1st Edition

Practice-Based Research in Social Work A Guide for Reluctant Researchers

By Sarah-Jane Dodd, Irwin Epstein Copyright 2012
224 Pages
by Routledge

224 Pages
by Routledge

224 Pages
by Routledge

This unique textbook explores practice-based research (PBR), using numerous practice examples to actively encourage and engage students and practitioners to embrace research as a meaningful support for their practice. Whilst evidence-based practice gives practitioners access to information about "universal" best practices, it does not prioritize practitioner-generated knowledge or promote new... Read more

Part 1: Introduction to PBR in Social Work Practice  Introduction  Chapter 1. Evolution and Definition of PBR Part 2: Engaging in the PBR Process  Chapter 2. Establishing the Practice-Research Problem  Chapter 3. PBR Study Purposes  Chapter 4. PBR Research Designs  Chapter 5. The PBR Literature Review  Chapter 6. Understanding Basic Differences in Data-Collection Methods  Chapter 7. Qualitative Data Gathering  Chapter 8. Quantitative Data Gathering  Chapter 9. PBR Sampling  Chapter 10. Research Ethics and Protection of Human Subjects in PBR  Part 3: Analyzing and Interpreting Results in PBR  Chapter 11. Analyzing Qualitative Data in PBR  Chapter 12. Analyzing Quantitative Data in PBR  Chapter 13. Interpreting and Disseminating Results from PBR

Biography

Sarah-Jane Dodd is an Associate Professor at the Hunter College School of Social Work and the City University of New York Graduate Center, USA. She is also a consulting editor for the Journal of Teaching in Social Work and the Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services.

Irwin Epstein occupies the Helen Rehr Chair in Applied Social Work Research in Health and Mental Health at Hunter College School of Social Work of the City University of New York, USA. He is co-author of several books and numerous articles on social worker professionalization, program evaluation, research utilization and practice-based research. Having introduced this latter concept into the social work literature, his current interest is in exploring clinical data-mining as a practice-based research methodology.

"This book represents an important movement in social work practice, Practice Based Research (PBR). It is a must read for social work educators and practitioners. The authors clearly show how practitioners can incorporate research concepts and methods into social work practice." - Tony Tripodi, Former Dean and Professor Emeritus, Ohio State University, USA