Abstract
This textbook on research methods is written to introduce students to the knowledge and skills required to undertake research in social work, and to understand the contribution of research to effective social work practice. The book comprises 15 chapters. The first six chapters address generic issues. The following eight chapters focus on specific research designs. The final chapter addresses reporting of research. The book is complemented by instructor and (open access) student ancillary material available on the web. The chapters contain a wealth of valuable teaching and examples to guide the novice researcher in social work.
The six introductory chapters address foundational generic issues such as the nature of science (knowledge); the processes of social work research; ethics; measurement; sampling; and causation. This approach is effective in ensuring that “the basics” are dealt with before going on to specific methods. The book manages well the tension between being a usable and readable textbook on research methods, yet also raising the philosophical, ethical, and policy issues involved if research is to contribute to improving social work practice. The Ethics Chapter (3) very helpfully includes a sample participant letter and information sheet. It might have been worth noting in this chapter that in the United Kingdom there is a distinction for the purposes of health and social care research governance (including ethical approval) between research, professional audit, and service evaluation, even though for small-scale projects without controls the methods may be very similar. The key discriminants relate to intent, treatment, allocation, and randomization (National Patient Safety Agency, 2007). In the otherwise excellent chapter on measurement (Chapter 4), I would have liked to see some discussion about the acceptability of using Likert-type scales as interval rather than ordinal, and the assumptions required when parametric tests are used for these (cf. Juniper, 2009). Chapter 5 on Sampling does a noble job of explaining clearly the different types of sampling.
Chapters 7 and 8 contain a clear exposition of group experimental designs and single-subject designs. Chapter 9 on Survey Research provides many useful pointers for the novice researcher, and a particularly useful comparison of five survey types. The section on Secondary Data could usefully have made reference to the typical sources of social care service data which social work researchers often use. The growing use of Internet survey administration (through such as Qualtrix and Survey Monkey) also merits greater coverage than it is given here. Chapter 10 on qualitative methods covers the basics of data gathering. The chapter includes a thought-provoking diagram on the “Dance of Qualitative Analysis” to illustrate the iterative process involved. Chapter 11 on Qualitative Data Analysis explains some of the basic principles, although I would have liked a little more on coding to make this a really useful handbook for the new researcher. A brief description of major approaches is provided, though it seems strange that interpretive phenomenological analysis is omitted. Some more direct comparison of major qualitative approaches would have been helpful (cf. Starks & Trinidad, 2007).
It is pleasing to note that the Chapter (13) on evaluation has a foundation framework of logic modeling thereby relating the evaluation to the basic purposes of the service or project being evaluated. This chapter should provide useful guidance for social work service evaluation projects.
The Chapter (14) on quantitative data analysis covers all the essentials and includes a very useful section on preparing data for analysis. The introduction to statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) is brief and the novice researcher will probably also need to use alongside this one a textbook with more detail on statistical analysis and how to operationalize this on SPSS. I am not convinced that it has worked to include material on meta-analysis together with consideration of mixed-method designs in a Chapter (12) titled Mixing and Comparing Methods and Studies. The material on research synthesis is brief, and this is probably appropriately so for an introductory text on research methods. However, it is confusing to present this material as if it is intended that the reader should be able to learn the necessary knowledge and skills from this synopsis. I think that coverage on research synthesis would be better grouped together with other material relating to evidence-based practice, more as contextual material. The material on meta-analysis and meta-ethnography seems isolated and would be better put in the context of material on searching bibliographic databases, quality appraisal of research, and a broader consideration of research synthesis (including more general meta-synthesis of qualitative studies and meta-analysis of effectiveness studies) as steps within a knowledge creation and knowledge transfer process (cf. Taylor, 2012). It is pleasing to see mention of the Campbell Collaboration, but disappointing to note that the Cochrane Collaboration is omitted despite containing in its library over 70 systematic reviews (at 2012) of the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions that could be carried out by social workers.
This book is very well presented, with illustrative exhibits, and using purple in headings and as an additional color on visual material. There are clear headings and sections, and the book generally has an excellent structure. Each chapter begins with an engaging introduction and a clear list of the contents. Each chapter ends with sections (typically about a page each) relating the contents of that chapter to evidence-based practice, a diverse society, and ethical issues. Each chapter concludes with catchy short sections on key terms, highlights, discussion questions, practice and web exercises, prompts on developing a research proposal, and ethical questions. The case illustrations are up to date and more relevant than most other text books purporting to teach research methods for social work. I did not count examples by client group, but I noted that the range included family and child care, mental health, addictions, substance abuse, crime, intimate partner violence, homelessness, and older people. There is a useful 10-page glossary of key terms.
For the past 10 years, I have taught research methods to experience social workers undertaking postgraduate, postqualifying study. Despite the minor criticisms above, this book remains one of the best research methods textbooks designed specifically for social work and social care research. The book contains a wealth of valuable explanation, suitably thorough discussion, and illustrative material that is clearly presented. For both content and presentation, it will remain in my highly recommended reading category.