Required Text: Rubin, Allen and Babbie, Earl. Research Methods for Social Work. Wadsworth Press. Belmont, California, 1997, Third Edition.

Course Purpose and Description: This course is designed to prepare Social Work students to deal with professional issues and questions systematically and analytically. The student will learn to consider and evaluate practice efforts within established limits of scientific inquiry and to both appreciate and generate new knowledge that will improve their own practice and the profession. This course is designed to broaden student understanding and appreciation of the ethical use of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The student will examine the use of the scientific approach to build knowledge for practice and program evaluation with individuals, groups, organizations and communities. The class will engage in group activities on research projects to simulate the research setting and enhance the students understanding of the course materials.

Course Objectives:

1. To increase knowledge of the scientific method in order to better understand the relationship between social work research and social work practice.
2. To define, describe and discuss qualitative and quantitative methods and skills necessary for effective, ethical social work research.
3. To consider, describe and discuss selected types of qualitative and quantitative research designs and to assess their strengths, weaknesses and overall usefulness to social workers in evaluating services to individuals groups, organizations and communities.
4. To review and discuss specific data gathering techniques necessary for the effective collection, manipulations and analysis of empirical data.
5. To develop competencies in understanding professional social work research reports and articles.
6. To demonstrate a sensitivity to ethical, value and cultural issues in the application of social work research methods.
7. To acquire the ability to evaluate casework through single systems designs.
8. To acquire the ability to evaluate a social welfare program in terms of efficient, effectiveness, and reliability.

Competencies Addressed: The Social Work student will become competent at evaluating the change process and the degree to which intervention goals are achieved. This includes:

a) showing the ability to develop operational definitions of goals;
b) partializing the change effort to enable ongoing evaluation to occur;
c) modifying goals and reconstructing when goals are unattainable;
d) using recognized research methods to evaluate treatment or program effectiveness;
e) increasing awareness of technology in practice and utilizing computer technology;
f) incorporating findings of consumers, providers and the public regarding goal attainment;
g) making efforts to anticipate unintended impacts of change efforts on various systems;
h) use of single-system and group design.

Evaluation:

• Midterm Examination 10% (Thurs. Oct. 9)
• Qualitative Analysis 20%
• Group Project 20%
• Quantitative Data Group Manipulation Project 20%
• Annotated Bibliography on Research Methodology 5%
• Final Research Paper on Research Methodology 25%
• Final Examination 10% (Fri. Dec 12 from 9:00-11:00)
• Attendance in Class 10%

Total: 100%

Grades: Grades will be calculated using the following standard:

A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 70-79
D: 60-69
F: below 60

Units of Study:

Unit I: Introduction

Dates: August 26, 27, September 2, 3, and 9

Objectives:

1. To increase knowledge of the scientific method in order to better understand the relationship between social work research and social work practice.
2. To demonstrate a sensitivity to ethical, value and cultural issues in the application of social work research methods.
3. To develop competencies in understanding professional social work research reports and articles.

Topics: Conducting a critical review of research articles, importance of social work research problem formulation, ethics of social work research, the connection between theory and research.

Outcomes:

1. Describe how research contributes to knowledge building;
2. Understand how research contributes to practice accountability;
3. Understand the concepts of confidentiality, informed consent, and possible harmful effects of experimentation in research.

Activities:
Lectures, discussions, outside reading, complete annotated bibliography.

Assignment:
Read: Rubin and Babbie Prologue, Ch 2 p. 41-47, 55-56; Ch 3 ; Appendix C p. 598-602; Borg on reserve Chapter 5 p. 167-186; Complete annotated bibliography using critical review of research literature format ( 5 articles minimum).

Note: Completed Annotated Bibliography is due Friday, September 11 by 3:00 in my office. All late assignments will receive a grade drop of one letter grade, no late assignments will be accepted after September 16.

Unit II: Qualitative Methodology and Single Subject Design

Dates: September 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 31 , October 2, 7

Objectives:

1. To consider, describe and discuss selected types of qualitative research designs and to assess their strengths, weaknesses and overall usefulness to social workers in evaluating services to individuals groups, organizations and communities.
2. To review and discuss specific data gathering techniques necessary for the effective collection, manipulations and analysis of qualitative data.
3. To acquire the ability to evaluate casework through single systems designs.

Topics: Qualitative research, interviewing, field research, subjectivity, data gathering, data analysis, single subject design.

Outcomes:

1. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative methodology and single subject design;
2. Understand appropriate use and limitations of qualitative methodology and single subject design;
3. Understand how to analyze data from qualitative studies and single subject designs.

Activities:
Lectures, discussions, outside reading, group project to analyze data from qualitative study project titled "Toward an Understanding of the Benefits of Community Service" by Martha Dreuth-Fewell, materials on researve in library and disk available by instructor. The researcher, Mrs. Dreuth-Fewell will be attending class to discuss her work in October. Causation Video #0255F.

Assignment:
Read: Rubin and Babbie Ch. 10, 12, 5 (variables); complete qualitative analysis group project; Oakley (on reserve) "Interviewing Women: A Contradiction in Terms"; Optional: Borg (on reserve) Ch 12 "Methods and Tools of Observational Research" p. 473-530.

Note: Completed Qualitative analysis group project is due Friday, October 8 by 3:00 in my office. All late assignments will receive a grade drop of one letter grade, no late assignments will be accepted after October 9.

Midterm Examination: Thursday, October 9 in class

Unit III: Quantitative Methodology and Needs Assessments

Dates: October 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 29, November 4, 6

Objectives:

1. To consider, describe and discuss selected types of quantitative research designs and to assess their strengths, weaknesses and overall usefulness to social workers in evaluating services to individuals groups, organizations and communities.
2. To review and discuss specific data gathering techniques necessary for the effective collection, manipulations and analysis of quantitative data;
3. To acquire the ability to evaluate client and program needs through needs assessments.

Topics: Sampling logic, survey research, data collection and analysis, needs assessments.

Outcomes:

1. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative methodology and needs assessments;
2. Understand appropriate use and limitations of quantitative methodology and needs assessments;
3. Understand how to code, enter and analyze descriptive data from quantitative studies.

Activities:
Lectures, discussions, outside reading, group project to enter and analyze data from quantitative study; video presentation on data analysis and sampling (Video #0255E: Data Analysis and Video # 0255G: Sampling and Sampling distributions)

Assignment:
Read: Rubin and Babbie Ch. 11; Ch 14, Ch. 8; on reserve read Rossi and Freeman Ch. 3 "Diagnostic Procedures"; complete quantitative analysis group project.

Note: Completed Quantitative analysis group project is due Friday, November 7 by 3:00 in my office. All late assignments will receive a grade drop of one letter grade, no late assignments will be accepted after November 11.

Unit IV: Group Designs and Program Evaluation

Dates: November 11, 13, 18, 20, December 2, 4

Objectives:

1. To consider, describe and discuss selected types of group designs and to assess their strengths, weaknesses and overall usefulness to social workers in evaluating services to individuals groups, organizations and communities.
2. To acquire the ability to evaluate a social welfare program in terms of efficient, effectiveness, and reliability.

Topics: Sampling designs, quasi-experimentation, validity/reliability, program evaluation, outcomes, efficiency, cost-benefit analysis, evaluating goals.

Outcomes:

1. Describe the differences between quasi and experimental designs;
2. Understand the concepts of causation, internal and external validity;
3. To consider, describe and discuss program evaluation and to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.

Activities:
Lectures, discussions, outside reading, video presentation on Causation, and experimental design (Video #0255F: Causation and Video # 0255G:F: Experimental Design.

Assignment:
Read: Rubin and Babbie Ch. 18, Ch. 9; Ch. 6 p. 177-187; Ch. 8

Note: Completed Final Research Paper on Research Methodology is due Friday, December 5 by 3:00 in my office. All late assignments will receive a grade drop of one letter grade, no late assignments will be accepted after the following Monday.

Final Examination: Friday Dec. 12 from 9:00-11:00