The Social Work Student's Research Handbook

Preface xiii Introduction 1(4) Problem Formulation: What to Study 5(8) Key Concepts 5(1) Selecting a Study Topic 5(4) Now What? 9(1) Major Points to Remember 10(1) Exercise 11(2) Using the Literature 13(8) Key Concepts 13(1) Introduction 13(1) Part 1: The Search 14(2) Part 2: Writing the Review 16(2) Major Points to Remember 18(1) Exercises 19(2) Working from Questions or Hypotheses 21(6) Key Concepts 21(1) Introduction 21(1) Hypotheses and Questions 21(1) The Notion of Proof 22(1) Null Hypothesis 23(1) Is Question-Driven Research Real Research? 24(1) Major Points to Remember 24(1) Exercises 24(3) Variables 27(8) Key Concepts 27(1) Introduction 27(1) Defining Variables 28(1) Measuring Variables 29(3) Major Points to Remember 32(1) Exercises 33(2) Assumptions 35(4) Key Concepts 35(1) Introduction 35(1) Types of Assumptions 36(1) Major Points to Remember 37(1) Exercise 37(2) Design Options 39(4) Key Concepts 39(1) Introduction 39(1) From Purpose to Design 40(1) Constructive Combinations 41(1) Connections Give Direction 41(1) Major Points to Remember 42(1) Exercise 42(1) Exploratory Design 43(4) Key Concepts 43(1) Introduction 43(1) When to Use It 43(1) Three Common Approaches 44(1) Overview of Method 45(1) Major Points to Remember 45(1) Exercise 45(2) Descriptive Design 47(4) Key Concepts 47(1) Introduction 47(1) When to Use It 48(1) Overview of Method 48(1) Major Points to Remember 49(1) Exercise 49(2) Experimental Design 51(6) Key Concepts 51(1) Introduction 51(1) When to Use It 52(1) Concepts Basic to This Design 52(1) Overview of Method 53(2) Major Points to Remember 55(1) Exercise 55(2) Correlational Design 57(8) Key Concepts 57(1) Introduction 57(1) When to Use It 58(1) Correlation 58(1) Four Common Approaches 59(3) Overview of Method 62(1) Major Points to Remember 62(1) Exercise 63(2) Plausible Alternative Explanations 65(6) Key Concepts 65(1) Introduction 65(1) How Do They Fit In? 65(3) How Big a Worry Are They? 68(1) Major Points to Remember 68(1) Exercise 69(2) Practice Evaluation 71(8) Key Concepts 71(1) Introduction 71(2) When to Use It 73(1) Overview of Method 73(1) A Few Variations 74(2) Analysis 76(1) Choosing the System 76(1) Issues to Consider 76(1) Major Points to Remember 77(1) Exercise 78(1) Program Evaluation 79(6) Key Concepts 79(1) Introduction 79(1) Applying Design Types to Program Evaluation 80(2) Overview of Method 82(1) Major Points to Remember 83(1) Exercise 84(1) Working Toward Reliability and Validity 85(8) Key Concepts 85(1) Introduction 85(2) A Balancing Act: Purpose and Trade-Offs 87(1) Working Toward Reliability: The Rubber Ruler Pitfall 88(1) Working Toward Validity: Reaching the Heart of the Matter 89(2) Major Points to Remember 91(1) Exercise 91(2) Sampling 93(12) Key Concepts 93(1) Introduction 93(1) Going to the Source 94(1) Probability Samples: Forms and Methods 94(6) Nonprobability Samples: Forms and Methods 100(3) Major Points to Remember 103(1) Exercise 104(1) Data Collection 105(8) Key Concepts 105(1) Introduction 105(1) Observation 106(1) Interview 107(2) Questionnaire 109(1) Major Points to Remember 110(1) Exercise 110(3) Data Analysis: An Overview 113(6) Key Concepts 113(1) Introduction 113(1) Qualitative Data Analysis 113(1) Quantitative Data Analysis 114(2) The Great Debate: Qualitative versus Quantitative 116(1) Major Points to Remember 117(1) Exercise 117(2) Qualitative Data Analysis: Making Sense of Words 119(6) Key Concepts 119(1) Introduction 120(1) Issues to Consider 121(1) Carrying Out the Analysis 122(1) Major Points to Remember 123(1) Exercise 124(1) Quantitative Data Analysis: Making Sense of Descriptive Statistics 125(14) Key Concepts 125(1) Introduction 125(1) Common Ways to Organize Descriptive Stats 126(5) Three Rules of Thumb 131(1) What Else Is Described? 132(5) Major Points to Remember 137(1) Exercise 137(2) Quantitative Data Analysis: Making Sense of Inferential Statistics 139(12) Key Concepts 139(1) Introduction 139(1) How to Use Inferential Statistics 140(1) Three Related Laws of Probability 141(2) The Testing Process 143(1) Directionality 144(1) In a Nutshell 145(1) Significance Testing: Possibilities for Error 145(2) Statistical Significance versus Meaning 147(1) Major Points to Remember 148(1) Exercise 149(2) Tests of Statistical Significance 151(10) Key Concepts 151(1) Introduction 151(1) Choosing a Test 152(1) Common Tests of Group Difference 153(1) Common Tests of Association 154(2) Degrees of Freedom 156(1) Multivariate Analysis 156(1) Major Points to Remember 157(1) Exercise 157(4) Wrapping It Up 161(4) Index 165