The Writer’s Handbook: A Guide for Social

Workers

Chapter 3

Social Science Research and

Evidenced-Based Practice

©2014 The Writer’s Toolkit, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

What is research?

Research is an organized attempt to answer a

specific question:

The goal of scientific research is to

explain, predict, and/or control

phenomena.

Valid and reliable research guides social

workers and other professionals to provide

more effective services.

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

2.1.6—Engage in research-informed practice and

practice-informed research.

Social workers use practice experience to inform

research, employ evidence-based interventions,

evaluate their own practice, and use research

findings to improve practice, policy, and social

service delivery . . . .

Social workers:

Use practice experience to inform

scientific inquiry (research)

Use research evidence to inform and

guide practice (CSWE, 2010)

Collecting and Conducting Research

Observation

Involves directly observing or watching to better understand a situation or circumstances.

Quantitative Research

Collects numerical data to explain, predict, and/or guide events, issues, and behavior.

Qualitative Research

Collects narrative data (stories) to gain insight into events, issues, and behaviors.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research uses numbers to interpret

information (data):

The results of experiments, polls, and

questionnaires that include a large number of

people can be generalized from one population to

another.

Some quantitative research involves

predictability: Did an event happen by chance or

does a causal relationship exist?

Hypothesis

Researchers use probability theory (a branch of

statistics) to test a hypothesis to determine if a

causal relationship exists.

A hypothesis is an explanation that can be

tested.

To form a hypothesis, start with a question and

then turn it into a statement.

From Question to Hypothesis

Question:

Is nicotine replacement more effective than antidepressants in helping smokers stop

smoking?

Hypothesis:

Nicotine replacement is more effective than antidepressants in helping smokers stop

smoking.

Null Hypothesis

Probability theoryResearch can support the probability that

something was unlikely to happen due to chance . . .

But research cannot prove the cause.

Therefore, to conduct research, nullify the hypothesis. As a null hypothesis, our example could be written in either of two ways.

From Hypothesis to Null Hypothesis

Hypothesis:

Nicotine replacement is more effective than antidepressants in helping smokers stop smoking.

Null Hypothesis:Nicotine replacement is not more effective than antidepressants in helping smokers stop smoking.

Null Hypothesis:Nicotine replacement is equally effective as anti-depressants in helping smokers stop smoking.

The Scientific Method

Ask a question.

Do background research—review the literature.

Construct a hypothesis.

Develop a null hypothesis.

Test your hypothesis by conducting a survey or using

a questionnaire.

Analyze your data and draw conclusions.

Communicate your results at conferences, workshops,

and through publications.

Social Science ResearchSocial science research:

Studies our societies, communities, families, and individual people.

Helps us better understand what influences thoughts and behaviors.

Helps us better understand cultures and belief systems.

There are some differences between physical and social science research because of the human element.

Conducting Qualitative Research

Qualitative research

Describes and evaluates to give a more detailed

picture of the current state of designated topic.

Examples:

Take a poll to determine what issues voters will

support in the next election.

Interview people who have the same experience – for

example, people who were in the foster care system.

Conduct a focus group about a particular topic.

Reliability and Validity

Reliability and validity are basic to understanding the

quality of research.

Reliability relates to consistency of measure:

If the same study is repeated several times and the

outcomes are the same, then it is more likely to be reliable.

Validity refers to whether the study examines what it is

intended to examine:

Are the participants and methods of research relevant to

the hypothesis?

Credible Social Science Research

All research has bias, based on the perspectives

and cultural assumptions of the researchers.

Research funded by a particular source may

represent the interest of the funder; however:

Credible researchers do not intentionally take a

position and then seek proof to confirm it.

Credible social science researchers:

Ask a question.

Review the assumptions and methods of the study in

an attempt to reduce bias.

Then evaluate the evidence–the data is utilized to

support the conclusions.

Social science research does not prove or disprove: it either

confirms a hypothesis or does not support a hypothesis.

Action Research

Here are the four basic steps of scientific inquiry that guide the process of action research:

1. Identifying a problem or question

2. Conducting a meeting or brainstorming session to gain information about the problem or question

3. Analyzing research data or information

4. Taking action to rectify the problem or illuminate the question

Surveys, Focus Groups, and Interviews

The most popular type of qualitative research

relates to asking people their experience with an

issue, examples include:

surveys

focus groups

interviews

Displaying Research

You are displaying research when you put

someone else’s words in quotation marks or

when you turn complicated data into:

charts

graphs

tables

Graphics

Bar chartsPie chartsLine chartsFlow chartsOrganizational chartsTables

Which type of graphics have you used and what purpose did it serve?

Plagiarism

Plagiarism relates to taking another person’s words and using them verbatim or using another’s ideas without crediting the source.

Plagiarism is unethical.

Can you give examples of when a person has plagiarized and gotten caught?

Besides being unethical, what are other reasons to avoid plagiarism?

What to Credit (Or: How to avoid plagiarism.)

Direct quotations and paraphrase

Facts that are not widely known or assertions that are arguable

Judgments, opinions, and claims of others

Statistics, charts, tables, and graphs from any source

Help provided by friends, instructors, or others

Applying Research

We use research every day—research becomes

meaningful when findings are applied.

What types of research have you applied in your life, your

studies, or your practice?

What kinds of changes have you made based on what you

learned through research?

What type of research do you find to be the most valuable?

Questions

Throughout your process:Separate composing from editing