Social Work Research

Paper Code: 
MSW 124
Credits: 
04
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

The  objectives of this course are:

1.To understand the nature, importance and application of the scientific method to the study of social phenomena.

2.To develop an understanding of the foundations, nature, purpose and relevance of research in Social work.

3.To develop competence to conceptualize a problem and undertake research.

4.To equip students to use research in social work practice and in the formulation of social policy & programmes.

 

Course Outcomes (COs):

 

Course

Learning outcomes (at course level)

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Paper Code

Paper Title

MSW 124

 

Social Work Research

 

CO13.Understand the need for research in social work practice

CO14.Develop competence to undertake social work research

CO15.Develop skills in analyzing and interpreting qualitative  data

CO16.Competence in writing social research report

 

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: 
  • Social Work Research: Meaning, purpose(s) and process
  • Approaches to social work research: Positivistic, interpretative and critical
  • The Ethics and politics of social work research.
     
12.00
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: 
  • 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: 
  • 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: 
  • 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.
     
References: 
  1. Blaikie, Norman, Approaches to Social Enquiry, Cambridge, Policy Press, 1993.
  2. May, Tim, Social Research: Issues, Methods and Processes. Buckingham, Open University Press, 1997.
  3. Reid, William J. & Smith, Audrey D. Research in Social Work, New York, Columbia University Press, 1981.
  4. Marshall, Chatherine & Rossman, Grethcer B. Designing Qualitative Research (2nd Edition), New Delhi, Sage Publications, 1995.
  5. Feldman, Martha S. Strategies for Interpreting Qualitative Data, New Delhi, Sage Publications, 1995.
  6. Patton, Michael Quinn, Qualitative Evaluation Methods. New Delhi, Sage Publications, 1988.
  7. Reissman, Catherine K. Qualitative Studies in Social Work Research, New Delhi. Sage Publications, 1994.
  8. Swartz, Omar, Conducting Socially Responsible Research, New Delhi, Sage Publications, 1997.
  9. Ramachandran, P. Issues in Social Work Research in India, Bombay, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, 1990.
  10. Society for Participatory Research in Asia, Participatory Research: An Introduction (Participatory Research Network series No. 3), New Delhi PRIA, 1995.
  11. Jayaram, N. 1989. Sociology: Methods and Theory. Madras: McMillan.
  12. Kothari, C.R. 1989. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, Bangalore, Wiley Eastern.
  13. Young, P.V. 1988. Scientific Social Surveys and Research. New Delhi: Prentice Hall.
  14. Ahuja. Ram. 2006, Research Methods, Rawat Publications.
  15. Wilkinson and Bhandarkar, Methodology and Techniques of Social Research, New Delhi: Himalaya Publishing House.
  16. Blyman, Alan. 2001, Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press
  17. Babbie, E.R. 2006, the Practice of Social Research, Wadsworth Publishing Company.
  18. Sarantakos, S. 2005, Social Research, Palgrave MacMillan.
  19. Galtung, John. 1967, Theory and Methods of Social Research. George Allen & Unwin.
  20. Jorgensen Danny L. Participant Observation: A methodology for Human Studies, New Delhi, Sage Publication, 19879.
  21. Sellitz, Claire, Johoda, M.D. and others. Research Methods in Social Relations, New York, Rinehart and Winston, 1959.
  22. Doby, John T. (ed.), an Introduction to Social Research (2nd ed.) New York, Appleton – Century-Croft, 1967.
  23. Goode, William J. & Halt, Paul, K., Method in Social Research, New York Mcgraw-Hill Book Company Inc. 1952.
  24. Long Norman & Long Ann, ed. Battlefields of knowledge: The interlocking of theory and practice in Social Research and Development, London, Routledge, 1992.
  25. Reichmann, W.J. Use and abuse of statistics, Penguin Books, 1981.
  26. Sirkin, R. Mark., Statistics for the Social Sciences, Sage Publications, New Delhi, 1995.
  27. Yeomans, K.A., Statistics for the Social Scientists: 2, Applied Statistics, Penguin Books, 1979.
Academic Session: 
2018-19
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