Research Methods for Social Work

The text offers a balance of quantitative and qualitative research methods that equips students with insight into both methodological approaches. Rather than presenting a divisive or unbalanced picture, the text offers a balance of quantitative and qualitative research methods that equips students with insight into both methodological approaches and can be integrated in mixed-methods studies.

To ensure student comprehension, the text uses multiple examples that illustrate the material and its relevance for practice such as examples of published research studies, coverage of online research tools, how to conduct focus group interviews and a revised chapter on program evaluation, with a greater emphasis on pragmatism in outcome evaluations.

Helping students optimize their study efforts, each chapter provides helpful learning aids, including chapter outlines and overviews, "Main Points," review questions and exercises, clarifying charts and graphs. In addition, boxed features bring research content to life, illustrating its relevance to social work and its utility in informing social work practice.

The authors are highly regarded in their respective fields. A widely respected leader in social work, Allen Rubin is a past president of the Society for Social Work and Research. Earl Babbie is well respected in sociology and is the author of the best-selling research methods text in sociology.