Why Research is Important
CSWE Requirements - Competency 9
Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities.
Competency 4 Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
Why Research is Important
NASW Code of Ethics - Section 5.02
a) Social workers should monitor and evaluate policies, the implementation of
programs, and practice interventions.
b) Social workers should promote and facilitate evaluation and research to contribute to
the development of knowledge.
c) Social workers should critically examine and keep current with emerging knowledge
and relevant to social work and fully use evaluation and research evidence in their
professional practice.
Evidence-based practice - A systematic process where social workers and other
professionals gather evidence to apply to a particular problem-such as identifying the
best treatment or intervention for a certain practice issue.
Step 1 of evidence-based practice - To formulate a question that can be answered-a
well-built question.
Step 2 of evidence-based practice - Search for the most relevant and best evidence
Step 3 of Evidence Based Practice - Critically appraise the evidence you gather
Step 4 of Evidence Based Practice - Integrate the evidence with clinical expertise and
patient preferences and values
Step 5 of Evidence based practice - Evaluate outcomes based on evidence
Scientific Method - a method of procedure that has characterized natural science since
the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment,
and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses.
Step 1 of Scientific Method - Observing/experiencing a problem that leads to a question
, Step 2 of Scientific Method - Gathering information about the question (Does an answer
already exist?)
Step 3 of the Scientific Method - A hypothesis(educated guess) is made as to what may
be causing or contributing to the problem-or what might resolve it
Step 4 of the Scientific Method - A study is conceptualized
Step 5 of the Scientific Method - The data is collected
Step 6 of the Scientific Method - The data is analyzed and interpreted
Step 7 of the Scientific Method - A report is written
Research Questions - refined statements of the specific components of the problem
Hypotheses - A formal version of a hunch or speculation about what the data may
reveal.
A good hypothesis is one that clearly expresses a statement that can be empirically
tested about the relationship of two or more variables.
Null Hypothesis - These state that there is no difference between the groups being
compared.
directional hypothesis - a hypothesis that makes a specific prediction about the direction
of the relationship between two variables
exploratory design - used with topics which very little information is available. Main
value of design is generating research questions and hypotheses for additional
investigation.
Descriptive Deisgn - larger-scale efforts that attempt to characterize the group in a
definitive way. These studies are more concerned with representativeness.
explanatory design - Experiments in which hypotheses from certain theories are tested,
and control or comparison groups are often used.
Relation of theory to research -
Purpose of Literature Review -
Quantitative Research Methods - uses large surveys, questionnaires, secondary
research, looking at large samples. Reports data primarily in numerical form.
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