Chapter 1 The place of research in social work Flashcards
In social work there is a scientific inquiry process that allows you to research any assumptions you may have. Within this inquiry there are four phases that should be followed. Could you list them for me?
Observations/measurements, make an assumption, test assumption, and revise assumption
Could you list the five major sources of knowledge written about in the text?
BEATS Beliefs and intuition Experience Tradition Scientific method
Would you be able to explain a problem with “tradition and authority” as data sources?
Either or both can be biased or inaccurate
Francine wants to discover why the sky is blue, so she asks her fellow co-workers and receives several different answers. Judd says his mother told him the sky was blue because the earth is primarily made up of water and the color of the water is reflected in the atmosphere making the sky appear blue. Michelle tells Francine the sky is blue because that is the color God made it. Erica tells Francine the sky is not actually blue. She explains that visible light is made up of all colors. As the light passes through the clear air molecules, the blue light is scattered because the size of the molecules of air are like the wavelengths of the blue light which makes the sky appear to be blue. Erica further explains how she learned this information through reading a scientific study on the subject. Which of the three answers is the most objective?
Erica is more objective because she states facts and bases her info on the sci. Method which was used to conduct the scientific study she read.
Edwardo has chosen to conduct a project using the scientific method for his class. In doing so however, he fears his own personal beliefs and feelings will interfere with the process. Is there a way to be sure his own thoughts do not negatively affect his work while using the scientific method?
Value awareness-be aware of all personal values and be able to set aside those values
Pete is starting his practicum at a center for the disabled. He is worried about messing up on his first day, so he is trying his best to get along with his colleagues. However, when being told about a certain procedure done during his daily routine, he feels like there is a simpler, more efficient way of accomplishing a task. To avoid conflict, he complies and says nothing. A couple months later, a new social worker, David, is hired at the same place, and Pete oversees training him. When giving instructions for his daily procedures, he decides to teach David everything the EXACT way in which he was taught, even though he knows of an easier way to do a certain tasked. This keeps getting handed down to each new generation of staff at the hospital. In Chapter 1, the text discusses the 5 ways of knowing. Which way of “knowing” is depicted in this scenario?
Tradition
In social work there is a scientific inquiry process that allows you to research any assumptions you may have. Within this inquiry there are four phases that should be followed. Could you list them for me?
Observations/measurements, make an assumption, test assumption, and revise assumption
Would you be able to come up with an example of knowledge from authority, or knowledge from tradition?
Example- knowledge from authority: At internship when your supervisor says, “do it this way”
Example- knowledge from tradition: When your supervisor says, “Our agency has always done it this way”
One of your peers in class says to you “I just know I failed the exam.” Then she receives an A on the exam. Could you identify the source of knowledge she was using?
Beliefs
Would you be able to list and describe the steps in the research process? (Molidor said research process and scientific inquiry are being used interchangeably)
Observation
Make assumption
Test assumption
Revise Assumption
Would you be able to identify the ways the positivistic (quantitative) and interpretive (qualitative) approaches to the scientific method differ?
Quant: theory, hypothesis, observation, confirmation (deductive)-analysis of numerical data. Generalizable
Qual: observation, pattern, hypothesis, theory (inductive)-analysis of words and experiences. Not generalizable
Which aspects are included in the definition of social work research?
Social work research is a systematic and objective inquiry that uses the scientific method to solve human problems and creates new knowledge that is generally applicable to the social work profession.
SYSTEMATIC and OBJECTIVE
Although we didn’t talk about it in class, what does the book say is the main purpose of pure research?
Develop theory and increase/improve the knowledge base of our profession
If you understand pure research, what then would “applied research” focus on?
Develop solutions/techniques that can be applied in social work practice
Could you distinguish between choice, showing a main purpose of pure and applied research?
The distinction between theoretical results and practical results marks the principal difference between pure and applied research.
