Social Work Research
(SocW 460)
Larrry Bennett, Ph.D.
lwbenn@uic.edu
This course will include the role of research in social work, and the
interpretation
and critical analysis of research reports and applications in social
work.
Students will also discuss the role of research in light of social
work’s
role. The course will provide the foundation to equip students to be
consumers
of published research and to engage in building knowledge to enhance
practice
and service delivery through the use of scientific methods, as well as
to identify the strengths and weaknesses of those methods. This
is
done to support the education of social workers for use with and on
behalf
of clients from urban, at-risk populations. Emphasis
throughout
the course will be placed on preparing students to identify research
findings
that will assist them in being more effective practitioners.
Special
emphasis will be placed on the protection of human subjects; on methods
for involvement of minorities, at-risk, urban, and under-served
populations
in the research process; on critical thinking; on data analysis; and on
technological advances which support information gathering, processing,
analysis, and dissemination.
TEXT
Monette, D.R, Sullivan, T.J., & DeJong, C.R. ( 2005). Applied
Social
Research: Tool for the Human Services (6th edition). Forth Worth:
Harcourt
Brace
Additional readings are available on Blackboard
COURSE NOTES
THE
CONTEXT OF RESEARCH (I): SOCIAL WORK
THE
CONTEXT OF RESEARCH (II): VALUES & ETHICS
PROBLEM
FORMULATION
MEASUREMENT
SAMPLING
DATA
COLLECTION
THE
CONTEXT OF RESEARCH: QUALITATIVE APPROACHES
GROUP
DESIGNS
SINGLE
SYSTEM DESIGNS
PROGRAM
EVALUATION
DATA
ANALYSIS