Attendance
This course is taught in a lecture/discussion format.
Therefore, class attendance is required. For students who miss more
than one class session (except in a documented personal emergency), the
overall course grade will be lowered one level. Students who miss
more than two class sessions will automatically fail the course.
In cases of personal emergency, the student will be asked to withdraw from
the course and retake it the following academic year.
Required Texts & Readings
The following texts are required for the course:
American Psychological Association (2001). Publication
manual of the American Psychological Association (5th Ed.). Washington
D.C.: Author.
Rubin, A. & Babbie, E. (2008). Research
methods for social work (6th
Ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing
Co.
Viswanathan, M. (2005). Measurement error and
research design. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Additional readings are also electronic articles
available on the web or through library resources, including inter-library
loan. You will need to plan weeks ahead to make sure you have all the required
readings before they are due.
**Please note. Additional articles not listed
on this syllabus may still be assigned.
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to provide incoming
Ph.D. students with an opportunity to become familiar and comfortable with
the research process, particularly the doctoral research process, and to
gain an understanding of the expanding range of social work research options
that are available for use in developing knowledge regarding psychodynamic
social work. The underlying aim of the course is to assist students as
they work to develop a focus in a research area and to identify a researchable
question. Another aim is to provide an opportunity for students to become
knowledgeable about the philosophical orientations and methodological details
of a variety of research methods that may be used in social work research.
This course will not provide students with expertise in any one-research
area, but will provide a good foundation for further research work and
courses and promote flexibility in research endeavors.
The course will be a collaborative effort, drawing
upon the experiences and expertise of all class members. It will be delivered
in discussion and seminar format, with students acting as facilitators
or presenters during many sessions. The format will allow for a great deal
of interaction and lively discussion, and it is an expectation that these
exchanges will be conducted with openness and a desire to learn. While
a reading list has been complied to act as a framework for discussion,
students are encouraged to introduce other articles of interest. The written
assignments will allow students to focus on their area of substantive interest.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the course, students should
be able to:
-
Promote critical analytic skills for developing, implementing,
and critiquing research problems and questions appropriate to all levels
of practice, including practice at work sites.
-
Select appropriate quantitative and qualitative approaches
to guide research on a particular topic, including the use of available
data, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, surveys, intensive interviewing,
and participant observation.
-
Implement procedures for assuring the ethical conduct
of research, including the necessity of obtaining informed consent; inclusion
of safeguards to insure the confidentiality of research data; assurance
of voluntary participation in research; and an appreciation for not using
vulnerable populations as research subjects just because they may be more
available.
-
Use current technology, including the Internet and
a variety of existing social science and social work databases for understanding
specific human conditions and biopsychosocial interventions.
-
Design studies that contribute to knowledge about
social work clients, practice, and policy.
-
Critique existing research in terms of its ability
to rule out other possible explanations for findings.
-
Critique existing research in terms of its relevance
and generalizability, particularly to women, racial, ethnic, other minority
groups, and people from different socioeconomic classes.
-
Evaluate research according to principles of social
justice, cultural competence, and utility.
-
Develop procedures for coping with organizational
and sociopolitical issues in agency-based research concerning such issues
as how research projects get framed to how data access can be affected.
Course Expectations
Students are expected to complete assigned readings
in advance of class meetings. In addition to assigned readings in the text,
there are required journal articles, which raise important issues about
the topic in question. Everyone is absolutely expected to complete all
assigned readings, and to come to every class session prepared.
All students will be held accountable for adhering
to academic and nonacademic standards of conduct as described in the ICSW
Student Handbook, available on the ICSW website.
All papers must be in ICSW Style Manual format.
It is assumed that all written work will be completed independently, unless
otherwise specified. All written work must be typed with a word processing
program such as MS Word.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Accommodations will be made for students with disabilities.
Students needing accommodations for any type of disability must do the
following:
-
Go to the ICSW Director of Student Services to obtain
confidential verification of the disability and a statement of accommodations
recommended by that office.
-
Show the accommodation letter to the instructor at
the beginning of the course or before the start of the course.
Questions and Concerns
I am willing to meet with you at any time regarding
issues, questions, confusions, or clarifications. If an issue arises, please
make an appointment to talk with me in person as soon as possible. If you
have a concern about your grade(s), please talk with me as soon as possible.
Grades
Grades will be based on three criteria:
-
Class participation—(15 points the course grade) Participation
is defined as on-time attendance for complete class sessions, attentive
non-verbal behavior; offering comments relevant to course discussions,
and active participation in class exercises. Class sessions not attended
will be graded 0. Please see attendance policy for further clarification.
-
Reflective logs—(15 points of course grade). Written
logs of 2-3 pages (double spaced, 12 point font, 1” margins) each that
clarify applications of key concepts from the textbook readings for the
week must be submitted at the time of each class meeting. There is ample
room for creativity in log content, as long as they are coherent and relate
to readings. Logs should be in excellent shape grammatically and conceptually,
following strict APA (5th ed.) style. Since logs are designed to prepare
for class interaction, late submissions are not accepted. There are
three logs total, so each log is worth 5 points of your final grade.
-
Assignments—(70 points of course grade)
-
Assignment #1—Stage 1: Problem Statement, Research
Question(s), Conceptualization, Operationalizing, and Hypotheses Paper.
(10 points). Due March 1.
-
Assignment #2—Stage 2: Literature Review Paper
(10 points). Due March 29.
-
Assignment #3—Stage 3: Methodology and Survey Instrument
Paper. (10 points). Due April 12.
-
Assignment #4—Stage 4: Final Research Proposal, includes
Stages 1, 2, & 3, plus Proposal Abstract and IRB. (40 points).
Due May 10.
Course grades will be based on the total number of
accumulated points.
90-100 points= A; 80-89 points= B; 70-79 points=
C; 60-69 points= D;
< 60 = F
Course Outline
Session 1 – February 2
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: CAUSAL INFERENCE AND GROUP
DESIGNS
• Criteria for determining causality
• Internal and external validity
• Pre experimental designs
• Experimental designs
• Quasi-experimental designs
Required Reading
Rubin and Babbie, Chapters 10 & 11
Grote, N., Beldsoe, S., Swartz, H., & Frank,
E. (2004). Feasibility
of providing culturally relevant, brief interpersonal psychotherapy for
antenatal depression in an obstetrics clinic: A pilot study. Research
on Social Work Practice, 14(6), 397-407.
Morrison, K., Bradley, R., & Western, D. (2003).
The
external validity of
controlled
clinical trials of psychotherapy for depression and anxiety: A
naturalistic
study. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice,
76, 109-132.
Harris, S., & Busby, D. (1998). Therapist
physical attractiveness: An unexplored influence on client disclosure.
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 24(2), 251-257.
Session 2 – February 16
SINGLE-SYSTEM DESIGNS
• Selection of target problems and relevant outcomes
• Measurement issues
• Who gathers the data
• Alternative designs
• Ethical issues
Required Reading
Rubin and Babbie, Chapter 12
Due: Reflective log #1
Session 3 – March 1
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS I
• Terminology in qualitative research
• Issues in intensive interviews and participant
observation
• Focus groups
Required Reading
Rubin and Babbie, Chapter 17
Gallegos, N. (2005). Client
perspectives on what contributes to symptom relief in psychotherapy:
A qualitative outcome study. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 45(3),
355-382.
Huband, N., & Tantam, D. (2004). Repeated
self-wounding: Women’s recollection of pathways to cutting and of the value
of different interventions. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory,
Research and Practice, 77, 413-428.
Due: Assignment #1 - Stage 1: Problem Statement,
Research Question, Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Hypothesis(es)
Paper
Session 4 – March 15
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS II
• Qualitative analysis and basic coding
• Grounded theory
• Ethnography
• Qualitative research issues
• Audit trails
• Peer reviewing
Required Reading
Rubin & Babbie, Chapter 18
Olson, M., & Russell, C. (2004). Understanding
change in conjoint psychotherapy: Inviting clients to comment on the validity
of standardized change scores. Contemporary Family Therapy, 26(3),
261-278.
Phillips, P., Barrlett, A., & King, M. (2001).
Psychotherapists’
approaches to gay and lesbian patients/clients: A qualitative study.
British Journal of Medical Psychology, 74, 73-84.
Due: Reflective Log #2
Session 5 - March 29
UNOBTRUSIVE RESEARCH: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE
• Content analysis
• Existing data/secondary analysis
• Historical/comparative analysis
Required Reading
Rubin and Babbie, Chapter 16 & 20
Due: Assignment #2 – Stage 2: Literature
Review
Session 6 – April 12
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH
CULTURALLY COMPETENT RESEARCH
• Participatory action research
• Empowerment evaluation
• Culturally competent research
Required Reading
Rubin and Babbie, Chapter 5
Due: Assignment #3—Stage 3: Methodology
and Survey Instrument
Session 7 – April 26
PROGRAM EVALUATION
• Purpose of program evaluation
• Models of program evaluation
• Politics of program evaluation
• Basic logic models
Required Reading
Rubin and Babbie, Chapter 13
Due: Reflective Log # 3
Session 8 – May 10
ISSUES IN PSYCHODYNAMIC RESEARCH
Required Reading
Fonagy, P., Roth, A., & Higgitt, A. (2005).
Psychodynamic psychotherapies: Evidence-based practice and clinical wisdom.
Bulletin
of the Menninger Clinic, 69(1), 1-58. [Academic Search Premiere]
Due: Assignment #4 - Stage 4: Final Research
Proposal
