This slim volume is one of a number of excellent guides published as part of Oxford's "Pocket Guide to Social Work Research Methods" series. Compact but comprehensive, it provides a thorough introduction to one of the fastest-growing genres of research in the social work field today: secondary data analysis. After an all-too-brief summary of what constitutes this genre and a balanced analysis of its advantages and disadvantages, Vartanian (Bryn Mawr) provides guidelines for those considering the feasibility and appropriateness of using secondary data in their work. He then offers extensive summaries of 29 of the most commonly used secondary data sets. For all of the data sets, he provides a full and complete description, including key characteristics and where and how to access them. He also provides, most valuably, citations to examples of how researchers have recently used them in their empirical work. Rather redundantly, a similar package of information appears in appendixes at the end of the book. This is an admirable contribution whose only detractions are the rather random and poorly identified screenshots and other "pictures" interspersed throughout the text. Those seriously considering using secondary data analysis in their research should find this book immensely beneficial. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students and faculty/researchers. Graduate Students; Researchers/Faculty. Reviewed by J. C. Altman.

`This is a very useful introductory text...it is well structured, has a very accessible style, and guides students through exercises that are relevant and appropriate. The book is unique in that it goes beyond general textbooks and I will be very happy to recommend it to my students' - Beth Humphries, Reader in Social Work, Lancaster University The role of research in social work has become increasingly critical and relevant to training and practice. Social Work Research has been designed to address this and to demonstrate the importance of research for improving social work practice. Written in an engaging and accessible style, the book explains the links between practice, knowledge and research. It succeeds in bridging the gap between theory and reality by discussing a range of research paradigms and placing them in the context of professional social work. It also goes beyond other textbooks to discuss the political and ethical contexts that are intrinsic to social work practice. Other key features of the book include: · Fulfills QAA benchmarks in social work training - social work research is a required topic on undergraduate degrees. · Addresses topical issues such as the need for evidence-based practice and an awareness of ethics. · International in scope - draws upon international literature · Grounded in 'real-life' research through case studies · User-friendly and student-focused, it includes student exercises and further reading sections. Social Work Research will prove an invaluable resource for students, researchers and trainees undertaking research in social work.

Understanding statistical concepts is essential for social work professionals. It is key to understanding research and reaching evidence-based decisions in your own practice—but that is only the beginning. If you understand statistics, you can determine the best interventions for your clients. You can use new tools to monitor and evaluate the progress of your client or team. You can recognize biased systems masked by complex models and the appearance of scientific neutrality. For social workers, statistics are not just math, they are a critical practice tool. This concise and approachable introduction to statistics limits its coverage to the concepts most relevant to social workers. Statistics in Social Work guides students through concepts and procedures from descriptive statistics and correlation to hypothesis testing and inferential statistics. Besides presenting key concepts, it focuses on real-world examples that students will encounter in a social work practice. Using concrete illustrations from a variety of potential concentrations and populations, Amy Batchelor creates clear connections between theory and practice—and demonstrates the important contributions statistics can make to evidence-based and rigorous social work practice.

KEY FEATURES: A ‵‵learn by doing" approach woven throughout the text helps students apply knowledge to practice. A three-part structure introduces the fundamentals of research methods, the different types of social work research, and the use of data analysis for evaluation of social work practice. Chapter-opening vignettes illustrate the value of chapter content to the practicing social worker. Chapter-ending practice exercises provide opportunities to apply chapter knowledge and gain a better understanding of research competencies. Practical guidelines for data analysis show students how to use the Internet to analyze data with simple step-by-step instructions. Discussion questions provide opportunities to spark class discussions and help students reflect on critical concepts. Chapter tests, lists of key learnings, and glossaries at the end of chapters serve as convenient tools for reviewing key concepts and definitions.

Bringing key developments and debates together in a single volume, this book provides an authoritative guide for students and practitioners embarking on qualitative research in social work and related fields. Frequently illustrated with contemporary and classic case examples from the authors’ own empirical research and from international published work, and with self-directed learning tasks, the book provides insight into the difficulties and complexities of carrying out research, as well as sharing ‘success’ stories from the field. Shaw and Holland have long experience of writing for practitioners and students and in making complex concepts accessible and readable, making this an ideal text for those engaging in qualitative social work research at any level. Ian Shaw is a Professor of Social Work at the University of York and at the University of Aalborg. Sally Holland is a Reader in Social Work at the School of Social Sciences in Cardiff University.

Social Work Research and the Analysis of Social Data is a research book that describes both methodology and data analysis in logical sequence as a basis in order to begin the application of scientific method to psycho-social problems. Organized into 13 chapters, this book begins by elucidating the interrelationship of true professionalism and the need to conduct research in the field of social work. Subsequent chapters explore the advantages of counting and measuring in social work research; the research process; sources of information in applied social studies; data analysis and probability theory; and descriptive statistics. The relationship between variables; the continuing process of research; and the research report in this field of interest are also explained. This book will be very useful to social workers, as well as to those in teaching, counseling, and other helping professions.

This book presents the elaboration model for the multivariate analysis of observational quantitative data. This model entails the systematic introduction of "third variables" to the analysis of a focal relationship between one independent and one dependent variable to ascertain whether an inference of causality is justified. Two complementary strategies are used: an exclusionary strategy that rules out alternative explanations such as spuriousness and redundancy with competing theories, and an inclusive strategy that connects the focal relationship to a network of other relationships, including the hypothesized causal mechanisms linking the focal independent variable to the focal dependent variable. The primary emphasis is on the translation of theory into a logical analytic strategy and the interpretation of results. The elaboration model is applied with case studies drawn from newly published research that serve as prototypes for aligning theory and the data analytic plan used to test it; these studies are drawn from a wide range of substantive topics in the social sciences, such as emotion management in the workplace, subjective age identification during the transition to adulthood, and the relationship between religious and paranormal beliefs. The second application of the elaboration model is in the form of original data analysis presented in two Analysis Journals that are integrated throughout the text and implement the full elaboration model. Using real data, not contrived examples, the text provides a step-by-step guide through the process of integrating theory with data analysis in order to arrive at meaningful answers to research questions.

An introduction to research methods specifically needed in social work and social welfare, this text outlines the major stages of research projects, covering both quantitative and qualitative methods.

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.