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Introduction To Social Work Research


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Roberta Springer-Proverbs
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BARBADOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

DIVISION OF GENERAL/CONTINUING EDUCATION

 

SOWK209 – INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH

YEAR II: SEMESTER I

 

COURSE CODE:                   SOWK209

 

COURSE TITLE:                      INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH

 

DURATION:                           45 HOURS

 

PREREQUISITES:                    SOWK101 – INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK &
GEED127 INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS

 

CREDITS:                                3 CREDITS

 

CONTACT HOURS:              3 HOURS PER WEEK

 

TUTOR:                                   Roberta Springer-Proverbs

 

CONTACT INFO:                 bobbie_sp@msn.com

                                                425-0367/243 -9789

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

This course involves an examination of the kinds of research questions, which can be posed by Social Work practitioners working in the field of social services and the process of developing research methodologies to answer the same.  It gives the students an opportunity to further enhance their skills of logic, inquiry and analysis as they view Social Work research as part of a problem-solving process, which is conducted in various phases.  The course content is set out to guide students in understanding the distinction between a social problem and what is socially problematic.  Course content also introduces them to philosophical questions about ethics and values that must be considered before undertaking social research.  Differences between hypotheses, theories and facts are discussed as are the various methodologies commonly used to address different types of research questions.  The research process with its various stages and skills is also explored in some detail as students prepare towards developing a research project.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

 

The course seeks to:

 

  1. Increase the knowledge base of students and enhance their skills in formulating logical questions and making logical social inquiries as part of the scientific research process

 

  1. Familiarize students with some of the concepts, which would be important in the research process, namely:
    • The distinction between a theory, hypothesis and fact
    • Difference between induction and deduction
    • Distinction between a social problem and what is socially problematic

 

  1. Explain the components of the scientific method in social research

 

  1. Discuss the relevance of ethics and values and some of the complications related to their utilization in doing social research

 

  1. Describe the components utilized in various social research theories and their relevance for Social Work research

 

  1. Identify the various types of methodologies most suited to conducting Social Work research.

 

7.      Equip students with the necessary skills for preparing their final year research projects

 

 

COURSE CONTENT:

 

UNIT 1 – SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY ITS PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINING &
    USEFULNESS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

 

  1. Discuss the utility of scientific inquiry in social work practice
  2. Discuss the characteristics of the scientific method or inquiry process
  3. Examine the various scientific paradigms including:
    • Early positivism
    • Postpositivism

 

    • Interpretivism
    • Critical theory
  1. Define research
  2. Identify the various purposes of research
  3. Explain such concepts as determinism, probability and causation
  4. Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative inquiry

 

TOPICS:

 

  1. The utility of scientific inquiry in social work practice
  2. The scientific method or inquiry process
  3. Examining the various scientific paradigms including:
    • Early positivism
    • Postpositivism
    • Interpretivism
    • Critical theory
  1. Determinism, probability and causation
  2. Defining research
  3. Identifying various purposes of research
  4. Qualitative versus quantitative inquiry

 

 

UNIT 2 – THEORY & RESEARCH

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

 

  1. Discuss the concept of theory in science and social work
  2. Differentiate between deductive and inductive theory
  3. Examine deductive and inductive theory creation
  4. Identify the links between theory and research
  5. Examine the various social work practice models and their relevance to informing theory development in social work research

 

TOPICS:

 

  1. The concept of theory in science and social work
  2. Deductive versus inductive theory
  3. Deductive and inductive theory creation
  4. Identifying the links between theory and research
  5. Social work practice models and their relevance to informing theory development in social work research

 

 
UNIT 3 – ETHICS & SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

 

  1. Define value and ethic
  2. Identify the relevance of values and ethics to Social Work research
  3. Discuss some of the major ethical principles in Social Work research:
    • Voluntary participation and informed consent
    • No harm to the participants
    • Anonymity and confidentiality of participants

 

TOPICS:

 

1.   Defining value and ethic

  1. Identifying the relevance of values and ethics to Social Work research
  2. The major ethical principles in Social Work research:

o   Voluntary participation and informed consent

o   No harm to the participants

o   Anonymity and confidentiality of participants

 

 

UNIT 4 – PROBLEM FORMULATION & MEASUREMENT

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

 

  1. Develop a research proposal
  2. Identify a problem and develop a problem statement
  3. Locate necessary research resources and library services
  4. Develop a literature review
  5. Identify various units of analysis

 

TOPICS:

 

  1. Developing a research proposal
  2. Identifying a problem and developing a problem statement
  3. Locating necessary research resources and library services
  4. Developing a literature review
  5. Identifying various units of analysis

 

UNIT 5 – CONCEPTUALIZATION, OPERATIONALIZATION & MEASUREMENT

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

 

1.      Explain the possible relationships between variables

2.      Provide operational definitions of relevant research variables

3.      Explain the measurement of variables

4.      Explain the various levels of measurements

5.      Explain validity and reliability with the use of selected research material

 

TOPICS:

 

  1. Explaining the possible relationships between variables
  2. Operationally defining relevant research variables
  3. The measurement of variables
  4. The various levels of measurements
  5. Validity and reliability in research

 

 

UNIT 6 – QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

 

  1. Differentiate between probability and non-probability sampling
  2. Examine various types of non-probability sampling
  3. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches
  4. Examine various types of probability sampling
  5. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches
  6. Examine the challenge of avoiding gender and cultural bias in sampling
  7. Examine survey design
  8. Illustrate effective open and close ended questions
  9. Discuss questionnaire construction
  10. Discuss various scaling procedures
  11. Critically examine various types of survey instruments and
  12. Discuss the process of creating culturally sensitive instruments

 

 

 

TOPICS:

 

  1. Differentiating between probability and non-probability sampling
  2. Types of non-probability sampling
  3. The strengths and weaknesses of these approaches
  4. Types of probability sampling
  5. Strengths and weaknesses of these approaches
  6. The challenge of avoiding gender and cultural bias in sampling
  7. Survey design
  8. Effective open and close-ended questions

9.      Questionnaire construction

  1. Scaling procedures
  2. Types of survey instruments and
  3. The process of creating culturally sensitive instruments

 

 

UNIT 7 – QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

 

  1. Explain some basic terminology of qualitative research design including:
  • Phenomenology
  • Interpretivism

2.      Explain the following qualitative research methods:

o   Participant observation

o   Grounded theory

o   Various types of qualitative interviewing

o   Case study

o   Ethnography

o   Focus group

  1. Discuss the researcher’s:
  • Roles
  • Relations to subjects
  • Preparation for the field

 

TOPICS:

 

1. Basic terminology of qualitative research design including:

  • Phenomenology

 

  • Interpretivism

2.      Qualitative research methods:

o   Participant observation

o   Grounded theory

o   Various types of qualitative interviewing

o   Case study

o   Ethnography

o   Focus group

3.      The researcher’s activities:

  • Roles
  • Relations to subjects
  • Preparation for the field

4.   Qualitative data processing

 

 

UNIT 8 – DATA PROCESSING, ANALYSIS & REPORTING

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 

By the end of the unit students should be able to:

 

      1. Code data

      2. Discuss various coding and data entry options

 3.  Demonstrate various univariate statistics using a data set including:

  • Distributions
  • Central tendencies
  • Dispersion

           

4. Discuss various controversies in the use of research statistics

5. Examine various methods of qualitative data processing including:

  • Rewriting notes
  • Creating files
  1. Examine various methods of qualitative data analysis including determining in data:
  • Thematic analysis

 

  1. Discuss subgroup comparisons in qualitative research

 

TOPICS:

 

      1. Coding data

      2. Coding and data entry options

 3.  Univariate statistics:

  • Distributions
  • Central tendencies

 

4. Controversies in the use of research statistics

5. Methods of qualitative data processing including:

  • Rewriting notes
  • Creating files

6.      Methods of qualitative data analysis including determining in data:

 

o   Constant comparison

o   Thematic analysis

 

7.      Subgroup comparisons in qualitative research

 

 

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY:

 

This course will be conducted in seminar style and will provide students with various modalities for learning: lectures, discussions, group work, guest lectures, critical reading and discussion of available social work research.  Teaching also includes student presentations which assists students to apply the skills they learn in the course.

 

 

METHODS OF EVALUATION:

 

Mid-term assignment (see below for format)            45%

Class attendance & participation                                5%

Final examination                                                              50%

 

 

 

ASSIGNED TEXT:

 

 Babbie, E. (2008) – The Basics of Social Research (4th Ed.) California:

            Thomson Wadsworth.

 

Other readings to be assigned by tutor.


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