Empowerment Series: Research Methods for Social Work 9th Edition by Allen Rubin, ISBN-13: 978-1305633827

Description

Empowerment Series: Research Methods for Social Work 9th Edition by Allen Rubin, ISBN-13: 978-1305633827

[PDF eBook eTextbook]

• Publisher: ‎ Cengage Learning; 9th edition (January 1, 2016)
• Language: ‎ English
• 720 pages
• ISBN-10: ‎ 1305633822
• ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1305633827

If you’re intimidated by the thought of taking research methods, Rubin and Babbie’s classic bestseller can help you overcome the fear factor often associated with this course with its reader-friendly presentation of all aspects of the research endeavor. If you’re not intimidated, you’ll still appreciate the authors’ clear and often humorous writing style as well as the book’s depth and breadth of coverage.

RESEARCH METHODS FOR SOCIAL WORK, Ninth Edition, strikes an optimal balance of quantitative and qualitative research techniques — illustrating how the two methods complement one another and can be integrated in the same study. Relevant examples from real-world settings highlight the connections between research and social work practice. Comprehensive, friendly, accurate, and integrating the best of technology, this text is widely considered the best text for the research methods course — and when you read it, you’ll see why.

Table of Contents:

Contents in Brief

Contents in Detail

Preface

Part 1: An Introduction to Scientific Inquiry in Social Work

Ch 1: Why Study Research?

Introduction

The Scientific Method

Other Ways of Knowing

Recognizing Flaws in Unscientific Sources of Social Work Practice Knowledge

The Utility of Scientific Inquiry in Social Work

Reviews of Social Work Effectiveness

The Need to Critique Research Quality

Compassion and Professional Ethics

Utility of Research in Applied Social Work Settings

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 2: Evidence-Based Practice

Introduction

Critical Thinking in EBP

EBP Implies Career-Long Learning

Steps in the EBP Process

Distinguishing the Evidence-Based Process from Evidence-Based Practices

Controversies and Misconceptions about EBP

Common Factors and the Dodo Bird

Real-World Obstacles to Implementing EBP in Everyday Practice

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 3: Factors Influencing the Research Process

Introduction

The Phases of the Research Process

Theory and Values

Two Logical Systems: Comparing Deduction and Induction

Probabilistic Knowledge

Two Causal Models of Explanation

Ideologies and Paradigms

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 4: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods of Inquiry

Introduction

Objectivity and Subjectivity in Scientific Inquiry

A Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods of Inquiry

Mixed Methods of Inquiry

Main Points

Practice-Related Exercises

Internet Exercises

Part 2: The Ethical, Political, and Cultural Context of Social Work Research

Ch 5: The Ethics and Politics of Social Work Research

Introduction

Institutional Review Boards

Four Ethical Controversies

Bias and Insensitivity Regarding Sex, Gender Identity, and Culture

The Politics of Social Work Research

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 6: Culturally Competent Research

Introduction

Developing Cultural Competence

Culturally Competent Measurement

Measurement Equivalence

Problematic Issues in Making Research More Culturally Competent

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Part 3: Problem Formulation and Measurement

Ch 7: Problem Formulation

Introduction

Purposes of Social Work Research

Multiple Purposes

Selecting Topics and Research Questions

Narrowing Research Topics into Research Questions

Attributes of Good Research Questions

Involving Others in Problem Formulation

Literature Review

The Time Dimension

Units of Analysis

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 8: Conceptualization in Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiry

Introduction

Contrasting Quantitative and Qualitative Conceptualization

Conceptual Explication in Quantitative Inquiry

Operational Definitions

Operationalization Choices

Examples of Operationalization in Social Work

Existing Scales

Operationalization Goes On and On

Levels of Measurement

Conceptualization in Qualitative Inquiry

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 9: Measurement

Introduction

Common Sources of Measurement Error

Avoiding Measurement Error

Reliability

Validity

An Illustration of Reliable and Valid Measurement in Social Work: The Clinical Measurement Package

Relationship between Reliability and Validity

Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 10: Constructing Measurement Instruments

Introduction

Guidelines for Asking Questions

Questionnaire Construction

Constructing Scales

Constructing Qualitative Measures

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Part 4: Designs for Evaluating Programs and Practice

Ch 11: Causal Inference and Experimental Designs

Introduction

Criteria for Inferring Causality

Internal Validity

Preexperimental Pilot Studies

Experimental Designs

Additional Threats to the Validity of Experimental Findings

Attrition (Experimental Mortality)

External Validity

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 12: Quasi-Experimental Designs

Introduction

Nonequivalent Comparison Groups Design

Ways to Strengthen the Internal Validity of the Nonequivalent Comparison Groups Design

Simple Time-Series Designs

Multiple Time-Series Designs

Cross-Sectional Studies

Case Control Studies

Practical Pitfalls in Carrying Out Experiments and Quasi Experiments in Social Work Agencies

Qualitative Techniques for Avoiding or Alleviating Practical Pitfalls

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 13: Single-Case Evaluation Designs

Introduction

Overview of the Logic of Single-Case Designs

Single-Case Designs in Social Work

Use of Single-Case Designs as Part of Evidence-Based Practice

Measurement Issues

Data Gathering

Alternative Single-Case Designs

Data Analysis

B and B+ Designs

The Role of Qualitative Research Methods in Single-Case Evaluation

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 14: Program Evaluation

Introduction

Historical Overview

Planning an Evaluation and Fostering Its Utilization

Purposes and Types of Program Evaluation

An Illustration of a Qualitative Approach to Evaluation Research

The Politics of Program Evaluation

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Part 5: Data Collection Methods with Large Sources of Data

Ch 15: Sampling

Introduction

Nonprobability Sampling

Selecting Informants in Qualitative Research

The Logic of Probability Sampling

Can Some Randomly Selected Samples Be Biased?

Sample Size and Sampling Error

Types of Probability Sampling Designs

Multistage Cluster Sampling

Illustration: Sampling Social Work Students

Probability Sampling in Review

Avoiding Sex Bias in Sampling

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 16: Survey Research

Introduction

Self-Administered Questionnaires

Interview Surveys

Telephone Surveys

Online Surveys

Mixed-Mode Surveys

Comparison of Different Survey Methods

Strengths and Weaknesses of Survey Research

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 17: Analyzing Existing Data: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods

Introduction

A Comment on Unobtrusive Measures

Secondary Analysis

Content Analysis

Historical and Comparative Analysis

Unobtrusive Online Research

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Part 6: Qualitative Research Methods

Ch 18: Qualitative Research: General Principles

Introduction

Topics Appropriate for Qualitative Research

Prominent Qualitative Research Paradigms

Qualitative Sampling Methods

Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Research

Standards for Evaluating Qualitative Studies

Research Ethics in Qualitative Research

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 19: Qualitative Research: Specific Methods

Introduction

Preparing for the Field

The Various Roles of the Observer

Relations to Participants: Etic and Emic Perspectives

Reflexivity

Qualitative Interviewing

Life History

Feminist Methods

Focus Groups

Recording Observations

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 20: Qualitative Data Analysis

Introduction

Linking Theory and Analysis

Qualitative Data Processing

Computer Programs for Qualitative Data

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Part 7: Analysis of Quantitative Data

Ch 21: Descriptive Data Analysis

Introduction

Coding

Data Entry

Data Cleaning

Univariate Analysis

Bivariate Analysis

Interpreting Multivariate Tables

Constructing Tables

Measuring the Strength of Relationships

Descriptive Statistics and Qualitative Research

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Ch 22: Inferential Data Analysis

Introduction

Chance as a Rival Hypothesis

Statistical Significance

Interpreting Relationship Strength

Substantive Significance

Statistical Power Analysis

Selecting and Calculating Tests of Statistical Significance

Meta-Analysis

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Part 8: Writing Research Proposals and Reports

Ch 23: Writing Research Proposals and Reports

Introduction

Writing Research Proposals

Finding a Funding Source and RFPs

Writing Social Work Research Reports

Organization of the Report

Additional Considerations When Writing Qualitative Reports

Main Points

Review Questions and Exercises

Internet Exercises

Appendix A: Using the Library

Appendix B: Statistics for Estimating Sampling Error

Appendix C: Critically Appraising Meta-Analyses

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

Allen Rubin has been doing and teaching research since 1976, when he received his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. Renowned in social work, Dr. Rubin has written several research texts, published numerous research studies on social work practice, and is a past president of the Society for Social Work and Research.

Dr. Earl Babbie is the Campbell Professor Emeritus in Behavioral Sciences at Chapman University in Southern California. He taught sociology at the University of Hawaii from 1968 through 1979, took time off from teaching and research to write full time for eight years. He then joined the Chapman University faculty in 1987. Credited with defining research methods for the social sciences, Dr. Babbie has written several texts, including THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH, as well as numerous research articles and monographs. For 25 years he has been active in the American Sociological Association, where he served on the executive committee. He also is a past president of the Pacific Sociological Association and the California Sociological Association. Dr. Babbie received his A.B. from Harvard and his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.

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