My understanding of research and the different designs is still very unclear. As i looked back at my previous blogs I laughed at how stressed and lost I’ve been during this class!! I understand how or why it can be a useful tool in social work, however actually conducting the study is so confusing ! I realized how I entered with a negative mind set and fear of the topic and I believe that affected my grasping the class content. I remember taking a stats class in under grad and I was panicked , I did a lot better in that class than I thought. I was surprised and very proud I passed!

For this class I hoped to understand stats and research better, and I believe I’ve accomplished that . I would need a few more classes to understand but I did learn a little more and I’m ok with that. I need to get over my fear because it’s important to read and understand data so that you can use it or challenge the results, which is what makes the conversation never ending. I want to play a role is policy change and I know a good way to get attention is to present facts, and for that research is needed.

Ethical Research to me stayed the same before and after class. I believe in speaking out for what’s right not so much what’s popular. Everyone should try to keep , if no one else , themselves accountable for doing whats right.

I learned a lot about publishing rights, and the order in which certain permissions or rights are granted. It was interesting to learn about the order of authors and how that can be tied to work load or contributions.

I learned that there are a lot of rules and you have to be careful to not credit researchers in their work. I am learning the process and know it’s not real, but if it were, i’d be scared I don’t think i’ll even want to submit any work ! But I like the fact that there is a system to challenge people’s work , it’s sort of like a checks and balance thing.

As of right now , I have reached out for assistance from the professor . I received feedback that we will discuss in greater detail . I would also like to submit a draft to the writing lab to get help with my APA format, as that was a huge loss of points in my lit review.

I believe I might have to get a few more sources to expand on my paper and that will take time ! Once I meet with the professor I have to start ASAP!

I believe I need to break each section down and then combine after , because I get overwhelmed by all the different parts needed.

I still don’t quite understand all the design and the methods needed for each. But I do understand that it’s very important to get the right data to possibly answer our hypothesis question. The whole idea of the scientific methods is to be open to question what we think we know and be open minded enough to understand it might be proven wrong.

We’ve learned about nine different types of research , from case studies to meta analyses. Over all they all change in the way of who, what ,when and how the hypothesis will be tested .

At first I thought I could do a mix methods design with quantitative study on attendance and a qualitative on the community view of ASP. But after discussing it with the class, it would be easier/ more narrow to do just the qualitative study through surveys.

My question was does the involvement of teens in ASP lower / reduce crime involvement. That’s a big question to unpack, so I believe i’d like to start by collecting data on opinions of current programs and hope to get a sense of why , as the current research has reported, they do not reduce crime involvement.

I’d like to get a sense of how can we improve them to at least make more of an impact of the high risk teens targeted when programs were created. Getting those small pieces of information. I’d hope to like a puzzle, put it together and get the attention needed / add to the conversation. Maybe even start a new one , to re create or create better programs to help high risk teens.

As a researcher, which particular research methods (quantitative, qualitative, or a combination) do you tend to gravitate towards and why?

From what I understand quantitative is precise and general information with cause and effect. Where as qualitative is based more so on human experience, showing more than just numbers . Qualitative allows more of a flexible plan that evolves as observations are gathered. I think I would probably lean towards quantitative first as I am more of a facts type of person, However I can see many instances where qualitative might work better.

Do you think it’s important to recognize the biases in the choice of the research method? Why?

Yes , if you choose a certain method in hopes to get specific results , I would say that’s bias because it’s an intent to manipulate results attained

What could determine the use of a particular research method?

For new ideas , it might be best to use qualitative methods as they provide direction for our questions. Once we have that question we can then test hypothesis with a quantitative method.

What are my thoughts and feelings about statistics?

I have always struggled with math so I think that makes me fear statistics. The jargon confuses me as well so I lose interest or get frustrated . I remember when I had to take Stats in undergrad , I was terrified!! Sad to say that even with 9 years of field experience, I still have that fear now.

Why do you think you feel the way you do about statistics?

I think of statistics as a lot of research with many moving parts. It’s like unpacking societies big problems into smaller compartments to be able to find solutions or new ways of doing things. Seems easy until you start and realize how big the problem is.

What can we do as a class (or individuals) to appreciate statistics more fully?

Understanding that without research or statistics we would not be able to improve our ways of life. Statistics show patterns so they help track history trends. They can show improvements gained or loss. Statistics can play a role in the supply and demand of needs.

What is the purpose of statistics, if any?

Not quite sure, besides that statistics are a good way to analyze and track data.

What are your current biases with your research topic?

I think I wanted to find research that proved that ASP work in reducing teens involvement in crime, but so far that’s not the case. I have found over and over again that the evidence is weak and still very new at this time. More research from different angles have to be done to get better data. Another bias is the way programs are funded along with differences in curriculum makes a difference in program quality.

Why is it important to be aware of your biases when writing a literature review? 

In order to give accurate data / information we have to make sure we include ALL facts, not just the few that support our hypothesis. This way we contribute to research in a true real way to show good and bad so improvements can be made in the area of research.

Do you think your biases could affect the conclusions that you arrive at for the literature review?

They might have had they been in my favor, but that’s not the case with my topic. I’ve reported the different research done so far and as well as new angles being considered for future research.

Moving forward, what do we need to do to address those biases that we are aware of in our paper?

Make sure to address them and know that ethically we have to be open to both sides or as many sides as there may be to move this research along. I actually started thinking of mixed methods or even thought quantitative but ended up with a qualitative study of the community to assess ASP needs/wants/effects.

• What gains/new insights/perspectives have you made about the uses of research to your future social work practice?

I have always wanted to open a youth center in a low income neighborhood. As i’m trying to research the effectiveness on after school programs, i’m realizing that it would be a good idea to use/ get a neighborhood needs assessments as a insight of services I might need to offer . Or survey parents and teens on the types of programs they would participate in . What is the average income in that neighborhood, if there was a fee could the target population be able to attend ETC… Before this class I didn’t consider doing / looking into data as being part of my program set up list, but now I definitely see the benefits .

• How relevant is research to social work practice?

I believe it to be very relevant. It helps us know what ways to best service a client as well as new forms of treatments / resources as they develop. It helps bring a voice/ shed light on topics not other wise tested or challenged.

• What could research potentially do?

I think research can bring light to problems and solutions in society. It can be a way to give a voice to people who other wise wouldn’t have one. It can show us new ways of doing / understanding each other / and or cultures. It can create or improve treatments options as well as advocate for and teach clients how to advocate for rights. And it can be used to create social policies/ movements once enough attention is gained on a certain topic.

• How should social workers really think about the role of research?

It should be seen as a tool, as part of constantly improving the quality of service being offered. Research can also serve as a challenge for ourselves to look passed /beyond what we think we know as “normal” and be open to new/ different ways of accomplishing that same task. It can help us challenge / learn about our own bias and work through how that might effect the way we service clients.

• Do social workers have to choose between doing research and working for their clients? Are these two issues distinct or are they different sides of the same coin? (HINT: See Ch. 1)

No , I believe working with clients and research go hand in hand. I would agree that they are different sides to the same coin. In the reading , the book says ” Social work research seeks to give the field the information it needs to alleviate human suffering and promote social welfare”. As social workers we are on the ground level with the people and see/ experience the needs of services and policies that will be needed in order to for them to succeed. We also see whats currently in place and if it works / helps the intended population or not and can suggest way to improve resources . As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect! No, social workers are no where near perfect, but we strive to be aware of ourselves and others around us to help improve the world we live in.

I like this picture because it explains what we have learned about research methods already but it says repeat at the end. That shows that even just going through the cycle 1 time will never be enough. It shows that social work should ALWAYS have jobs because the work never ends.

I currently have 15 sources so I am ready to start my literature review, which at this point i’m behind/late!! For me I need to get better with time management ! I know writing is not my strong point , yet I still wait until the very end to start !! I also think forming my question took awhile because I couldn’t choose a topic . But now that I’ve finally figured all that out, I need to jump in and play catch!

So far from my search for sources I think I will need to switch gears or go a broader direction because it was kind of hard finding relevant articles . I noticed a lot of articles focus on a specific race and violence when it comes to youth. I also noticed a new term is being used and it’s no longer after school, but after care. So searching with different terms to see I find more relevant articles.

I’ve always had a fear of research methods and I believe that is making me anxious and before I even try I’ve already made up my mind to think I failed. Research papers are hard and have way too much jargon! But I’ve gotten a little more understanding of them this time around, so I shouldn’t let my feelings get me to the point were my grade is affected .