This foundation course is designed to help students gain an understanding of and appreciation for the use of research as a tool for professional evidence-based practice.
Athena Title
Social Work Research Methods
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in HPRB 7510, HPRB 7510E, HDFS 6800, SOWK 7126E
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
The student will be able to examine how research design choices such as conceptualization, sampling, instrumentation, data collection, and data analysis inform the validity and ethics of research evidence.
The student will be able to apply insights from the research literature to inform social work policy and practice.
The student will be able to evaluate the generalizability of research evidence to clients and communities that differ by age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and other characteristics.
The student will be able to critique the presentation and synthesis of research evidence by popular media sources.
The student will be able to assess the usefulness and limitations of emerging artificial intelligence tools in retrieving research evidence.
The student will be able to the student will be able to plan and propose a project seeking to answer a key research question in an area of interest.
Topical Outline
Introduction to Social Work Research & Research Ethics
Scientific inquiry in social work and the ethical, political, and cultural context of social work research
Conceptualization: Literature Review, Theory, & Research Questions
Research Designs I: Experimental & Quasi-Experimental Designs
Research Designs II: Non-Experimental, Qualitative, & Mixed Methods Designs
Measurement, Instrumentation and Data Collection
Quantitative Analysis Planning
Qualitative Analysis Planning
Writing, Disseminating, and Translating Research
Special Topics: Engaged and Participatory Research
Special Topics: Internet and Data Science Research
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
