Assignment: Writing the Literature Review The best literature reviews are not individual summaries of articles; rather, they are a combined synthesis. In scholarly writing, to synthesize means to bring various ideas and pieces of information together. In this “bringing together,” new comparisons are drawn and new meanings derived. So, even though you are reporting on…

A research topic can come from many different sources. For some social workers, it starts with a nagging question or obsession that just won’t leave them. For others, it is a noticeable gap in the social work knowledge base, which they discover through immersing themselves in the literature. For still others, it is a practice…

Defining the Research Problem; Justifying the Study; Reviewing Existing Literature Successfully conducted research studies often provide the answers to challenges of social work practice, of obstacles in social work research, and of gaps of knowledge within the field. In order to conduct a successful research study, the research question must be clearly defined, well justified,…

Research resulting in physical or emotional trauma for participants, without informed consent, is undoubtedly an ethical violation. However, other situations are not as clear. One of the reasons for debate about ethical issues is because ethics are opinions informed by people’s values, and people have different values. There may not be one definitive right answer.…

Assignment: Introduction to Research Proposals        For this Assignment, the case studies entitled “Social Work Research: Couple Counseling” Consider how you might select among the issues presented to formulate a research proposal.       Be sure to consult the outline in Chapter 14 the Yegidis et al. text for content suggestions for…

Integration of the Research Process Throughout this course, you have been asked to consider how research leads to evidence-based practice. This week is intended to provide an opportunity to review the entire research process from initial questions to the final research study. This week, your Discussion will ask each of you to collaborate in evaluating…

Week 11: The Ending Stage and Evaluation The ending stage of a group is just as important as the beginning stage. Effective termination is an important part of the therapeutic process and an expectation of the NASW Code of Ethics (1996). Some members of the group may need further therapy or services, and it is…

Week 10: Task Groups Agencies sometimes use task groups to address problems or initiate new programs. These groups often have specific goals, and it is the responsibility of the group leaders to develop a well-organized agenda. Although this type of group is an effective way to solve problems within an agency, task groups can be…

Week 8: The Beginning Stage Attending the first meeting of a therapy group can be an intimidating experience. Every member of the group is having difficulties in some area of his or her life and now needs professional help. It does not matter if the group members are voluntary or involuntary; it still can feel…

Week 9: The Middle Stage Once a group has met several times and is entering the middle stage of group progress, the clinical social worker should assess if the goals of the group plan are being met. This is especially important in groups that have a limited number of sessions. One of the ways a…