Quantitative research methods in social work /
Ramesh Kumar Tripathi.
- xiv, 279 pages ; 24 cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction -- Social work research -- Experimental research and designs -- Social survey research -- Quantitative data analysis -- Research design in social work -- Quantitative methods in social work research -- Quantitative techniques for research methodology in social work -- Qualitative and quantitative methods.
"Quantitative research makes a very important contribution to both understanding and responding effectively to the problems that social work service users face. Social work knowledge and understanding draws heavily on research, and the ability to critically analyse research findings is a core skill for social workers. However, while many social work students are confident in reading qualitative data, a lack of understanding in basic statistical concepts means that this same confidence does not always apply to quantitative data. Quantitative research certainly does have certain advantages for social scientists aiming to make significant contributions to their fields. By operationalizing variables, quantitative research seeks to measure change, allowing us to make important comparisons and quantify correlations. Quantitative research aims to be generalizable to large populations by using specific sampling methods and large data sets. It can provide important descriptive statistics about a population or location, allowing us to grasp key characteristics of the object(s) of study. Quantitative methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. Quantitative research focuses on gathering numerical data and generalizing it across groups of people or to explain a particular phenomenon. This book is the definitive resource for anyone doing research in social work. It details both quantitative and qualitative methods and data collection, as well as suggesting the methods appropriate to particular types of studies." -- Back cover