SOCIAL RESEARCH

RESEARCH

1. SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH SOCIAL WORK By Ms. J.PAULINE PETRICIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK BON SECOURS COLLEGE FOR WOMEN THANJAVUR , TAMILNADU

2. SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH UNIT-1 RESEARCH: MEANING: Research may be very broadly defined as systematic gathering of data and information and its analysis for advancement of knowledge in any subject. DEFINITION According to Clifford Woody, research comprises defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions ; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making deductions and reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis. OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH: The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the application of scientific procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is hidden, and which has not been discovered as yet. Though each research study has its own specific purpose, we may think of research objectives as falling into several following broad groupings: EXPLORATORY OR FORMULATIVE RESEARCH To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it (studies with this object in view are termed as exploratory or formularize research studies) DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group (studies with this object in view are known as descriptive research studies) DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH

3. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else (studies with this object in view are known as diagnostic research studies) 4. HYPOTHESIS-TESTING RESEARCH To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are known as hypothesis-testing research studies). CHARACTERISTICS The research should focus on priority problems. The research should be systematic. It emphasizes that a researcher should employ a structured procedure. The research should be logical. Without manipulating ideas logically, the scientific researcher cannot make much progress in any investigation. The research should be reductive. This means that the findings of one researcher should be made available to other researchers to prevent them from repeating the same research. The research should be replicable. This asserts that there should be scoped to confirm the findings of previous research in a new environment and different settings with a new group of subjects or at a different point in time. The research should be generative. This is one of the valuable characteristics of research because answering one question leads to generating many other new questions. The research should be action oriented. In other words, it should be aimed at reaching a solution leading to the implementation of its findings. The research should follow an integrated multidisciplinary approach, i.e., research approaches from more than one discipline are needed. The research should be participatory, involving all parties concerned (from policymakers down to community members) at all stages of the study. The research must be relatively simple, timely, and time-bound, employing a comparatively simple design. RESEARCH ETHICS Research ethics provides guidelines for the responsible conduct of research. In addition, it educates and monitors scientists conducting research to ensure a high ethical standard. The following is a general summary of some ethical principles:

4. Honesty: Honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Do not fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent data. Objectivity: Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review, personnel decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of research. Integrity: Keep your promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of thought and action. Carefulness: Avoid careless errors and negligence; carefully and critically examine your own work and the work of your peers. Keep good records of research activities. Openness: Share data, results, ideas, tools, resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas. Respect for Intellectual Property: Honor patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property. Do not use unpublished data, methods, or results without permission. Give credit where credit is due. Never plagiarize. Confidentiality: Protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for publication, personnel records, trade or military secrets, and patient records. Responsible Publication: Publish in order to advance research and scholarship, not to advance just your own career. Avoid wasteful and duplicative publication. Responsible Mentoring: Help to educate, mentor, and advise students. Promote their welfare and allow them to make their own decisions.

5. Respect for Colleagues: Respect your colleagues and treat them fairly. Social Responsibility: Strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms through research, public education, and advocacy. Non-Discrimination: Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or other factors that are not related to their scientific competence and integrity. Competence: Maintain and improve your own professional competence and expertise through lifelong education and learning; take steps to promote competence in science as a whole. Legality: Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies. Animal Care: Show proper respect and care for animals when using them in research. Do not conduct unnecessary or poorly designed animal experiments. Human Subjects Protection: When conducting research on human subjects, minimize harms and risks and maximize benefits; respect human dignity, privacy, and autonomy. QUALITY OF GOOD RESEARCHER 1 .He should be a votary of truth, truth should be his goal. 2. He should be able to dispel prejudice. He should not conceive any pre- conceived notion; rather he should maintain objectivity while gathering information.

6. The researcher should be capable of gathering accurate and in-depth information from the respondents. The researcher should be a keen observer of the phenomena and should not be complacent with approximates. He should always maintain precision and must try to avoid unnecessary details. He must analyze and interpret the collected information with a positive spirit and in the proper sense, notwithstanding his personal requirement or benefit. As a scientific genius, the research investigator must be adequately sensitive to difficulties “Where less gifted people pass by untroubled by doubt.” He should be in possession of sufficient moral courage to face the difficult situation and should not be discouraged due to non-cooperation of the respondents or nature of the research problem under investigation. SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH Social work research is the application of research methods to solve problems that social workers confront in the practice of social work. It provides information that can be taken into consideration by social workers prior to making decisions, that affect their clients, programmes or agencies such as use of alternative intervention techniques or change or modification of programme/ client/objectives and so forth. Institutions Following are some of the areas where of social work research methods and techniques can be applicable Case work

7. Group work Community organization DEFINITION According to C. A. Moser : “Social research is a systematized investigation to gain new knowledge about social phenomenon and problems.” Objectives of social research To facilitate the understanding of human behavior. To acquire knowledge about social phenomena, events, issue, problems etc. To identify functional relationship existing in the social phenomena. To find out the natural laws that regulates or directs social phenomena. To standardize the society concept, e.g. culture, struggle,generation gap, social distance etc. To formulate solution to social problems. To maintain social organization, remove social tension, misconception, etc. To develop social revival plan. IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH:

8. Discovery of facts and their interpretation . Social research provides answer to questions of what, when, how and why of man, social life and institutions. Discover of facts and their inter relationship help us to discard distortions and contribute to our understanding of social reality. Diagnosis of problems and their analysis . Our society has innumerable problems such as poverty, unemployment, economic inequality, social tension etc,. The nature and dimensions of such problems have to be diagnosed and analyzed. An analysis of problems leads to an identification of appropriate remedial actions. Systematization of knowledge . The facts discovered through research are systematized and the body of knowledge is developed. It contributes to the growth of theory building. d) Control over social phenomena . Research in social science provides first hand information about the nature of social institutions. This knowledge helps us to control over the social phenomena. சமூக நிகழ்வுகள் Prediction . Social research aims at finding an order among social fact and their casual relations. This affords a sound basis for prediction in several cases. Development planning . Systematic research can give us the required data base for planning and designing developmental schemes and programmes. Social welfare . Social research can identify the causes of social evils and problems. It can thus help in taking appropriate remedial actions. It also provides guideline for social welfare.

9. Difference between social work research and social research Basis of diffe r ence Social work research Social research Meaning Social work research study and focuses on the issues that affect an individual. Social research is focused on researching on large group of people or societies so they can provide services that are needed by many of them. Effects Social works research include the st udy of the different modes of treatment to help and determine the best recommendations. Social research deals with a l arge group and give various ideas to change the problems in the society Size Social research tends to have a micro focus. Social research tends to have a macro focus

10. STEPS IN RESEARCH Selecting the research area . Your dissertation marker expects you to state that you have selected the research area due to professional and personal interests in the area and this statement must be true. Students often underestimate the importance of this first stage in the research process. If you find a research area and research problem that is genuinely interesting to you it is for sure that the whole process of writing your dissertation will be much easier. Therefore, it is never too early to start thinking about the research area for your dissertation. Formulating research aim, objectives and research questions or developing hypotheses . The choice between the formulation of research questions and the development of hypotheses depends on your research approach as it is discussed further below in more details. Appropriate research aims and objectives or hypotheses usually result from several attempts and revisions. Accordingly, you need to mention in your dissertation that you have revised your research aims and objectives or hypotheses during the research process several times to get their final versions. It is critically important that you get confirmation from your supervisor regarding your research questions or hypotheses before moving forward with the work. Conducting the literature review . Literature review is usually the longest stage in the research process. Actually, the literature review starts even before the formulation of research aims and objective. This is because you have to check if exactly the same research problem has been addressed before and this task is a part of the literature review. Nevertheless, you will conduct the main part of the literature review after the formulation of research aim and objectives. You have to use a wide range of secondary data sources such as books, newspapers, magazines, journals, online articles etc.

11. Selecting data collection methods . Data collection method(s) need to be selected on the basis of critically analyzing advantages and disadvantages associated with several alternative methods. In studies involving primary data collection, you need to write about advantages and disadvantages of selected primary data collection method(s) in detailed manner in methodology. Collecting the primary data . You will have to start primary data collection only after detailed preparation. Sampling is an important element of this stage. You may have to conduct pilot data collection if you chose questionnaire primary data collection method. Primary data collection is not a compulsory stage for all dissertations and you will skip this stage if you are conducting a desk- based research. Data analysis . Analysis of data plays an important role in the achievement of research aim and objectives. This stage involves an extensive editing and coding of data. Data analysis methods vary between secondary and primary studies, as well as, between qualitative and quantitative studies. In data analysis coding of primary data plays an instrumental role to reduce sample group responses to a more manageable form for storage and future processing. Data analysis is discussed in Chapter 6 in great details. Reaching conclusions . Conclusions relate to the level of achievement of research aims and objectives. In this final part of your dissertation you will have to justify why you think that research aims and objectives have been achieved. Conclusions also need to cover research limitations and suggestions for future research . Completing the research . Following all of the stages described above, and organizing separate chapters into one file leads to the completion of the first draft. You need to prepare the first draft of your dissertation at least one month before the submission deadline. This is because you will need to have sufficient amount of time to address feedback to be provided by your supervisor.