Eight Doing good social work research
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Ian Shaw
Abstract
This chapter talks about what people may learn from social work controversies, focusing on three general topics: the essential limits of science in social work, the misuses of science, and the principles and practices that help foster good social work research. In the process of evaluating if a particular example of social work research is good or not, one is likely to assume the question is about whether intelligent decisions were made about the study design, the methodology, the analysis and interpretation of the data, and so on. The direct research experience the majority of social workers have of carrying out research may be related to small projects linked to time on qualifying programmes, but it is precisely these criteria by which their work will be assessed.
Abstract
This chapter talks about what people may learn from social work controversies, focusing on three general topics: the essential limits of science in social work, the misuses of science, and the principles and practices that help foster good social work research. In the process of evaluating if a particular example of social work research is good or not, one is likely to assume the question is about whether intelligent decisions were made about the study design, the methodology, the analysis and interpretation of the data, and so on. The direct research experience the majority of social workers have of carrying out research may be related to small projects linked to time on qualifying programmes, but it is precisely these criteria by which their work will be assessed.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- List of figures and tables ix
- Introduction 1
- What is social work research? 3
- Why do research in social work? 25
- Doing research application 39
- Mapping social work research 61
- Social work research over time 81
- Place and space 103
- Sociological social work: a case example 121
- Doing good social work research 151
- References 173
- Index 191
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- List of figures and tables ix
- Introduction 1
- What is social work research? 3
- Why do research in social work? 25
- Doing research application 39
- Mapping social work research 61
- Social work research over time 81
- Place and space 103
- Sociological social work: a case example 121
- Doing good social work research 151
- References 173
- Index 191
