Research for Effective Social Work Practice

Book Overview

The fourth edition of Research for Effective Social Work Practice teaches students not only the value of using research in practice, but the importance of developing their research skills and knowledge to have a positive impact on social conditions.

In this book you will find:

• A social work practice oriented description of qualitative and quantitative research methods that engages rather than intimidates students.
• Illustrations of real-life research and evaluation from different levels of social work practice, encompassing many populations.
• Attention to ethics and the politics of research at each phase of the research process, from the identification of an issue through to the reporting of findings.
• Tutorials and exercises that provide hands-on learning opportunities in research and evaluation to promote skill development.
• A historical, strength-based perspective on research and evaluation in social work to facilitate empowerment and professionalism through knowledge building.

This book is the perfect cornerstone for research courses taught on the generalist level. 

Table of Contents

1. The Context of Social Work Research  2. The Politics and Ethics of Social Work Research  3. Research Problems and Research Questions  4. Single Subject Research  5. Research in Agencies and Communities  6. Qualitative Research [with guest co-author Dr. Robin Bonifas]  7. Group Research Design  8. Sampling  9. Measurement  10. Data Collection and Data Entry  11. Descriptions of Quantitative Data  12. Bivariate Statistics and Statistical Inference  13. A Researcher’s Writing and Presentation Tools

About the Author

Dr. Judy L. Krysik is currently an Associate Professor in Social Work at Arizona State University. She teaches research methods, evaluation, program planning, and practice with children and families. Her current research is on the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect and the coproduction of knowledge. She serves on the editorial review boards of the journals, Social Work Research and the Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics.

Instructor Resources