Experimental research is of great value to social work. Well-designed studies help social workers understand which approaches are most effective, with implications for both practice with individual clients and social policy more broadly. Many social work practitioners conduct studies that randomly assign clients to specific interventions and various control groups in order to assess policy outcomes. However, social work programs often do not teach experimental methods. Critics continue to assert that true experiments are impractical, unethical, or simply too blunt a tool to evaluate the effects of social work practices and policies. This book presents a comprehensive overview of the theory and practice of experimental research in the field of social work. Bruce A. Thyer describes the logic and design of experimental methods, helping readers understand the basics and then exploring increasingly complex and sophisticated research. He illustrates key principles through examples of how social workers have evaluated real-world practice approaches. The book considers recruitment and representation of marginalized groups, the ethical issues involved in the design and conduct of experiments, and how social work researchers can ensure that all participants in an experimental study benefit from effective care. An appendix contains a chronological listing of published studies authored by social workers who conducted experimental research. Accessible to social work undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students alike and valuable for professionals from clinical workers to policy analysts, this book demonstrates the utility of experimental research across the entire spectrum of social work practice.

The role of group research designs to evaluate social work practice -- Pre-experimental group research designs -- Quasi-experimental group research designs -- Time-series research designs -- Evaluating and reporting quasi-experimental studies.

Research Design for Social Work and the Human Services integrates a range of research techniques into a single epistemological framework and presents a balanced approach to the teaching of research methods in the "helping professions." Jeane W. Anastas begins with a discussion of the different philosophical perspectives within which social research occurs and continues with problem formulation, research design, and methodological issues influencing data collection, analysis, and dissemination. She presents both fixed (quantitative) and flexible (qualitative) methods of research, granting legitimacy, value, utility, and relevance to both styles of inquiry. Utilizing complete case studies to illustrate different methodological approaches, Research Design for Social Work and the Human Services integrates material on women and people of color, and draws attention to the ways racism, heterosexism, sexism, and classism affect the conceptualization and conduct of research. Anastas not only exposes these biases but actively addresses the experiences, needs, and concerns of clients of both genders and different races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, cultures, and classes.

Note: This is the bound book only and does not include access to MyEducationLab® with Pearson eText. To order MyEducationLab® with Pearson eText packaged with the bound book, use ISBN 0134491130. For courses in Research Methods in Social Work. Helps current and future social work professionals become evidence-based practitioners. Research Methods for Social Workers, Eighth Edition is written in a crisp, straightforward style and refers to contemporary social work practice on virtually every page. Examples are real and reflect situations that social workers encounter every day. The authors present research as a logical, non-intimidating activity that is inextricably linked to social work practice. The text contains no unnecessary research terminology or references to obscure understanding, and necessary terminology is italicized and explained. Even students with no prior research background will find it interesting and easy to understand. All content is consistent with both current Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation standards and curriculum policy guidelines. This revision is now a part of Pearson Education’s Connecting Core Competencies series–comprised of foundation-level texts that foster student success in learning the core competencies as stated in 2015 by the Council on Social Work Education. Also available with MyEducationLab® This title is also available with MyEducationLab - an online homework, tutorial, and assessment program designed to work with the text to engage students and improve results. Within its structured environment students practice what they've learned, test their understanding, and receive feedback to guide their learning and ensure they master key learning outcomes.

Research Methods for Social Work: A Problem-Based Approach is a comprehensive introduction to methods instruction that engages students innovatively and interactively. Using a problem-based learning (PBL) approach, authors Antoinette Y. Farmer and G. Lawrence Farmer utilize case examples to achieve a level of application which builds readers’ confidence in methodology and reinforces their understanding of research across all levels of social work practice. These case examples, along with critical thinking questions, research tips, and step-by-step problem-solving methods, will improve student mastery and help them see why research is relevant. With the guidance of this new and noteworthy textbook, readers will transform into both knowledgeable consumers of research and skilled practitioners who can effectively address the needs of their clients through research. Included with this title: The password-protected Instructor Resource Site (formally known as SAGE Edge) offers access to all text-specific resources, including a test bank and editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides.

Research methods for social work have undergone several changes in the recent past, particularly in the areas of research designs, techniques of data collection, analysis of data and computer application in social work research. This volume cover four broad areas of research. This accessible book is based on the author extensive practical experience of carrying out and teaching research in the social work field. Social work research is shown to be both a distinctive academic enterprise and a task that can be accomplished effectively in line with the values and ethical principles that lie at the disciplines core. One of the most significant features of this book is the infusion of content on evidence-based practice in various chapters. This book is a valuable resource for social work students and practitioners carrying out research projects as well as practicing researchers and research educators in the discipline.

From the outset, the ultimate goal of Research Methods for Social Workers has been to serve as a research text that students would be able to understand and read in full. This third edition features important additions and changes to the original text (while maintaining its accessible style). The order of chapters is re-arranged to improve the flow of introducing and developing concepts of the research process, and the authors have included some much-needed information to meet the changing and evolving standards of social work education. At its core, this book is designed to bring complex ideas down to a level that can be grasped by someone with little to no knowledge of research methods - it is an invaluable resource for social work students and anyone who wishes to have a comprehensive introduction to research methods.

In the field of social work, qualitative research is starting to gain more prominence as are mixed methods and various issues regarding race, ethnicity and gender. These changes in the field are reflected and updated in The Handbook of Soical Work Research Methods, Second Edition. This text contains meta analysis, designs to evaluate treatment and provides the support to help students harness the power of the Internet. This handbook brings together leading scholars in research methods in social work.

It is usually the case that ethical and pragmatic considerations preclude the use of randomly assigning social work clients to experimental and comparative treatment conditions. In such instances, the practicality of employing a quasi-experimental method becomes an excellent alternative. Quasi-experimental research designs allow researchers to compare groups, and the use of increasingly sophisticated programs provides greater statistical control for what has become the most widely employed research approach used to evaluate the outcomes of social work programs and policies. This pocket guide describes the logic, design, and conduct of the range of such designs, encompassing pre-experiments, quasi-experiments making use of a control or comparison group, and time-series designs. An introductory chapter describes the valuable role these types of studies have played in social work, from the 1930s to the present. Subsequent chapters delve into each design type's major features, the kinds of questions it is capable of answering, and its strengths and limitations. By linking the theoretical discussion of quasi-experimental designs with actual applications in social work literature, the usefulness and vitality of these research methods comes alive for readers. While this book can be utilized as a manual, it will also have great value for practitioners seeking a greater conceptual understanding of quasi-experimental studies in social work literature. Human service professionals planning to undertake a program evaluation of their agency's services will find this book helpful in understanding the steps and actions needed to adopt a quasi-experimental strategy.

When social workers draw on experience, theory, or data in order to develop new strategies or enhance existing ones, they are conducting intervention research. This relatively new field involves program design, implementation, and evaluation and requires a theory-based, systematic approach. Intervention Research presents such a framework. The five-step strategy described in this brief but thorough book ushers the reader from an idea's germination through the process of writing a treatment manual, assessing program efficacy and effectiveness, and disseminating findings. Rich with examples drawn from child welfare, school-based prevention, medicine, and juvenile justice, Intervention Research relates each step of the process to current social work practice. It also explains how to adapt interventions for new contexts, and provides extensive examples of intervention research in fields such as child welfare, school-based prevention, medicine, and juvenile justice, and offers insights about changes and challenges in the field. This innovative pocket guide will serve as a solid reference for those already in the field, as well as help the next generation of social workers develop skills to contribute to the evolving field of intervention research.