Research midterm

Overgeneralization

Assuming that a few similar events are evidence of a general pattern

Selective Observation

Overgeneralization may lead to selective observation, paying attention to future events that correspond with the pattern you have observed (or think you have)

All knowledge is...

tentative and open to question

Conclusions must...

be replicated through additional studies

Empirical evidence is based on...

systematic observation

Social work practitioners must...

understand social work research methods well enough to distinguish studies with adequate scientific methodologies and credibility from others

What list can be used to find predatory journals?

Beall's List of Potential Predatory Journals and Publishers

True or False: All publications are high quality.

False

Social workers, as professionals, should strive to...

provide clients with the most effective services

Practitioners who critically praise and use research discriminately may be...

more compassionate and ethical than those who do not

Evidence based practice

a process in which practitioners make decisions in light of the best research available

What three things make up good evidence based practice?

1. Best research evidence

2. Expertise

3. Client values and preferences

Practitioners must actively...

Find relevant evidence

Understand research designs and methods

Critically appraise its validity

What are the steps in the EBP process?

1. Formulate a question

2. Search for the evidence

3. Critically appraise the relevant studies you find

4. Determine which research-supported intervention or policy is most appropriate for your clients

5. Apply the chosen intervention

6. Provide evaluation and feedback

What is the first step in EBP process?

Formulate a question to answer practice needs (CIAO)

Client characteristics

Intervention being considered

Alternative intervention (if any)

Outcome

What is a bottom-up search?

Using existing research studies to make a research study

What is a top-down search?

Starting from an article about a similar topic and using their sources

What kind of searches are top-down?

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

What is a con of a top-down search?

Biased research

What is a con of a bottom-up search?

Start from scratch/might not have access to research/too complex keywords may make finding research hard

What step of EBP is most important?

Your answer

What are some obstacles in implementing EBP in everyday practice?

Superiors may not understand or appreciate EBP

Practitioners may not be given enough time to carry out EBP process

Resources may be insufficient for staff to learn about EBP

Agencies may not be able to afford the cost

Qualitative

Data in the form of recorded descriptions rather than measurements

Quantitative

Data that is in numbers

What research starts with theory?

Quantitative using deductive approach

Deductive

Begins with a theory and then derives one or more hypotheses from it for testing; big -> small

Inductive

Works from particular instances to general principles, from facts to theories; Small ->big

Theory

A systematic set of interrelated statements intended to explain something

Why is theory important?

It helps us make sense of diverse observations and provides consistent observations

What is functionalism?

As long as all social institutions function well, society will function well. If social institutions do not function well, society will struggle.

What are components of theory?

Hypothesis, variables, relationship, independent variable, dependent variable, concept, attributes, observations, empirical support

What type of study uses inductive reasoning?

Qualitative

What type of study uses deductive reasoning?

Quantitative

True or false: Qualitative studies often test a hypothesis.

False

Idiographic model

An attempt to explain a person's behavior by enumerating the many reasons for it, reasons that may be unique to that person; uses many variables

Nomothetic model

An attempt to partially understand a general phenomenon; uses relatively few variables

What research model is deductive?

Nomothetic

What research model is inductive?

Idiographic

Ideology

A closed system of beliefs and values that shapes the understanding and behavior of those who believe in it

What errors can ideology commit?

Overgeneralization

Ex post facto hypothesizing

Prematurely closing inquiry

What is a paradigm also known as?

Worldview/theoretical framework

Paradigm

A fundamental model or scheme that organizes our observations and makes sense of them

What are the two top research models?

Strengths based and ecological

Contemporary positivism

A paradigm that recognizes the impossibility of being completely objective yet assumes that there is an objective answer to research questions and that it is worth trying to investigate things as objectively as possible to attempt to maximize the accuracy of answers to research questions

Interpretivism

a research perspective in which understanding and interpretation of the social world is derived from one's personal perspective; attempts to gain an empathic understanding of people; researchers believe you cannot adequately learn about people by relying solely on objective measurements

Is contemporary positivism or interpretivism more appropriate for social work research? What's the difference?

Your answer

Empowerment paradigm

Uses research to empower oppressed groups

What is the main purpose of a problem statement?

to identify an issue that needs to be addressed or the condition that needs to be improved

Is the newspaper a good source for research?

Nope

Exploratory design

explores topics that are not well researched; provides inconclusive answers that can lead future research; when the subject of study is new and unstudied

Descriptive design

provide basic information about variables in a population

Explanatory design

tests hypothesis to explain things; collects quantitative data first, then explains said data by collecting qualitative data

What are the 3 general categories of research designs?

Exploratory, descriptive, explanatory

Develop your own research question

Your answer

Systematic error

an error that always occurs consistently; ex: bad question, bad measurement

Random error

errors that occur randomly; ex: distractions during data collection, inconsistent/unreliable responses from participants

Develop a hypothesis

Your answer

Strengths based

asks questions by focusing on strengths, i.e. "what is working" instead of "what is wrong"

Ecological model

a model that questions how an individual/group is affected by their environment

Single subject design

a research design that requires only one or a few subjects in order to conduct an entire experiment