Two Topics

1
Two Topics

• Research Concepts
• Ethical and Legal Obligations

2
Homework Discussion

• What did you learn? (data)
• Assessment of what you learned? (analysis)

3
The Structure of Research

• Goal of this section
• to spur your thinking about some research you
  might conduct
• Dominant metaphor, positivist paradigm Brick
  wall
• Free association
• Bridge? (p. 47)

4
Structure of Theory

• Theory (metaphor grid)
• Patterns of relationships in nature
• Theory and ideology
• Conflict theories
• Interaction theories
• Ideographic vs. nomothetic (p. 60)
• In general, SW students should concentrate on the
  little picture

5
Elements of Hypotheses

• Hunch about relationship between variables (p.
  46)
• Nature of relationships
• Association or causation?
• Free will vs. determinism
• Description or explanation?
• How vs. why
• Present circumstances or prediction?
• How things are vs. how things will be

6
Variables

• Independent variables act upon, change agent,
  cause, difference controlled by researcher,
  outside, program, time
• Dependent variables the thing you want to
  change, behavior, thoughts, affect, score on an
  inventory or test, outcome, effect

7
Operationalization

• Variables are concepts until operationalized
• Operationalization
• Turning concepts into measurable objects
• Examples

8
To Summarize (p. 50)
9
To Summarize (p. 50)

• Conceptual tools
• Down or up?
• Deduction vs. induction
• The question of Practice Models

Independent variable (concept)
Dependent variable (concept)
Defined element
Defined element
10
Ethical, Legal and Ideological Issues in Social
Work Research

• Working with populations of interest to social
  work

11
Social Works Special Burden

• Special interest in vulnerable and exploited
  populations
• History of exploitation by researchers
• Holcombs two rules of thumb
• Functional Relevance the research directly helps
  those involved
• Significant Involvement The population is
  involved in both construction (methodology) and
  execution (data collection, analysis, and
  reporting) of research

12
The Belmont Report, 1979

• Respect for persons
• Self-determination
• Protection
• Beneficence
• Kindness and charity
• Do no harm
• Justice
• Fair and equitable treatment
• Fair and equitable reporting

13
The Belmont Report in Practice

• Voluntary participation and informed consent
• Consent forms (p. 74)
• No harm to participants
• IRBs
• Anonymity and confidentiality
• Record-keeping and reporting

14
Ethical Dilemmas

• Deception
• The right to service
• Ideology
• Objectivity vs. advocacy
• Bias and insensitivity (p. 94)
• Normality vs. Deviance what is your standard?

15
Your Own Research

• Beginning to Think about Conducting Research

16
What I Want

• Generally, an accumulation of thinking about the
  various topics in each class
• Specifically for this week, a one-paragraph
  description of a possible research topic, and the
  ethical considerations implied by the research,
  for quick submission next week.