Social Work Research Ricardo

Snowball sampling

a. Relies on the referral process to provide information to further the sampling process. b. Is based on the idea that people often know others in situations similar to their own. c. Is useful for locating hard-to-access populations. d. *All of the above.*

In specifying the independent variable, which of the following need to be considered?

a. The frequency of appointments. b. The responsibility of all parties. c. Rules concerning how data are to be collected. d. All of the above.

Persons who seek the services of curanderas likely base their knowledge of the healing power of these Latin folk healers on which of the following types of knowledge?

Tradition

In doing a telephone survey, which is considered to be a resource requirement?

Training for data collectors.

In doing a mail survey, which is considered to be a resource requirement?

Accurate and complete mailing list.

Preparing qualitative data for analysis often involves which of the following:

All of the above.

Which of the following represent the purpose of a literature review in social work research?

All of the above.

In doing a telephone survey, what is a desired respondent characteristic?

Any level of literacy, for both youths and adults.

In doing an in-person survey, what is a desired respondent characteristic?

Appropriate when literacy and motivation are questionable.

The three ways to measure concepts are

Asking questions, making observations, and consulting existing records.

An individual with dementia does not have cognitive capacity to provide informed consent to participate in a research study, thus his legal guardian signs the informed consent form. The individual is still asked verbally if he would like to be involved. This is an example of which of the following?

Assent.

The purpose of a follow-up observations is to:

Determine whether observed differences between the pre-test and the post-test are maintained over time.

Which of the following represents a definition of social work research?

Developing knowledge in a systematic way that relies on a structured process of inquiry

This method of sampling focuses on cases that do not fit the usual pattern and represent the extremes of a phenomenon of interest:

Deviant cases sampling.

The interpretivist paradigm is concerned with:

Understanding social conditions through the meaning individuals ascribe to their personal experiences

Triangulation is best represented by which of the following?

Using several difference measures to assess progress.

In addition to reporting the response rate, researchers should compare respondents with nonrespondents on:

Variables that impact the dependent variable.

The term saturation refers to:

When no new information emerges from data collection.

The focus group method of data collection may be indicated in which of the following situations?

When the research question is exploratory in nature.

Social workers not planning to be researchers or evaluators still need to understand the research process for which of the following reasons?

a. It provides a framework for critically evaluating existing information. b. NASW membership requires social workers to be knowledgeable about research methods. c. Knowledge of the research process is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of oneÕs social work practice. d. Both a and c.

Limitations of the qualitative approach include which of the following?

a. Limited generalizability. b. Subjectivity. c. Inflexibility. d. *both a and b*

Which of the symbols below would be used to depict the independent variable or intervention in a group research design?

X

A structured survey is one in which:

a. A computer asks the questions and records the responses. b. The interviewer asks questions as they are written with the aim of standardizing the administration process as much as possible. c. The majority of questions are close-ended questions. d. *Both b and c.*

Limitations of the observational data collection method include which of the following:

a. Behavior that the researcher observes in a speciÞed segment of time is not always an accurate representation of typical behavior. b. It is difficult to observe all behaviors that occur because observers tend to become distracted by the environment. c. Observer interference may result in meanings being assigned to behaviors that differ from the meanings those being observed would assign to the same behavior. d. *Both a and c.*

A biased sampling frame is one that:

a. Cannot accurately represent the population. b. Does not include sufficient numbers of persons from vulnerable or oppressed populations. c. Produces systematic error in the research study. d. *Both a and c.*

Which of the following represent strengths of the observational data collection method?

a. Eliminates the need to rely on respondentsÕ self-report. b. Avoids the problems of social desirability and recall. c. Allows inclusion of nonverbal subjects in research. d. *All of the above.*

Which is part of the systems framework for tailoring a recruitment strategy?

a. Goal clarity. b. Use of contract. c. Meeting place. d. All of the above

An operational definition is one that:

a. Goes beyond a nominal definition of a concept to define it in a way that enables measurement. b. Defines a concept in such a way that it means the same thing to one person as it does to another. c. Is similar to a description one would find in a dictionary. d. *Both a and b.*

A key difference between qualitative and quantitative research methods in terms of data analysis is that:

a. In qualitative research, data collection and data analysis occur simultaneously, whereas in quantitative research data analysis occurs after data collection in complete. b. In qualitative research, researchers often specifically look for outliers, whereas in quantitative research, outliers are typically excluded. c. In qualitative research, data analysis does not follow a systematic process, whereas in quantitative, data analysis is very systematic and rigorous. d. Both a and b.

Which of the following represents a strength of reviewing existing records as a method of social work research?

a. It can reduce the data-collection burden on respondents. b. It can help the researcher avoid the time and expenses of collecting primary data. c. It effectively avoids both observer interference and social desirability bias. d. Both a and b.

Why do organizations evaluate programs?

a. It is consistent with professional ethics. b. It can influence social policy and practice. c. It is an essential component of the funding process. d. All of the above.

In terms of the margin of error, which of the following is true?

a. It is influenced by the size of the population. b. It is influenced by the size of the sample. c. It is calculated by dividing 1 by the square root of the number of elements in the sample. d. *Both b and c.*

The decision to sample is based primarily on:

Feasibility of the research relative to the size of the population.

The first step in program evaluation is to determine whether the proposed or current program

Fits within the organizations mission.

Changes in larger systems produced by the program are called:

Impact.

Maximizing the rigor of qualitative data analysis by validating the conclusions includes all but one of the following:

Maximizing statistical power.

The decision for selecting the data collection methods in a research study is based on

Minimizing error and maximizing response rate.

In group research designs, if two observations are utilized and one occurs before the intervention is administered, that observation is known as the:

Pre-test.

What type of needs assessment focuses on needs that are expressed in action?

Expressed needs.

Which of the following characteristics of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study make the research conducted so unethical?

A. It involved deception such that participants were never informed they were part of a research study. B. Participants were deliberately misinformed about the dangers of syphilis. C. Participants were extremely poor and paid handsomely for their participation in the study, making it participation coercive. D. Both a and b.

Which of the following best describes a sampling frame?

A list of all the elements in a population from which the sample is selected.

Random sampling is:

A means of selecting elements from a population so that each and every element has an equal chance of being selected.

An institutional review board (IRB) is defined by which of the following?

A peer/community review committee who volunteer their time to review research proposals and monitor ongoing research studies to ensure participant protection.

Single subject research is best described by which of the following?

A quantitative approach to documenting changes over time in a limited number of specific variables.

The ecological fallacy is defined as:

A statement related to one unit of analysis based on data collected by a different unit of analysis.

Which of the following research studies poses more than minimal risk?

A study of prisoners.

Which of the following represents a longitudinal research study?

A study of the economic well-being of one group of older women as they age.

Evidence-based practice refers to:

A. Interventions that appear to be related to preferred client outcomes based on scientific evidence B. A guiding pedagogical principle used by schools of social work to produce professionals who are lifelong learners C. Interventions that appear to be related to preferred client outcomes based on anecdotal evidence D. Both (a) and (b)

Which of the following entities might fund social work research?

All of the other available options

Which of the following represents criticism of the logical positivist paradigm?

All of the other available options

According the NASW Code of Ethics

All of the other options available

According the NASW Code of Ethics,

All of the other options available

Flexner's criteria for defining professional status include which of the following?

All of the other options available

Protecting the privacy of research subjects may include which of the following items?

All of the other options available.

Which of the following population groups would be considered vulnerable in terms of participating in research?

All of the other options available.

Research skills and knowledge can have a positive impact on social work practice and social conditions by answering which of the following questions?

All other available options

Logical positivism is defined by which of the following?

An empirical analysis that relies on observation and measurement as ways of knowing

When a research question is explanatory, but an experimental design is not feasible, the researcher should:

Be explicit about the limitations of the group research design when reporting the results of the research study.

The infrastructure to support social work research discussed in the text includes which of the following?

Both (b) and (c) ( The Society for Social worker Research (SSWR) and The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Which of the following represent the benefits of using single subject research to inform practice?

Both a and b. a. Evidence of progress. b. Promoting critical thinking.

In terms of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, research findings were used in which of the following problematic ways?

Both proponents and opponents of welfare expenditures utilized the same research to support conflicting points of view.

Strengths of the qualitative approach include which of the following?

Depth of understanding, flexibility, and lower expenses.

This qualitative research method yields a rich, detailed, and in-depth description and analysis of a single unit or small number of units:

Case study.

In doing a mail survey, which is a standard for the presentation of items or questions?

Closed-ended questions that are simple and require no explanation.

Which type of evaluation assesses the views of the consumers of the services?

Consumer satisfaction.

Which of the following best describes an analysis of the costs of delivering the program?

Cost analysis.

Prior to 1972, it took 2 years to rehabilitate individuals who became blind because of an industrial accident. John Saylor showed that a 12-week rehab program would cost less and offer greater psychological benefits. What best describes this type of analysis?

Cost minimization analysis.

Purposive sampling methods are typically utilized in qualitative research to:

Create samples that are likely to yield rich knowledge regarding the phenomenon of interest.

Regardless of the type of intervention, in evaluating, the services must be:

Described

Which of the following represents a function of social work research?

Enhancing communication between social workers, key stakeholders, and the public

This qualitative research method aims to understand an entire culture, subculture, or social group through extensive participant observation:

Ethnography

To determine whether a program can be evaluated, researchers conduct a(n):

Evaluability assessment.

Answering an explanatory research question with confidence requires which of the following group research designs?

Experimental

When social work evaluation focuses on information to be used in a process of program improvement, we refer to it as:

Formative evaluation.

A general statement about what a program should accomplish, but is not directly measurable is called a(n):

Goal.

This qualitative research method seeks to generate theory that arises from the data itself rather than being generated a priori based on the researcher's knowledge and experience:

Grounded theory.

Which of the following represent a close-ended question used in survey research?

Have you checked with friends or relatives in the past four weeks to find employment?

Rosenblatt (1968) and earlier researchers found that social workers rated research as the least valued activity in making treatment decisions, as evidenced by:

Having difficulty accepting findings that challenged their beliefs

Informed consent implies that the potential participant fully understands which of the following?

How and when the information will be recorded, stored, and destroyed.

The best method for assessing a nonresponse error is to examine:

How well the sample reflects the total population.

Which of the following represent explanatory research questions?

How will changes in retirement laws will impact legal marriage impact the quality of same-sex relationships?

A confidence level of 95% means that:

If the same study were conducted 100 times with random samples drawn from the same population, it would represent the true population value 95 times.

A multiple baseline design is useful for:

Illustrating the trend in a target variable in two or more related areas.

Which of the following statements best captures the difference between pure observation and participant observation?

In pure observation, the researcher remains apart from the group, but in participant observation, the researcher becomes actively involved in the research setting.

Expenses that are not directly related to clients are known as:

Indirect costs.

Which of the following is not an interview method used in qualitative research?

Interviews using a number of predefined responses.

The Belmont Report, the NASW Ethical Guidelines for Research and Evaluation, and Institutional Review Boards exist because of which of the following?

Many research participants were treated unethically in the past.

A statement that succinctly states an agency's purpose and focus is called a:

Mission.

The purpose of this method within the qualitative tradition is to generate a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of interest by expanding the scope of the research:

Mixed method design.

In doing a mail survey, what is an important respondent characteristic?

Motivated to respond thoroughly with attention to detail.

Which research method is employed to determine if there is a need for a service, whether the service currently exists or not?

Needs assessment.

What type of needs assessment focuses on definitions of experts?

Normative needs

Attrition refers to which of the following?

The tendency for research participants to withdraw prematurely from a research study

The four major steps of the qualitative data analysis process occur in the following order:

Organizing the data into concepts, developing the story, maximizing rigor by validating conclusions, and reporting the findings.

Which of the following represents a potential challenge of recruiting children in research studies in terms of obtaining parental consent?

Parents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may be less likely to return parental consent forms.

Which of the following represents a potentially coercive incentive for participating in research?

Paying $25 per hour for research participation to individuals who usually make 25 cents per hour.

The major advantage of probability sampling is that it:

Permits generalization from the sample to the population from which the sample was drawn.

This qualitative research method aims to capture the essence or meaning of the lived experience, or the individualÕs perception of his or her being in the world:

Phenomenology

Which of the following research designs is appropriate for answering exploratory research questions?

Pre-experimental.

If the sampling procedure you are using results in every element in the sampling unit having a known chance of being selected, then you are using which of the following?

Probability sampling.

In which of the following sampling methods does increasing the sample size allow the researcher to claim greater representation to the population?

Probability sampling.

Confidentiality refers to:

Promising not to reveal identifying information that the research participant has provided.

Operationalizing a concept accomplishes which of the following?

Provides conceptual clarity and removes all ambiguity about the meaning of the concept.

In-depth research focusing on extensive examination of a limited number of subjects according to the interpretivist tradition is known as:

Qualitative research

Which type of formative evaluation defines the standards for quality?

Quality assurance.

People assign more value to an opportunity when it is considered:

Rare.

Program evaluation refers to the use of which of the following to answer questions related to planning, evaluation, and improving social work programs?

Research methods.

The Belmont Report outlines three basic ethical principles that should guide ethical decision making in research. The three ethical principles are:

Respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

Baseline measures based on personal memories of past experiences, notes from a diary or journal, or formal school records are referred to as:

Retrospective baselines

The graph below depicts which of the following single subject designs?

Reversal design.

Use of qualitative methods would be appropriate if a research question relates to:

Rich descriptions of peoples lived experience.

Below are items found on several different questionnaires. Which is a dynamic measure?

Separated ___ Widowed ___

When survey respondents feel pressured to respond to questions in a certain way regardless of whether the response is true, this is known as:

Social desirability.

It has been argued that social work research is unique not because of the methods used to conduct the research, but because of the aims toward which the research is conducted. Which of the following accurately characterizes social work research?

Social workers use research to create applied knowledge or knowledge that will inform practice

An advantage of using a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software program is:

Such programs aid the analysis of text by making the process less manual.

When social work evaluation focuses on accountability and information to make decisions about the future of a program, we refer to it as:

Summative evaluation.

Internal validity refers to:

The amount of confidence we have that changes in the dependent variable are the result of the independent variable and not some other factor.

Qualitative research methods focus on which of the following kinds of data?

The deeper meanings of human experience.

Which of the following represent the two primary factors that help determine research priorities?

The extent of knowledge in the field and the amount of attention focused on a particular issue.

Which of the following represents a research hypothesis:

The higher a juvenile's self esteem, the less likely he or she will become an offender.

Experimental success is best defined as:

The intervention has produced a clear improvement, but the goals have not been completely reached.

Which of the following best defines an attribute in social research?

The options within a variable.

A descriptive research question is concerned with describing some phenomenon in a holistic way; an example of this is represented by which of the following?

The research intends to identify which approaches are the most effective means to produce specified changes.

Which of the following represents an explanatory research study?

The research intends to identify which approaches are the most effective means to produce specified changes.

Employing a quota sampling strategy would be appropriate in the following circumstances:

The research question focuses on a population that has distinct categories of membership or participation.

Which of the following represents one of the characteristics of a true experiment?

There is a temporal order in which the presumed cause occurs before the presumed effect.

The purpose of random assignment is:

To create pretreatment equivalency across groups.

The purpose of descriptive research is:

To describe characteristics of the problem and those affected by the problem.

The purpose of explanatory research is:

To explain why and how things happen.

The purpose of exploratory research is:

To gain an initial understanding of a problem area when we know very little about the problem.

The two key objectives of any recruitment strategy are:

To remove any obstacles to participation and increase motivation.

In terms of defining measurable goals, which of the following represents a true statement?

Whenever possible, it is best to define goals via positive rather than negative behaviors.

Single case research helps social workers determine which of the following?

Whether a specific situation is actually improving with a particular intervention.

In a resource-scarce environment, which of the following factors determine what problem areas warrant research attention over other problem areas?

a. The frequency with which the problem occurs. b. The extent of human suffering the problem produces. c. The cost of the problem to society. d. All of the above.

Which of the following represent limitations of basing social work practice intervention on research evidence?

a. The research evidence may show mixed or even contradictory results in several studies. b. The research may not be generalizable to your specific client population. c. There may not be conclusive research evidence on the issue to be addressed. d. All of the above

Which of the following suggests that an exploratory group research design is indicated?

a. The research question pertains to an area of research that is new or has not been investigated in depth. b. The research question pertains to the relationship between two or more variables. c. The intent of the research is to study some phenomenon as it is, without trying to alter it. d. *Both a and c.*

The role of gatekeepers in qualitative research sampling is:

a. To help the researchers achieve access to the participants. b. To enable researches to build trusting relationships with the population of interest. c. To protect the confidentiality of potential research participants. d. *Both a and b.*

Which of the following represent reasons for using qualitative research methods?

a. When very little is known about a topic and initial exploration is needed to even begin to know what to study. b. When there is interest in studying participantsÕ reactions to a natural setting or process to determine their experience of it, the meaning they ascribe to it, or their interpretation of it. c. When the goal is to develop new explanatory theory that is grounded in reality or the lived experience. d. All of the above.