SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH

Paper Code: 
MSW 124
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

Course  outcomes

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

 
 

On completion of this course, the students will be able to;

CO16.Understand the need for research in social work practice

CO17.Develop competence to undertake social work research

CO18.Develop skills in analyzing and interpreting qualitative  data

CO19.Competence in writing social research report

CO20. Develop competence to conceptualize a problem and undertake research.

Approach in teaching:

Interactive Lectures, Power Point Presentations, Discussion, Tutorials, Reading assignments

 

Learning activities for the students:

Self- learning assignments, Effective questions, Simulation, Giving tasks

 

Class test, Semester end examinations, Quiz, Solving problems in tutorials, Assignments, Presentation, Individual and group projects

  

 

12.00
Unit I: 
UNIT-I
  • Social Work Research: Meaning, purpose(s) and process
  • Inductive and deductive reasoning; quantitative and qualitative data.
  • The Ethics and politics of social work research.

 

12.00
Unit II: 
UNIT-II

Theory and its components: Meaning, functions and types of theory

  • Variable and their relationships
  • Hypothesis – meaning, attributes of a sound hypothesis and types
12.00
Unit III: 
UNIT-III
  • Research design: Meaning, functions and characteristics of good research design
  • Research designs based on: Purpose-exploratory, descriptive, explanatory; Unit of analysis-case (individuals), group and community; Method-survey, case study, experimental, Time dimension-cross-sectional studies and longitudinal studies.
  • Evaluation and action research
  • Unobtrusive research: content analysis,
12.00
Unit IV: 
UNIT-IV
  • Measurement and Scales: Meaning and levels of measurement, criteria of measurement quality; types of scales.
  • Sampling procedures: Probability and non-probability types; determination of size.

 

 

12.00
Unit V: 
UNIT-V
  • Data collection techniques: Questionnaire, interview and observation; Participatory and rapid appraisal techniques.
  • Data Processing: Editing, classification, tabulation and coding.
  • Writing social work research: writing quantitative proposals and reports; qualitative proposals and reports.
Essential Readings: 
  • Ahuja. R, 2006, Research Methods, Jaipur: Rawat Publications.
  • Royse, David. 2008(5th edition). Research Methods in Social Work.New York: Thomson Publishing.
  • Singh R.S., 2013, Social Work Research, New Delhi: Anmol Publication
  • Reissman, Catherine K., 1994, Qualitative Studies in Social Work Research, New Delhi: Sage Publications.
  • Young, P.V., 1988. Scientific Social Surveys and Research. New Delhi: Prentice Hall.
  • Mukherjee N., 1993, Participatory Rural Appraisal, New Delhi: Concept Publishing

 

References: 
  • Marshall, Chatherine & Rossman, Grethcer B., 1995, Designing Qualitative Research (2nd Edition), New Delhi: Sage Publications.
  • Feldman, Martha S., 1995, Strategies for Interpreting Qualitative Data, New Delhi: Sage Publications.
  • Rubin. A. &Babbie E., 1989, Research Methods for Social Work, California: Wadsworth Publishing Co.
  • Patton, Michael Q., 1988, Qualitative Evaluation Methods. New Delhi: Sage Publications,
  • Swartz, Omar., 1997, Conducting Socially Responsible Research, New Delhi: Sage Publications.
  • Ramachandran, P., 1990, Issues in Social Work Research in India, Bombay: Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
  • Jayaram, N., 1989,  Sociology: Methods and Theory, Madras: McMillan.
  • Sarantakos, S., 2005, Social Research, London: Palgrave MacMillan.
  • Long Norman & Long An., 1992, ed. Battlefields of knowledge: The interlocking of theory and practice in Social Research and Development, London: Routledge.
  • Sirkin, R. Mark., 1995, Statistics for the Social Sciences, New Delhi: Sage Publications.

 

e-RESOURCES:

 

JOURNALS

  • Qualitative Social Work, Sage Publications
  • Research on Social Work Practice, Sage Publications

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Academic Session: 
2023-24
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