Question 1

Explain the differences between the positivist, interpretivist and critical theory paradigms.​

Accepted Answer

The positivist, interpretivist, and critical theory paradigms are three different approaches to understanding and studying social phenomena.

Positivism is based on the idea that social reality can be studied using the same scientific methods as the natural sciences. Positivists believe that there are objective, measurable facts about the social world that can be discovered through empirical research. They emphasize the use of quantitative data and statistical analysis to test hypotheses and make generalizations about social phenomena.

Interpretivism, on the other hand, rejects the idea of an objective social reality that can be studied using scientific methods. Instead, interpretivists argue that social reality is subjective and can only be understood through the meanings and interpretations that individuals give to their experiences. They emphasize the use of qualitative data and in-depth, subjective analysis to uncover the meanings and interpretations that people attach to their actions and experiences.

Critical theory takes a different approach altogether, focusing on the ways in which power and inequality shape social reality. Critical theorists argue that social phenomena are not simply natural facts to be studied, but are instead the result of social, political, and economic forces that create and maintain power imbalances. They emphasize the need to challenge and critique existing power structures and to work towards social justice and equality.

In summary, the positivist paradigm emphasizes objectivity and empirical research, the interpretivist paradigm emphasizes subjectivity and qualitative analysis, and the critical theory paradigm emphasizes power and inequality in shaping social reality. Each paradigm offers a different perspective on how to understand and study the social world.

Question 2

​Research studies that do not involve theory:

Accepted Answer

A)  ​are useless. 
B)  ​cannot develop implications for theory advancement. 
C)  ​can have value. 
D)  ​none of the above. 
A)  ​are useless. 
B)  ​cannot develop implications for theory advancement. 
C)  ​can have value. 
D)  ​none of the above. C

Question 3

Which of the following statements is/are true about the hypothesis: Child welfare workers with social work degrees have a are more effective in preventing child maltreatment than are child welfare workers without a social work degree?​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​Type of degree is the dependent variable. 
B)  ​Child maltreatment is the independent variable. 
C)  ​Social workers is a variable. 
D)  ​All of the above are true. 
E)  ​None of the above is true. 
A)  ​Type of degree is the dependent variable. 
B)  ​Child maltreatment is the independent variable. 
C)  ​Social workers is a variable. 
D)  ​All of the above are true. 
E)  ​None of the above is true. E

Question 4

In deduction we start from observed data and develop a generalization that explains the relationship between the observed concepts.​

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

​Which of the following is an attribute? :

Accepted Answer

A)  ​Religion. 
B)  ​Female. 
C)  Occupation.​ 
D)  ​Socioeconomic status. 
A)  ​Religion. 
B)  ​Female. 
C)  Occupation.​ 
D)  ​Socioeconomic status.

Question 6

The expectation that increased education leads to a reduction in prejudice illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  ​a relationship between variables. 
B)  ​the notion of causation. 
C)  ​the associations that might logically be expected to exist between particular attributes of different variables. 
D)  ​a hypothesis. 
E)  ​all of the above. 
A)  ​a relationship between variables. 
B)  ​the notion of causation. 
C)  ​the associations that might logically be expected to exist between particular attributes of different variables. 
D)  ​a hypothesis. 
E)  ​all of the above.

Question 7

If the job turnover rate among child welfare workers with social work degrees is 10 percent per year, while the turnover rate among their counterparts without social work degrees is 50 percent per year, then a relationship exists between type of degree and turnover rate.​

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

An independent variable is

Accepted Answer

A)  ​a theoretical concept. 
B)  ​a variable influencing other variables. 
C)  ​a variable influenced by other variables. 
D)  ​a set of attributes. 
E)  ​either b or c, depending upon the variable. 
A)  ​a theoretical concept. 
B)  ​a variable influencing other variables. 
C)  ​a variable influenced by other variables. 
D)  ​a set of attributes. 
E)  ​either b or c, depending upon the variable.

Question 9

Contemporary positivists pursue objectivity in assessing social reality, but recognize that observation and measurement cannot be as purely objective as the ideal image that science implies.​

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Interpretive researchers focus on isolating and objectively measuring causes.​

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Marxism is an example of:​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​an ideology. 
B)  ​a paradigm. 
C)  ​a theory. 
D)  ​interpretivism. 
A)  ​an ideology. 
B)  ​a paradigm. 
C)  ​a theory. 
D)  ​interpretivism.

Question 12

Which of the following best illustrates the idiographic model?​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​A study of one client, seeking to understand the causes of the client's problems and what is effective in helping the client. 
B)  ​A study of 200 clients, seeking to generalize about whether ethnicity is related to premature termination of services. 
C)  ​Quantitative studies using graphs of population trends. ion of services. 
D)  ​Studies that reject the idea of determinism. ion of services. 
A)  ​A study of one client, seeking to understand the causes of the client's problems and what is effective in helping the client. 
B)  ​A study of 200 clients, seeking to generalize about whether ethnicity is related to premature termination of services. 
C)  ​Quantitative studies using graphs of population trends. ion of services. 
D)  ​Studies that reject the idea of determinism. ion of services.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is/are true about theory: of services.​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​It is a set of paradigms. 
B)  ​It is a set of values. 
C)  ​It a systematic set of interrelated statements that can help make sense of patterns in diverse observations. 
D)  ​all of the above. 
A)  ​It is a set of paradigms. 
B)  ​It is a set of values. 
C)  ​It a systematic set of interrelated statements that can help make sense of patterns in diverse observations. 
D)  ​all of the above.

Question 14

A study that attempts to develop an in-depth subjective understanding of a unique population is being guided by what paradigm?​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​early positivism. 
B)  ​post positivism. 
C)  ​interpretivism. 
D)  ​critical social science. 
A)  ​early positivism. 
B)  ​post positivism. 
C)  ​interpretivism. 
D)  ​critical social science.

Question 15

Comparing ideologies and paradigms, which of the following is true?​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​a paradigm organizes our observations and makes sense of them. 
B)  ​an ideology is a closed system of values and beliefs. 
C)  ​a paradigm does not tell us the answer. 
D)  ​paradigms are frequently discarded. 
E)  ​All are true except D. 
A)  ​a paradigm organizes our observations and makes sense of them. 
B)  ​an ideology is a closed system of values and beliefs. 
C)  ​a paradigm does not tell us the answer. 
D)  ​paradigms are frequently discarded. 
E)  ​All are true except D.

Question 16

A frame of reference for interpreting the world is referred to as a​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​paradigm. 
B)  ​theory. 
C)  ​hypothesis. 
D)  ​law. 
E)  ​concept. 
A)  ​paradigm. 
B)  ​theory. 
C)  ​hypothesis. 
D)  ​law. 
E)  ​concept.

Question 17

Researchers must choose either deductive methods or inductive methods; they cannot use both when studying the same research question.​

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Which of the following statements is/are not true about social work practice models?

Accepted Answer

A)  ​Some models expand over time, encompassing new areas of research findings and theory. 
B)  ​Distinctions between some models can become blurred over time. 
C)  ​One's orientation to a practice model can influence the way one chooses to conduct a research study. 
D)  ​All of the above are true. 
E)  ​None of the above is true. 
A)  ​Some models expand over time, encompassing new areas of research findings and theory. 
B)  ​Distinctions between some models can become blurred over time. 
C)  ​One's orientation to a practice model can influence the way one chooses to conduct a research study. 
D)  ​All of the above are true. 
E)  ​None of the above is true.

Question 19

Social work practice models are mutually exclusive; that is, they do not overlap.​

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

In reality, everything in human behavior can be explained entirely by factors we can identify.​

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 3: Factors Influencing the Research Process

Explain the differences between the positivist, interpretivist and critical theory paradigms.​

​Research studies that do not involve theory:

Which of the following statements is/are true about the hypothesis: Child welfare workers with social work degrees have a are more effective in preventing child maltreatment than are child welfare workers without a social work degree?​

In deduction we start from observed data and develop a generalization that explains the relationship between the observed concepts.​

​Which of the following is an attribute? :

The expectation that increased education leads to a reduction in prejudice illustrates

If the job turnover rate among child welfare workers with social work degrees is 10 percent per year, while the turnover rate among their counterparts without social work degrees is 50 percent per year, then a relationship exists between type of degree and turnover rate.​

An independent variable is

Contemporary positivists pursue objectivity in assessing social reality, but recognize that observation and measurement cannot be as purely objective as the ideal image that science implies.​

Interpretive researchers focus on isolating and objectively measuring causes.​

Marxism is an example of:​

Which of the following best illustrates the idiographic model?​

Which of the following statements is/are true about theory: of services.​

A study that attempts to develop an in-depth subjective understanding of a unique population is being guided by what paradigm?​

Comparing ideologies and paradigms, which of the following is true?​

A frame of reference for interpreting the world is referred to as a​

Researchers must choose either deductive methods or inductive methods; they cannot use both when studying the same research question.​

Which of the following statements is/are not true about social work practice models?

Social work practice models are mutually exclusive; that is, they do not overlap.​

In reality, everything in human behavior can be explained entirely by factors we can identify.​

Why Study Research

Evidence-Based Practice

Comparing Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods of Inquiry

The Ethics and Politics of Social Work Research

Culturally Competent Research

Problem Formulation

Conceptualization in Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiry

Measurement

Constructing Measurement Instruments

Causal Inference and Experimental Designs

Quasi-Experimental Designs

Single-Case Evaluation Designs

Program Evaluation

Sampling

Survey Research

Analyzing Existing Data: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods

Qualitative Research: General Principles

Qualitative Research: Specific Methods

Qualitative Data Analysis

Descriptive Data Analysis

Inferential Data Analysis

Writing Research Proposals and Reports

Filters

Explain the differences between the positivist, interpretivist and critical theory paradigms.

Research studies that do not involve theory:

Which of the following statements is/are true about the hypothesis: Child welfare workers with social work degrees have a are more effective in preventing child maltreatment than are child welfare workers without a social work degree?

In deduction we start from observed data and develop a generalization that explains the relationship between the observed concepts.

Which of the following is an attribute? :

If the job turnover rate among child welfare workers with social work degrees is 10 percent per year, while the turnover rate among their counterparts without social work degrees is 50 percent per year, then a relationship exists between type of degree and turnover rate.

Contemporary positivists pursue objectivity in assessing social reality, but recognize that observation and measurement cannot be as purely objective as the ideal image that science implies.

Interpretive researchers focus on isolating and objectively measuring causes.

Marxism is an example of:

Which of the following best illustrates the idiographic model?

Which of the following statements is/are true about theory: of services.

A study that attempts to develop an in-depth subjective understanding of a unique population is being guided by what paradigm?

Comparing ideologies and paradigms, which of the following is true?

A frame of reference for interpreting the world is referred to as a

Researchers must choose either deductive methods or inductive methods; they cannot use both when studying the same research question.

Social work practice models are mutually exclusive; that is, they do not overlap.

In reality, everything in human behavior can be explained entirely by factors we can identify.