SWRK 292

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SWRK 292

• Thesis/Project Seminar

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Expectations for Course

• Apply research concepts from SWRK 291.
• Write first three chapters of your project or
  thesis.
• Identify a topic that you want to learn more
  about.
• Develop research questions and methodology.
• Write a review of the theoretical and empirical
  literature on your topic find professional
  literature to use for your literature review.
• Develop measurement instruments, cover letters,
  and consent forms.
• Obtain human subjects approval for your research.
• Participate in class exercises that will help you
  write your chapters.

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Six Graded Assignments for This Class
Mini-proposal 10 points 10
Draft - Chapter 2 20 points 20
Draft - Chapter 3 15 points 15
Draft Chapter 1 10 points 10
Completed Chapters 1-3 30 points 30
Human Subjects Approval Obtained/Human Subjects training certificate obtained from on-line course 5 points 5
Attendance and Participation 10 points 10
Total 100 points 100
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All course material is in one location

• Dr. Hardinas web page
• http//zimmer.csufresno.edu/donnah
• Course material can also be found on the
  Blackboard page for this course

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Examples of Acceptable Research Opportunities

• Evaluation of your own practice with a client,
  group, family, or community system (Did the
  intervention produce the intended results?).
• Evaluation of service delivery outcomes.
• Survey research
• Assessment of the process of service delivery.
• Single system or multiple baseline designs to
  evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention
  used by a single practitioner.
• Needs assessment.
• Qualitative research.
• Participatory action research.
• Feminist Research.
• Ethnographic studies.
• Case record or social indicator analysis.
• Qualitative research.
• Case study of the process of policy development
  (using secondary sources and/or interview data).
• Library-based study of a social
  work/welfare/policy issue you have to present an
  acceptable rationale for the methodology and
  sampling of literature (i.e., your data). Only
  two options are acceptable a) Meta-analysis of
  empirical literature b) In depth, e.g., content
  analysis, historical analysis, analysis of
  policies or organization driven by theory.

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In addition, if you are completing a project, you
may choose to complete an activity with an
empirical component rather than just do an
empirical study for this course. For example, you
can

• Coordinate a conference.
• Develop training materials for social workers.
• Write a grant proposal.
• Analyze a policy.
• Develop a program.
• Design a web page for an organization.

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For the activity option

• You still need to complete the three chapters
  required for the course. The criteria for
  Chapters 1 and 3 specify additional information
  required of students who select the activity
  option.
• You need to collect some empirical data about
  your activity for example, you can conduct a
  needs assessment to verify a need for your
  activity or you could evaluate what youve
  accomplished.
• Since you will be required to carry the plan out
  your Chapters 4 and 5 (to be completed next
  semester) will be slightly different from those
  of students choosing the empirical option.

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To conduct a good study you need to examine
previous theories and how these theories have
been applied in previous research studies. Often
students pick theories that have nothing to do
with their study!
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Most research guided by a theoretical perspective
or framework. If theories about a specific
situation or population dont exist, it is an
indicator that you may need to do a qualitative
or descriptive study. However, the theory portion
of a project or thesis can contain information or
theories about specific research paradigms (or
models) that contain both a theoretical
perspective and a specific approach for doing
research
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For example, feminist research contains a
definite point of view and theories about the
role of women in society. There is also a
specific methodological approach that is used to
conduct feminist research
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General TheoriesMore Specific Theories that
Apply to the Situation or Issue under
StudyIntervention or CausePractice Activities
in ModelOutcomes or Effects
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Theories About the Effects of Oppression/Powerless
nessEmpowerment Theory as Applied to Clients
in Social Service OrganizationsSocial Workers
facilitate empowerment by encouraging clients to
engage in self-advocacy, self-help groups,
organization decision-making, and political
activism.Clients Perception of their Own
Power Increases
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How do I develop a topic and choose methodology?

• Draw from your own practice experience and
  interests.
• Review available literature (books and
  professional journals).
• You may also do agency-based literature on a
  topic or issue that your field agency or employer
  suggests.

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This class requires that you complete the first
three chapters of your project or thesis.If you
choose the empirical/research optionAn
empirical study is anything that involves human
subjects. Your research may be qualitative,
descriptive, or quantitative. In some
circumstances, an historical study or other type
of document analysis may be acceptable. You may
also conduct a case record analysis or use
secondary (already collected) data.
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Additional things to think about

• Have other researchers looked at this topic?
• Do these studies produce similar or different
  results?
• Are there limitations in the way research was
  conducted previously?
• Is there available research, but does it actually
  apply to the situation or population group that I
  want to study?
• Is research on this issue/topic limited?

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Key indicators for choosing research methodology
A great deal of previous research on the topic Choose quantitative methods.
A moderate amount of research but it may not pertain to the situation or population I wish to study (for example a needs assessment, consumer satisfaction survey, or a survey that examines demographic characteristics or opinions Choose a descriptive study.
Limited previous research or research that is not relevant to a particular situation or population groups. Choose a qualitative study
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Also keep in mind that you will need human
subjects approval for your study

• This requirement will also apply to activities
  since there is an expectation that some data will
  be collected.
• You will need to complete a human subjects
  application that will be reviewed by department
  faculty. The expectation for this course is that
  you will file your application before the end of
  the semester.
• If your study will involve children, prisoners,
  or pregnant women or could pose a risk to
  subjects, you will also need to apply for human
  subjects approval from the university. The
  University Human Subjects committee has its own
  format for the materials that you are expected to
  file. It is highly suggested that if your study
  will involve an at-risk group, then you should
  use the university format to prepare your
  application for the department as well.