Reference no: EM132360540 , Length: word count:1200
The Inquiring Social Work Practitioner Assignment - Key Learning Paper
This assessment addresses Unit Learning Outcomes -
1. Explain the nature of interpretive inquiry;
2. Relate social work ethical practice to social inquiry.
This assessment takes the form of a Question & Answer format and covers issues relating to social work and qualitative research.
THE QUESTIONS -
1. Approaches to knowing
a. What are the key features of qualitative research? [250 words]
Incorporate in your response ONE of the qualitative social work research articles under Assessment 1 in the Reading List to illustrate your response.
2. Decolonising social work research
a. What are the key characteristics of decolonising qualitative research in social work? [150 words]
3. Evidence-based practice (EBP)
Evidence-based practice (EBP) in social work has been the subject of intense debate and contention. Traditionally, evidence in social work has been dominated by quantitative methodologies informed by positivism. In recent years qualitative research has challenged this dominance. Many social workers now promote qualitative research as both useful and relevant to addressing the complexities of practice.
You are a third year BSW student undertaking placement. Your supervisor thinks that quantitative research is the 'best' type of evidence for practice but is interested in knowing more about qualitative research as evidence. She asks you to:
a. Identify and explain four (4) ways in which qualitative research contributes to social work's evidence base. [250 words]
b. Choose another article from the Assessment 1 - Reading List (a different article from the one you selected in Question 1) and describe how the research presented in the article could be used as evidence to inform social work practice. Use the headings / questions below to structure your response. You can use dot points here. [150 words].
Article title including full reference
What is the main objective/aim/purpose of the research?
Evidence - how will the research contribute to social work theory and practice? i.e. what information could it provide? New knowledge? Please specify a particular field of practice, client group and/or service.
4. Ethics in research
Section 1 of the NHMRC (2007) Statement identifies four (4) values central to all research with humans -
I. respect for human beings
II. research merit and integrity
III. justice
IV. beneficence.
a. Drawing on the ESSENTIAL readings for Week 4 provide a description of each of the research values identified above as they apply to qualitative research; include any practical applications (e.g. informed consent, confidentiality etc) [400 words].