Elspeth Slayter, Ph.D., Associate Professor
School of Social Work, Salem State University
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 Check-in &
administrative matters
 Review of key concepts
from last week
 Discussion of readings on the process of evidence-based
practice
 Problem formation
 Group support on Assignment #1
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…questions about syllabus, assignments, break time, other
announcements?
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Agency
assessment and
identification of
research question
Annotated
bibliography
Full literature
review and
evaluation
proposal
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 Semester follows the process of developing a
research proposal
 Why research? What is the process of evidence-based
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




practice?
Problem statement
Research questions (hypotheses)
Annotated bibliography-literature review
Research design
Thinking about data analysis
Ethical challenges/study limitations
Potential study implications
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What did you take away from class last week?
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Critical consumption of
research
Ability to evaluate practice
• Choose practice approaches
• Choose evaluation
approaches
• Improve your critical
thinking skills
• Explain research findings to
your staff/team
• Understand what the
process of Evidence-based
practice REALLY means
• Determine
process/outcome
effectiveness
• Interact with consultants
• Work in a team
• Present information to your
staff
• Function effectively in a
data-driven and cashstrapped world
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Qualitative: How,
why
Quantitative:
Where, what, who
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 Two basic approaches to research?
 Research and evaluation?
 Process of evidence-based practice?
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Research
Qualitative
Program evaluation
Process/formative
Outcome/summative
Quantitative
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 Everything is open to question
 Publication does not guarantee quality
 Look for optimized objectivity
 Don’t rely exclusively on tradition, authority, common sense
and the popular media
 Ex-post-facto hypothesizing - it’s not that simple (page 18)
 Bandwagon appeal – look for pseudoscience (page 22)
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 What is going on in this study?
 What are the built-in assumptions?
 Do the conclusions follow from the data?
 What are the alternative explanations for the results?
 What other information would be helpful in testing all
of the explanations?
 What would I do differently?
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 Readings from
textbook
 Reading on “NUTS”
 Other readings
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1
2
3
4
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Did you happen to notice “EBP” talk in your work or
field settings last week after class?
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Discussion of Pignotti & Thyer article:
What is this study about?
What is the problem area?
What is a NUT?
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 What is the central research question?
 What was the purpose of this research (per textbook
classifications)?
 Does this article address the PROCESS of evidence-
based practice that we discussed last week?
 What else do we need to know about this topic that
isn’t answered by this study?
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We will be coming back to this article!
Don’t expect to “get” everything today
Trust the process!
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Looking up
references,
compiling
existing
information
Practice
evaluation
(a.k.a. program
evaluation)
Social research
that informs
social work
practice in some
way
All are
types of
Research
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 Do you want a review of how to search the library
databases?
 Information for Practice
 NIMH Publications
 NYAM Grey Literature report
 Child welfare information gateway
 Kaiser Family Foundation
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Area of interest
Existing knowledge or
theory
Problem area
Research question
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 Over-arching
research
question
(umbrella)
 Specific
research
questions
(points on
the umbrella)
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Area of interest
Existing knowledge/
theory
Problem area
Research question
Specific aims, hypotheses
Methods
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 Research
 Area of interest
 Review existing
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
knowledge/theory
Hone problem area
Develop over-arching
research question
Develop specific aims,
hypotheses if appropriate
Choose methods to
conduct study
 Process of evidence-
based practice:
 Area of interest in social




work practice
Review existing
knowledge/theory
Consider client, provider,
research
Choose intervention
approach (may or may not
be in literature)
Choose methods to
conduct evaluation
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 Purposes of social work research(not mutually
exclusive):
 Exploration
 Description
 Explanation
 Evaluation
 Constructing measurement instruments
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 9/23/14 Class 3: Implementing an evidence-supported
intervention: Program evaluation
1) Challenges to implementation of an evidence-supported
intervention
2) Program evaluation: Process/outcome or
formative/summative
Come to class ready to discuss: Your field placement or
former job (see me ahead of time if you are not currently
involved in a social work setting) in light of this week’s
readings
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