Research Designs and Data Analysis for Social Work Practice

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

• Students will Demonstrate Ethical Research Conduct
• Students will understand the ethical principles required in social work research practice, including social work values.
• Students will be able to answer questions regarding ethical research issues.
• Students will have a clear understanding of the history of unethical research behaviors, particularly those involving racial and ethnic minorities.
• Students will understand why ethical and professional behaviors are important in research practice.

Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

• Students will use Culturally Responsive and Anti-Oppressive Frameworks

Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice

• Students will understand how various types of diversity might influence research methods and identify appropriate strategies for addressing diversity concerns using Culturally Responsive and Anti-Oppressive Frameworks.
• Students will value why issues of racial and ethnic diversity are important to research.

Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.

• Students will be able to apply critical thinking to research design:
• Students will understand and learn various quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Students will understand how social work theory and practice inform research.
• Students will be able to discuss the levels of internal and external validity based on research design.
• Students will learn how to evaluate programs serving target clients and providing quality services.

• Students will integrate Practice-Informed and Research-Informed Knowledge
• Student will understand how practice experience shapes inquiry and applies research findings to improve interventions, policy, and advocacy.
• Student will critically assess the relevance and limitations of existing research for diverse populations.

Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

• Students will learn to critique dominant research paradigms and explore methodologies through using Culturally Responsive and Anti-Oppressive Frameworks.

• Students will be able to evaluate Social Work Practice and Programs
• Design and implement evaluations of micro and macro interventions, including agency-level programs.
• Use data to assess effectiveness, equity, and community impact.

Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

• Students will be able to communicate Research Findings Effectively
• Student will present findings in formats appropriate for academic, policy, and community audiences.
• Use accessible language and visual tools to translate complex data.
• Students will understand how to use program evaluation methods and data to evaluate interventions and outcomes and how to use such data to inform practice.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Program Evaluation Proposal (written)	25%
Program Evaluation Proposal (oral)	10%
Direct Practice Evaluation Assignment	20%
Quizzes (2 in total, each worth 10%)	20%
Data analysis (SPSS) Assignments	10%
SPSS lab session and in-class exercise	15%
Total	100%

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance and participation are required for SPSS lab sessions and in-class exercises.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2017). Research methods for social work (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.