SW 504 Research for Social Work Practice
Research for Social Work Practice is designed to further student's understanding of and ability to apply quantitative and qualitative research methods for the purposes of understanding social problems and examining the effectiveness of social work interventions. This course is the first of two research courses included in the curriculum and it provides foundational knowledge about research design, sampling, measures and data collection techniques, data analysis, and the development of data-driven implications for social work policy, practice, and future research. The course also provides students with an overview of ethical research, presenting historical examples of research misconduct while presenting ethical principles and guidelines for conducting human subjects research, including the role of an institutional review board in conducting research. In this course, students learn beginning data analysis skills using such statistical analytical software as Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Excel. Students will also be introduced to data visualization software (Tableau) to better understand how data can be effectively disseminated to various community stakeholders. A special focus of the course will be to understanding the differences between evidence-based, evidence-informed, and promising practices so students are ably to critically consume empirical research as they attempt to identify culturally competent and efficacious interventions appropriate for specific client populations, social problems, and settings.
Offered
Annual Spring Semester