Social Work Research Methods Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Social Work Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches Topic 1: Introduction to Social Work Research Methods Society for Social Work Research: http: //www. sswr. org/ • This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Topic 1: Introduction to Social Work Research Methods • • • What do social work researchers do? What are some alternatives to social work research? What is science? What is pseudoscience? What are the norms of the scientific community? What is the role of books and journals? What are the steps in the research process? What is the qualitative social work research style? What is the quantitative social work research style? Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What Do Social Work Researchers Do? • Social work researchers answer questions. • They learn something new. • They systematically produce knowledge for the field. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What are some Alternatives to Social Work Research? • • • What family/friends have told you What authorities have told you What tradition tells you What the media tell you What your personal and practice experience tell you Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is Science? • It is a social institution, and a way to produce knowledge. • It is organized according to social theories. • Science is based on evidence, or empirically observed experiences (i. e. from the five senses). • The data of science may be qualitative or quantitative. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is Pseudoscience? • Pseudoscience provides answers seemingly based on science, but lacking in actual rigor. • It distorts real science by offering official-sounding answers, often supplied by businesses, interest groups and even some churches. • Pseudoscience lacks quality control, and findings often are not able to be replicated. • It promises unique cures and solutions. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What are the Norms of the Scientific Community? • Universalism - applies knowledge over a broad range of cases or locations. • Organized skepticism - questions the methods used, the data uncovered, and the findings reported. • Disinterestedness strives for objectivity in all areas. • Communalism – researchers belong to one or more communities of scholars. • Honesty – researchers insist on adherence to strict rules of evidence and interpretation. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is the Role of Books and Journal Articles? • They distribute scientific knowledge in a timely fashion. • Journals follow strict standards for submission. • They require pre-publication review by peers to maintain organized skepticism. • They account for prior research and literature. • Journals do not pay their authors; the prestige of publishing is the reward they offer. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What are the Steps in the Research Process? • • Selecting a topic Reviewing the literature Focusing the question Designing a study Collecting data Analyzing and interpreting findings Informing others of your findings Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is the Qualitative Social Work Research Style? • • It constructs social reality subjectively. It focuses on interactive processes and events. The qualitative style depends on authenticity. It recognizes and responds to preexisting scientific values. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Qualitative Style continued… • The qualitative style recognizes the value of experience in specific situations. • It focuses on studying a small number of special cases. • The qualitative style is used to analyze inductively themes that repeat in the data. • It involves the researcher intimately in the study being conducted. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is the Quantitative Social Work Research Style? • • • A quantitative style measures ‘facts’ objectively. It focuses on variables. The quantitative style depends on reliability. It remains free of preexisting values. The quantitative style stays independent of the context and setting. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Quantitative Style continued… • It studies many cases and subjects. • A quantitative style analyzes numbers using inferential statistics. • It removes the researcher from the study by remaining detached. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003