Week 2 ScWk 240—Scientific Method

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

From T.S. Eliot: The Rock (1934)

1ScWk 240 9/10/12

Review Quiz!!Descriptive, explanatory, or exploratory?

• “What factors (ethnicity, gender, years of training) best predict higher scores on the “Cultural Competency Practice Scale”?

• “The survey found that 75% of social workers do not fully understand HIV/AIDS symptoms.”

• “Parents with disabled children described facing a ‘culture of dependence’ when dealing with helping professionals.”

ScWk 240 9/10/12 2

More!!Descriptive, explanatory, or exploratory?

• “Women who are victims of violence have the experience of a sense of helplessness when facing major decisions.”

• “Latinos are the fastest growing minority in California.”

• “Would a behavioral reward system succeed in reducing behavioral outbursts in special needs classrooms?”

ScWk 240 9/10/12 3

ReviewAny or all of these

• Descriptive• Explanatory• Exploratory

Can be used for these purposes (partial list)

• Needs assessment• Policy analysis• Impact/outcome studies• Program evaluation• Quality improvement

studies• Epidemiological research

ScWk 240 9/10/12 4

Agenda• Evidence-based practice & scientific

inquiry

• Developing your research topic

• Developing research questions

• Bibliography Assignment—Instructions, and how to conduct a literature review

• Small group exercise—developing your topic

5ScWk 240 9/10/12

Evidence-based practice

• Definitions of Evidence-Based Practice:1. It’s a type of practice:

• Approaches to prevention or treatment that are based in theory and have undergone scientific evaluation.

• "Evidence-based" stands in contrast to approaches that are based on tradition, convention, belief, or anecdotal evidence. (Cochrane Collaborative).

• “Best practice” – one that was tested and found to be effective

2. It’s a process: Using the best scientific evidence available in deciding how to intervene with individuals, families, groups, or communities (Rubin & Babbie)

6ScWk 240 9/10/12

How does an intervention become a “Best Practice”?

• The new intervention is developed—desired outcomes, procedures, and techniques, and are identified

• These should be written down (“manualized”) so that others can be trained and the intervention disseminated.

• Pilot studies are done to determine if the intervention is effective—does it work in achieving short term outcomes? This may result in adjustments to the original design

• Then the efficacy of the intervention is tested using more rigorous evaluation methods (such randomization of participants to the new treatment vs. no treatment, and comparing their outcomes).

• Then the “best practice” has to be implemented and tested in natural settings with different populations

ScWk 240 9/10/12 7

What are the research tasks in building a case for a “Best Practice”?

• Identify outcomes—and, how will they be measured (Problem formulation and measurement)?

• Intervention process—is it true to the original intent (Process study, a.k.a. “fidelity” study)? – Were the right clients targeted and engaged?– Was the intervention implemented as intended?– Were the right techniques and procedures used?

• Effectiveness & efficacy—did intervention result in desired outcomes (Outcome/impact study)?

ScWk 240 9/10/12 8

Clearinghouses of EBP Information• Mental health and substance abuse:U.S. Dept. Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse &

Mental Health Administration

http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/

• Child WelfareCalifornia Evidence-Based Clearinghouse

http://www.cebc4cw.org/

• Healthcare

Cochrane Collaborative

http://www.cochrane.org/

ScWk 240 9/10/12 9

Student reports:

• What do the authors mean by “using research evidence”? Jonathan

• Describe one of three applied models of evidence based research. Glorialee

ScWk 240 9/10/12 10

What does it mean for an organization to use evidence?

Research evidence is used in training & program development

People ask, frequently, “How do we know our interventions are working?” (They don’t just assume that they are working.)

There are regular and systematic efforts to improve the quality of services (and use data for that purpose)

Reports about agency performance are regularly shared & discussed with staff

ScWk 240 9/10/12 11

Library Resources

http://library.sjsu.edu/online-tutorials/online-tutorials

For example:

• Finding Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed Articles

• Topic development--

http://library.sjsu.edu/video/art-topic-development

ScWk 240 9/10/12 12

Bibliography • Peer reviewed articleshttp://library.sjsu.edu/video/finding-scholarly-peer-reviewed-articles

– For the Bibliography, aim for 15 out of the minimum 20 required

– Websites ok, but the priority ones are:• Research organization sites

• Policy sites

• Online government reports

• Journals relevant to social work: see Rubin & Babbie appendix, “Using the Library”

• APA—everything double spaced

ScWk 240 9/10/12 13

Developing your topic• Step 1: identify of one these from your own

interests– Target population (i.e. teen mothers), or– Intervention (i.e. teen support groups), or– Social problem (i.e. teen pregnancy)

• Step 2: what would you like to learn about this?

• Step 3: How would learning about this benefit the social work profession?

ScWk 240 9/10/12 14

Developing your research questions• Step 4: from Step 2, develop one research question for

each approach:– Descriptive approach– Explanatory approach– Exploratory approach

• Martha Stewart’s Helpful Tips:– Your research question literally ends with a “?”– Don’t worry about how (“Methods”) for now– Avoid combining two questions into one statement– Think of questions that research can answer…even if you

already think you know the answer (i.e. you have an hypothesis)

ScWk 240 9/10/12 15

Terms to be responsible for:• Evidence based practice (two definitions)• Descriptive study• Explanatory study• Exploratory study• Evaluative study• Target population• Peer reviewed• Three models of using EBP

– Research based practitioner– Embedded research model– Organizational excellence model

ScWk 240 9/10/12 16

Change in Readings next week:

• Supplement chapters 5-7 still required. Drop Chapter 8 for now.

• Rubin & Babbie Instead of Chapter 4 “The Ethics and Politics of Social Work Research” substitute Chapter 3 “Philosophy and Theory in Social Work Research”

• Drop the two articles (Malone et al. & Begun et al.) for now

ScWk 240 9/10/12 17

Student reports next week:1. Describe the relationship between theory

and hypotheses.

2. What are “attributes” of a variable? Give two examples.

3. What’s the difference between an independent and dependent variable?

• Everyone: Come prepared to talk about theory, hypothesis, IV, and DV for your potential topic

ScWk 240 9/10/12 18