SOWK-340 Social Work Research
Please note that this syllabus is intended as an example only. It may not exactly match each session of the class offered.
Instructor: Scott E. Fogo, MSW, ACSW, LCSW
General Course Description
This course is required for upper-division social work students, although qualified students from other disciplines are welcome. The primary goal is to develop the student’s use and appreciate of scientific knowledge for practice. (CPS B6.12) This includes study and integrating knowledge, skills and values in the areas of social work values and ethics, diversity, social and economic justice, populations at-risk, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, social work practice and field. (CPS B6.1) This course also focuses on both practice evaluation and program evaluation issues. The course is designed to strengthen the student’s understanding and appreciation of a scientific, analytic approach to building knowledge for the delivery and evaluation of practice. (CPS B6.2).
Prerequisites/Co-requisites
- Completion of the numerical literacy liberal arts requirement.
- Admission to the social work program or permission of the instructor.
Academic Course Standards
Criteria from the Council on Social Work Education Curriculum Policy Statement (CSWE C.P.S.) relevant to this course are as follows:
- Research
- B6.11 The research curriculum must provide
an understanding and appreciation of a scientific, analytic approach
to building knowledge for practice and for evaluation
service delivery in all areas of practice. Ethical
standards of scientific inquiry must be included in the research content.
The research content must include qualitative and quantitative research
methodologies; analysis of data, including statistical procedures; systematic
evaluation of practice; analysis and evaluation of theoretical bases,
research questions, methodologies, statistical procedures, and conclusion
of research reports; and relevant technological advances.
- B6.11 The research curriculum must provide
an understanding and appreciation of a scientific, analytic approach
to building knowledge for practice and for evaluation
service delivery in all areas of practice. Ethical
standards of scientific inquiry must be included in the research content.
The research content must include qualitative and quantitative research
methodologies; analysis of data, including statistical procedures; systematic
evaluation of practice; analysis and evaluation of theoretical bases,
research questions, methodologies, statistical procedures, and conclusion
of research reports; and relevant technological advances.
- Social Work
Values and Ethics
- B6.3 Programs in social work education must provide specific knowledge about social work values and their ethical implications and must provide opportunities for student to demonstrate their application in professional practice. Students must be assisted to develop and awareness of their personal values and to clarify conflicting values and ethical dilemmas. Among the values and principles that must be infused throughout every social work curriculum are the following:
- B6.3.1 Social Workers’ professional relationships are built on regard for individual work and dignity and are furthered by mutual participation, acceptance, confidentiality, honesty, and responsible handling of conflict.
- B6.3.2 Social Workers respect people’s right to make independent decisions and to participate actively in the helping process.
- B6.3.3 Social Workers are committed to assisting client systems to obtain needed resources.
- B6.3.4 Social Workers strive to make social institutions more humane and responsive to human needs.
- B6.3.5 Social Workers demonstrate respect for and acceptance of the unique characteristics of diverse populations.
- B6.3.6 Social Workers are responsible for their own ethical conduct, the quality of their practice, and seeking continuous growth in the knowledge and skills of their profession.
- Diversity
- B6.4 Professional social work education is committed to preparing students to understand and appreciate human diversity. Programs must provide curriculum content about differences and similarities in the experiences, needs, and beliefs of people. The curriculum must include content about differential assessment and intervention skills that will enable practitioners to serve diverse populations. Each program is required to include contact about population groups that are particularly relevant to the program’s mission. These groups include, but are not limited to groups distinguished by race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age, and national origin.
- Promotion of Social And Economic Justice
- B6.5 Programs in social work education must provide an understanding of the dynamics and consequences of social and economic injustice, including all forms of human oppression and discrimination. They must provide students with the skill to promote social change and implement a wide range of interventions that further the achievement of individual and collective social and economic justice. Theoretical and practice content must be provided about strategies of intervention for achieving social and economic justice and for combating the causes and effects of institutionalized forms of oppression.
- Populations At Risk
- B6.6 Programs in social Work education must present theoretical and practice content about patterns, dynamics, and consequences of discrimination, economic deprivation, and oppression. The curriculum must provide content about people of color, women, and gay and lesbian persons. Such content must emphasize the impact of discrimination, economic deprivation, and oppression upon these groups. Each program must include content about populations at-risk that are particularly relevant to its mission. In addition to those mandated above, such groups include, but are not limited to, those distinguished by age, ethnicity, culture, class, religion, and physical or mental ability.
Course Objectives and Measures
This course has the following objectives and measures:
- Develop an understanding and appreciation of scientific/analytic
approaches to building knowledge for practice and for
evaluation service delivery in all areas of social work
practice.
This will be measured by student’s progress on quizzes in the class. - Develop awareness and concern
for ethical standards of scientific inquire,
including general principles in common use and specific
implications for practice in concert with the NASW Code
of Ethics.
This will be measured by student’s progress on quizzes in the class. - Develop an awareness and concern for diversity
issues in the conduct of research.
This will be measured by student’s progress on quizzes in the class and project assignments. - Develop beginning fluency
with qualitative and quantitative research approaches
including methodological choices, question formation,
data gathering, analysis of data including statistical
and qualitative procedures, the systematic evaluation
of practice, conclusions and report writing, technological
advances, and analysis and evaluation of theoretical
bases.
This will be measured by student’s progress on quizzes in the class and project assignments. - Develop beginning familiarity with the use of computers in
the research process, including communications (Power
Point, E-Mail, World Wide Web, etc.), and common analytical
approaches for qualitative and statistical data (Minitab,
SPSS, etc.).
This will be measured by the student’s progress on regular project assignments for the class.
We will be using a variety of learning approaches in class to achieve these objectives such as core lectures, classroom exercises, and campus-based observations/exercises. The course follows the Marlow text in a reasonably straightforward manner.
Statistics are commonly used to generate and test knowledge in the social sciences, and it is important to have a basic understanding of the more common statistical measures and tests. This class is intended to compliment a course in basic statistics but not substituted for one. We will be studying how statistics are used in social work research.
Resources
Required
Research Methods for Generalist Social Work, Third Edition
Christine Marlow
Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, Belmont, CA, 2001
Computer Access
You must have a valid University student computer account. This course will encourage the student to utilize the World Wide Web for many aspect of the course. There are several reasons for this:
- You will be required to access “InfoTrac” on a regular basis in preparation for classroom discussions.
- Computers are often used to assist in the research process. The more comfortable you become, the better prepared you will be.
- Contemporary research is commonly a team effort, and teams are often scattered across the world, but closely linked through e-mail. The nontraditional students in this course may find e-mail helpful when team meetings are needed.
- The amount of research available on the Internet resources is truly phenomenal. Familiarity with this media is vital for understanding and assessing emerging knowledge in many professional areas.
Course Evaluation
- Quizzes: 70 Points
Weekly quizzes worth 5-10 points each will ensure that students comprehend their reading assignments.
- Group Research
Project and Presentation: 200
Points
Incremental grades are earned for different segments of the assignment including bibliography, prospectus, instrumentation, data, and the final write-up. Instructions will be provided. Due Dates: 2/9/04, 3/29/04, 4/19/04
- Social
Work Journal Article Review: 20 Points
Each student will identify 3 research articles that examine one area of social work practice. Each student will lead a discussion in class related to how the 3 articles are similar and different to one another. The student should focus on the literature review of each article and general implications to social work practice. Please print off 1 copy of each complete article for the instructor. Due January 26, 2004
- Individual Presentations on Statistics in Research:
30 Points
Each student will be required to provide a 10-minute presentation to the class over a topic that deals with Social Work Research and statistics. A 2-page summary will accompany the presentation. Students will be assigned topics. Due March 22, 2004
- Class Performance: 20 Points
The class performance grade is based on attendance and participation. You will have many opportunities to participate in activities during class time.
Course Policies
- Attendance is mandatory. Participation is expected. Every unexcused absence will lower your final grade in this course. Be sure to notify me ahead of time if you must miss a class due to illness or personal/family emergency.
- Be certain to complete all scheduled readings. Quizzes will be related to readings. You must be present to participate in quizzes – no make up quizzes will be given.
- All University policies regarding Academic Misconduct will be strictly followed.
- Specific handouts outlining the expectations for the Group Research Project will be provided to the students. It is, therefore, anticipated that students will closely adhere to these expectations, including all mandated content or formats. Failure to do so will affect the student’s grade.
- I am committed to being available to students when needed. Students may utilize e-mail and/or voice mail to reach the professor. I do not have an office on campus and, therefore, will not maintain traditional office hours. I am available immediately before and after class as well as other times with appointments. Please contact me as soon as possible if you have questions and/or concerns regarding your education! When contacting the professor at home please call between 9:00pm – 11:00pm.
Class Schedule
Week 1
Research and Generalist Social Work Practice
Introduction to the Course and Foundation for Research
Read: Syllabus
Marlow, Chapter 1, “Science and Social Work”
Group Research Project and Presentation Instructions Handout
Determine Group/partner for project
Discuss Journal Article Assignment
Week 2
Generalist Practice and Questions for Research
* The purpose of
generalist research
* Research and practice roles
* Research and generalist practice
process
* Ethical issues in conducting research with diverse people.
Read: Marlow, Chapter 2, “Research and Generalist Social Work Practice”
Marlow, Chapter 3, “Deciding the Question”
Web: NASW Code of Ethics, http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp
InfoTrac: #2, Page 46
Week 3
Developing Questions and Hypotheses
* The Literature Review
* Units of analysis
* Variables
* Operationalization
* Defining and operationalizing the variables
* Agency, ethical and diversity
dimensions of question development
Read: Marlow, Chapter 4, “Developing the Question”
Social Work Research Journal Article Reviews Due
Week 4
Constructing Needs Assessments
* Reasons for needs assessments
* Types of Assessment designs
* Agency Dimensions and issues
* Ethical Issues in Needs Assessments
* Diversity Issues
Read: Marlow, Chapter 5, “Designing Needs Assessments”
InfoTrac: #1&2, Page 83
Week 5
Dimensions of Program
Evaluation
* Formative and summative evaluation
* Types of Summative
Program Evaluation Designs
* Agency and Program Evaluation
Designs
* Group design and agency, ethical and diversity
issues
Read: Marlow, Chapter 6, “Designing Program Evaluations”
InfoTrac: #1, Page 108
First Group Research project paper due.
Week 6
Evaluating Practice
* Descriptive designs
* Explanatory designs
* Agency, ethical and diversity issues in
single-system design
Read: Marlow, Chapter 7, “Designing the Evaluation of Practice”
InfoTrac: #1, Page 128
Week 7
Participants and Sampling
*
Key Concepts in sampling
* Types of sampling methods
* Sample size
* Sampling and agency, ethical and diversity issues
Read: Marlow, Chapter 8, “Selecting Participants in Research”
InfoTrac: #1, Page 153
Week 8
Collecting Data
* Qualitative
and Quantitative approaches
* Ways of Collecting Data
* Combining data collection methods
* Determining reliability and validity
* Data collection and agency, ethical and diversity issues
Read: Marlow, Chapter 9, “Collecting the Data”
InfoTrac: #1, Page 193
Week 9
Mid-Semester Break! Have a great time, rest and relax!
Week 10
Organizing Data and Qualitative
Analysis
* Organizing qualitative data
* Organizing quantitative data
* Agency, diversity and ethical dimensions of data organization
* Approaches to analyzing qualitative data
* Qualitative analysis software development
Read: Marlow, Chapter 10, “Organizing Data”
Marlow, Chapter 11, “Analysis of Qualitative Data”
InfoTrac: #2, Page 225
Week 11
Descriptive Quantitative
Analysis
* Frequency distributions
* Measures of central tendency
* Measures of variability or dispersion
* Measures of association
* Descriptive statistics and practice evaluation
* Agency, ethical, and diversity dimensions.
* Quantitative software analysis programs Microsoft Excel
Read: Marlow, Chapter 12, “Analysis of Quantitative Data”
InfoTrac: Attempt to use InfoTrac to research your topic
Individual Presentations in Statistics in Research
Week 12
Inferential Quantitative
Analysis
* Sources of Error and the Role of Inferential Statistics
* Types of hypotheses
* Significance Levels
* Statistical Power
* Computation Steps
* Quantitative software analysis programs
Read: Marlow, Chapter 13, “Analysis of Quantitative Data”
InfoTrac: #1, Page 264
Second Group research project paper is due
Week 13
Writing, Style, and Presentations
*
General Principles of Research Writing
* The research proposal
* The research report
* Agency, ethical and diversity dimensions
Read: Marlow, Chapter 14, “Research Writing”
Week 14
Using Research-Political,
Social, and Behavioral
* Using findings in practice
* Limitations
* Evaluation of research issues and peer review
* Agency, ethical and diversity issues
Read: Marlow, Chapter 15, “Using Research Findings in Practice/Evaluating”
Week 15
Wrap-Up
Third Group research project is due
Week 16 (Finals Week)
Team Presentations