinnell, R.M. (1998). Statistics for Social Workers. New York: Longman.

A. Exams 400 points
There will be FOUR exams each worth 100 points.

B. Research Project 100 points
The class will work on a project as a group to develop and implement a research project in partnership with a local social service agency. Each student will develop their own paper and the only phase done as a group will be data collection and analysis. The 100 points from the paper will be distributed in the following manner:

Protection of Human Subjects assignment                       5 points, Feb. 5
The research question assignment                              5 points, Feb. 16
The research design assignment                                5 points, Feb. 26
The literature review                                        30 points, March 16
Sampling assignment                                           5 points, March 12
Creating a questionnaire                                      5 points in class
Collecting Data                                               5 points April 9
Entering data into SPSS                                       5 points April 25
Computation on computer of descriptive and inferential stats  5 points May 7
Final paper                                                  30 points May 7

C. Various in Class assignments 50 points
There will be several in class assignments that will be graded. These will be unannounced and there will be no provisions to make them up. Students will, therefore, want to be diligent about their attendance.
There will be a total of 550 points for the class. Grades will be distributed as follows:
495-550 = A
440-494 = B
385-439 = C
330-384 = D

V. Class Schedule

Unit I. INTRODUCTION

The Integration of Research and Social Work Generalist Practice

Reading Assignment: Text Chapter 1 & 2

The Ethics, Values, and Respect for Diversity Associated with Social Work Research

This section will examine the ethical principles and values imperative for

social work research that emphasizes respect and dignity for all research

participants, especially vulnerable populations. The NASW Code of Ethics will be discussed in relation to research. Students will have some experiential activities to evaluate examples of studies from the professional literature for ethical violations. A video will review the Milgram and Zimbardo experiments as examples of questionable methods. Students will participate in developing consent procedures for research project for class. Students will also examine the value of respecting diversity issues when conducting research.

Reading Assignment: Text pages 16-17, 42-51

Research Approaches and Processes

Discussion will first examine the different ontological and epistemological approaches to research such as the positivist vs. post modern approach for empirical knowledge advancement. Discussion will examine different methods such as quantitative and qualitative and the appropriate use of each. Students will have experiential activities to participate in evaluation of examples of research designs in studies in the professional literature.

Research Designs

Feb. 16, 19,
21, 23

This section will explore in depth purposes and methods for the researchdesigns of exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory research. Students will participate in experiential exercises to decide on the choice of appropriate designs for various research topics and questions.

Feb. 26, 28

This section will take a more in-depth look at applied agency research such as practice evaluation, program evaluation, and cost-benefit analysis. This unit is particularly important as practice now stresses outcome measurement.

Reading Assignment: On Reserve Royse, David. (1992).
Program Evaluation: An Introduction. Chicago: Nelson Hall Chapters 1,3,5

Unit V. IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH PROCESS

Data Collection Methods

March 5, 7, 9
A. Who to Study: Sampling Methods This section will discuss both probability and purposive sampling techniques and the strengths and weaknesses of both. This section will introduce concepts such as the normal curve, the Central Limit Theorem, the Law of Large Numbers, and the measurement of the standard error.

Reading Assignment: text Chapter 5

B. Data Collection Methods and Instrumentation
March 12, 14, 16
This section will examine and discuss various data collection methods such as interviewing, questionnaire construction, observation, the use of logs and journals, the use of standardized scales and instruments, and the use of secondary data. This section will discuss reliability and validity issues. Students will engage in experiential learning by constructing a questionnaire to use for the research project and will engage in the use of standardized instruments.

Reading Assignments: text Chapters 4, 10, 11

Unit VI. Data Analysis

A. Organizing the Data
March 26, 28

This section looks at the organization techniques necessary for quantitative data prior to analysis such as entering data into the computer program (SPSS), converting data to numerical codes, and developing a codebook. This section will also discuss organizing techniques necessary for qualitative analysis such as transcribing field notes, organizing files. Students will engage in experiential learning by using SPSS and developing a codebook for the research project.

Reading Assignment: test Chapte13 pages 285-291

B. Qualitative Data Analysis
April 2, 4

This section will discuss qualitative analysis techniques such as open and axial coding, constructing categories, interpreting data and building theory, and assessing the trustworthiness of the data.

C. Quantitative Data Analysis - Descriptive Statistics
April 6, 9, 11, 13

This section will examine descriptive statistical analysis of data including frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, measures of association, and the use of graphics to depict data. Students will engage in experiential learning using SPSS to manipulate data and well as hand computation.

Reading Assignments: text Chapter 12 pages 257-273

April 16, 18, 20, 23

This section will examine the use of inferential statistics for data analysis including chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's r, and regression analysis. Concepts of one and two tailed hypothesis, significance levels, statisitcal power and error will be discussed.

Reading Assignment: text Chapter 12 pages 273-282.

Students will use these periods to work in the computer labs with consultation from the instructor to due data analysis of research project.

This section will examine how to interpret results and convey them in writing. This section discusses the various sections that are included in research reports as well as ethical considerations of reporting.

Reading Assignment: text Chapter 14 and 15

You will be expected to design and implement a research project during this course. Don’t dial registration and drop yet! We will do this as a class as a group project. Again don’t drop yet, unlike other class group projects, this project will not require you to get together outside of class with a small group nor does your grade depend on others in the class. So…. If you haven’t bailed out yet continue reading.

Students will suggest research topics and the class will democratically vote on the topic. The only restriction for the topic is that the Bradley University student population must be the participant pool and it must be something that can be implemented within the semester.

The process of conducting a research project will then be broken down into parts. As you notice in the syllabus, the entire project is worth 100 points, but each part has points allocated. Each assignment will be discussed in class prior to the due date. Due to the inevitable law of human nature that @#*@#* happens, all dates in the syllabi including due dates remain flexible. If due dates change, they are never moved up, only delayed. Each part of the research project will lead up to the final paper which will follow the following format.

I.     Introduction
       General statement of what the research topic is

II.    Review of the literature
       This section should be a review of relevant scholarly literature on the topic chosen.
       (3-5 pages)

III.   Research question or hypothesis
       If hypothesis is used, state whether it is one tailed or two tailed, and what is the null hypothesis.

IV.    Research Design
       Was this project descriptive, exploratory, or explanatory using a quantitative or qualitative data methodology.

V.    Sampling Methodology
      What sampling technique was chosen and why. Are there any limitations to the sampling method chosen? If so what? What was the sampling frame. What was the sampling process?

VI.   Data Collection Methodology
      What was the instrument chosen and why? What are some of the threats due to bias. What was the process for data collection?

VII.  Data Analysis
      What methods are used to analyze the data, descriptive or inferential and why?

VIII. Results
      So what did the data say?

IX.   Discussion and implications
      The "so what" of research

In class assignments

Ethics assignment
Research design scenarios
Problem formulation, conceptualization, operationalization exercise
Sampling exercise
Data examples poverty scale and homophobia scale
Contingency table gender X smoking
Chi square of above
Correlate poverty scale x homophobia scale
Qualitative Coding
GSS play