Social Work Research Methods

Teresa Morris is the chair of the social work department and director of social work programs at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). She received her M.S.W. from the University of Hawaii and her Doctorate from UC, Berkeley. She is from England via Australia and now lives in California. In England she worked as a secondary school teacher and a youth and community worker. In Australia she was a community worker, and later an academic. In 1989 she went to California to help start a new social work department and now heads that department. Her publications have been in the areas of refugee resettlement, philosophy of science, and alternative paradigm research methods. She teaches research methods.

• IntroductionResearch and Generalist PracticeBrief History of Philosophy of SciencePART I: THE POSITIVIST PARADIGMIntroductionChapter 1. Engagement - Entrée to the Research Setting DefinedChapter 2. Assessment - Development of Understanding the Research FocusChapter 3. Planning - Rationales for Carrying out the Research ProjectExplanatory DesignsDescriptive DesignsChapter 4. Implementation - Gathering the DataManaging and Implementing Data CollectionChapter 5: Evaluation - Developing an Understanding of the Data and its MeaningData EntryDescriptive StatisticsInferential StatisticsChapter Six: Termination and Follow Up - Reporting on Findings and Exiting the Research SettingResearch SettingConclusionPART II: POST POSITIVISMIntroductionChapter 7. Assessment and Engagement - Development of Understanding of the Research Focus and Entree to the Research SettingChapter 8: Planning, Implementation, Evaluation - Rationale for Gathering Data, Data Gathering and Developing an Understanding of the Data and its MeaningPlanning: Rationale for Gathering DataImplementation: Data GatheringEvaluation: Developing an Understanding of the Data and its MeaningChapter 9: Termination and Follow Up - Reporting on Findings and Exiting the Research Setting and Communication and Distribution of FindingsConclusionPART III: CRITICAL THEORYIntroductionChapter 10: Assessment, Engagement, and Planning - Development of Understanding of the Research Focus, Entree to the Research Setting. Rationale for Carrying out the ResearchPlanning: Rationale for Carrying out the ResearchChapter Eleven: Implementation - Gathering DataData Collection for Looking and Developing the Ideological AnalysisData Collection for ActionData Collection for Evaluation of Action PlansChapter 12: Evaluation - Developing an Understanding of the Data and its MeaningEmergent AnalysisIdeological AnalysisAction AnalysisChapter 13: Termination and Follow Up - Reporting on Finding, Exiting the Research Setting, and Communication and Distribution of Research FindingsReporting to Participants and the Target EntityReporting to the Participants, Funding Sources and Academic SettingsAlternate Forms of PresentationReflection and CelebrationConclusionPART IV: CONSTRUCTIVISMIntroductionChapter 14: Engagement, Assessment and Planning - Entrée to the Research Setting, Development of Understanding of the Researcher Focus, Rationales for Gathering DataChapter 15: Implementation and Evaluation - Gathering Data and Developing and Understanding of the Data and its MeaningImplementation: Gathering DataStages of Data CollectionEvaluation: Understanding the Meaning of DataChapter 16: Termination and Follow Up - Reporting on Findings, Exiting the Research Setting and Communication and Distribution of FindingsResearcher′s JournalsThe Case Study, or Research ReportExiting the Research SettingConclusionPART V: CROSS CUTTING THEMES: ETHICS, DIVERSITY AND TECHNOLOGYIntroductionChapter 17: The Ethics and Politics of ResearchIntroductionEthicsPoliticsConclusionChapter 18: The Researcher′s Responsibility to DiversityIntroductionEngagement (Gaining Entrée to the Research Setting)Assessment (Developing an Understanding of the Research Focus)Planning (Rationales and Plans for Carrying out These Research Projects)Implementation: Gathering the DataEvaluation (Developing an understanding and Interpretation of the Data)Termination and Follow UpChapter 19: The Function of Technology at Each Step of the WayEngagement (Gaining Entrée to the Research Setting)Assessment (Developing an Understanding of the Research Focus)Planning (Rationales and Plans for Carrying out the Research Project)Implementation (Gathering the Data)Evaluation (Developing an Understanding and Interpretation of the DataTermination and Follow UpGlossaryPhenomenology - An Approach to Understanding the World that Uses Refection, Evidence (i.e. Awareness of Something) and DescriptionReferences and Bibliography