Exam 1: Science, Society, and Social Work Research

The social worker at the local mental health center noticed that clients whose workers were female were more compliant with their medications than those whose workers were male. He concluded that female workers are more nurturing and therefore, their clients are more likely to comply with treatment. This error in reasoning is:

Positivism is an orienting philosophy best described as one where:

Match the concept with its description. -Selective observation

Match the concept with an example statement or question. -Description

Ego and expertise are elements that are linked by having ample experience in a given field. Yet, as was outlined in the chapter, we are taught to perceive "ego-based commitments" as a bad thing, as they lead us to make errors in reasoning. At the same time, clinical expertise is invaluable and an important piece of evidence-based practice. How should one manage this distinction between ego and expertise? Use your knowledge of research, reasoning, and social work to address this question.

Match the concept with an example statement or question. -Explanation

Evidence-based practice is a decision-making process that prioritizes prior research and clinical expertise over other factors when choosing an intervention.

Which of the following pairs are strongly linked?

Which of the following does NOT apply to the quantitative methods?

Barriers to Implementation of EBP include all of the following EXCEPT:

Explanation is often the motive for using qualitative methods.

Why are quantitative methods used predominantly in explanatory, descriptive, or evaluative research? What does quantitative information help us understand as researchers? Furthermore, why are qualitative methods used in exploratory research? What is the value of qualitative information for a researcher?

Consider the research conducted on homelessness, as described in Chapter 1. What is the potential impact of these research findings on social policies? How do these findings potentially shape program development? Based on these findings, describe an effective intervention to ameliorate this social problem.

Match the concept with its description. -Illogical reasoning

Match the concept with its description. -Resistance to change

The executive director of a community center requests an assessment of how youth in the neighborhood spend their leisure time, including what after school activities they attend and what type of sports activities they prefer. She has asked for which type of research to be conducted?

Consider a local agency that works with individuals experiencing homelessness. They are very interested in implementing an evidence-based practice decision-making system. Give an example of how five of the many barriers to implementation listed in the book could manifest themselves for this organization. Also discuss how this organization could overcome these barriers.

The goal of qualitative research is to:

Students attending a state college have chosen to live in a neighboring community because it is cheaper than continuing to live on campus. This campus is fondly known as a "student slum" because of its living conditions and broader low cost of living. One day, a student was shocked to see an older person walking around the neighborhood and concluded that they must be visiting a student. This error in reasoning can be attributed to:

Constructivism implies that: