SOCW 549: Research Foundations

THIS IS A SAMPLE OUTLINE.

ACTUAL COURSE OUTLINE MAY VARY IN STRUCTURE, REQUIRED READINGS,

TEXTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Course Calendar Description:

This course reviews foundational concepts and strategies of social work research with a focus on

the comprehension, critique and utilization of research in social work practice settings. Students

critically reflect on examples of research and examine how power shapes knowledge. Research

approaches for conducting ethical, emancipatory and socially just research are examined.

Required Texts & Materials:

• Wilson, Shawn. (2008). Research is ceremony: Indigenous research methods.

Canada: Fernwood Publishing.

• Readings and resources on the Coursespaces site.

Assignments:

Assignment Percentage Due

Question Evidence 30%

Social Math 20%

Research in the News 20%

Critical Appraisal of Research 30%

Assignment 1. Question Evidence (30%)

The way society measures or evaluates a policy or program can define that issue and can dictate

the kinds of ways we perceive ‘the problems’ as well as the kinds of responses and what is

progress. Select a policy or program that interests you, one where you can question the evidence

or measures that inform this policy/program. Prepare an article (1,000 to 2,000 words), written in

journalistic style, for example an article for a website, magazine, etc.

Describe the evidence and/or measures being used to define the policy/program, and/or the

responses and change. Then, provide an alternative, including a description of why it is

important to adopt a new or alternate approach, how this approach will differ and the value of

this new knowledge. The article should be both informative as well as engaging and include

references as required.

Assignment 2. Social math (20%)

Social math is the practice of translating statistics and other data in ways that they become

comprehensible and compelling by placing them in a context that provides meaning to an

audience. It is a process that seeks to put statistics into a meaningful context by relating them to

things we already understand. Often it is the use of analogies to present statistics to communicate

research findings effectively and often social math is presented within infographics. The

Berkeley Media Studies Group suggests these tips for calculating social math:

Break down the number by time

Break down the number by place

Personalize or localize your numbers

Provide comparisons to familiar things

Provide ironic comparisons

For more information see the brief resources provided on the course site.

Using social math to support your policy issue

http://bmsg.org/blog/social-math-support-public-health-policy

For this assignment create social math for an issue of your choice. Be creative and make sure

that you are accurate in all of your numbers, both your statistics and the comparisons. You can

present the social math as a visual (ie, an infographic or poster) or some other creative way.

Your submission should also include proper citations or credits for statistics and sources used.

The assessment of the assignment will consider your demonstration of understanding the concept

of social math, the validity of the information presented, the creative and thoughtfulness of the

presentation.

Assignment 3. Research in the news (20%)

This is a class presentation activity. Select a date to present your activity. Find a news report

online or in print that presents or cites research on an issue related to social work. Can include

research on social, health economic, political issues for example. Share the news report and

research to the class on Coursespaces on the Monday prior to your presentation date as a link or

a PDF. Then, in-class, present your Research in the News example, discussing:

Why this article capture your interest.

Describe the research and the findings (briefly).

What are your views about the research?

What are your views on the reporting of the research?

Because this is a research course, this assignment seeks to focus on the research in the news

more than an exploration of the social issue itself. Focus on the research and the reporting of the

research. Your presentation to the class should be less than 10mins and the discussion another

10mins.

Grading criteria for this assignment:

The response to the learning objectives: Evaluated for; completing tasks on time

and as outlined, the relevance of the example and how it is presented as relevant and

interesting for social work, your presentation of your own views and analysis.

Communication: Your ability to engage other students in discussion and

respectfully, thoughtfully and analytically respond.

The depth of your analysis and your ability to introduce ideas that show a complex

understanding of both your topic and the course material.

Assignment 4. Critical Appraisal of Research (30%)

Select two articles that explore the same research topic but differ in their approach or function.

For example; one qualitative and one quantitative, or articles using different research

approaches, or articles with different research purposes (ex: a knowledge synthesis and primary

research), or two articles that focus on two specific parts of one larger issue.

Refer to the articles, and relevant course materials but no need to use any other materials beyond

these to complete this assignment. The objective is provide your review of the articles and

demonstrate your ability to understand and assess research. Here are some prompts:

What is the issue under study? What are the research questions?

What is your standpoint?

Describe each article, and how they differ or are alike. In the description try to identify a

theoretical perspective, the methodology and methods.

What is the relationship between the researcher(s) and the researched?

What may be the benefits from this research? Who benefits?

What are the contributions made by these articles? What would you tell someone is the

reason they should read these articles, or not?

What are the limitations of each?

Provide you critical appraisal of the research.

Provide a summary and critique of any ethical considerations.

How do these articles inform your understanding or views?

What would you do if you had the opportunity to research this issue and produce a single

article presenting the research?

Write a paper that is approximately 1,500 words (maximum 2,000 words) that addresses these

objectives in a paper format (subheadings can be used but not Q&A format). Use APA format

throughout. Provide PDFs or links for the articles.

Course Units And Readings/Resources

Unit 1: Introduction to the course

Readings:

Wilson – Research is Ceremony – Forward & Chapter 1 (pgs: 6-21)

Unit 2: Where is research in critical social work?

Readings:

Potts, K., & Brown, L. (2005). Becoming an anti-oppressive researcher. In Brown,

L., & Strega, S. (Eds.), Research as Resistance (pp. 255-285). Toronto, ON:

Canadian Scholar’s Press.

Humphries, Beth. (2008). Chapter 7: Critical Social Research. Social Work

Research for Social Justice. New York: Palgrave MacMillan. pp. 104-119

Pease, B. (2010). Challenging the dominant paradigm: Social work research,

social justice and social change. The Sage Handbook of Social Work Research.

Sage Publications Ltd.

http://sk.sagepub.com/reference/download/hdbk_socialworkrsch/n7.pdf

Unit 3: Indigenous methodologies

Readings:

Tuhiwai Smith, L. (2012). Colonizing knowledges. In L. Tuhiwai Smith,

Decolonizing methodologies: Research and Indigenous peoples (pp. 61-80).

London: Zed Books

Kovach, M. (2015). Emerging from the margins: Indigenous methodologies:

Research as Resistance, 2e: Revisiting Critical, Indigenous, and Anti-Oppressive

Approaches, 43-64.

Hart, M. A. (2010). Indigenous worldviews, knowledge, and research: The

development of an Indigenous research paradigm. Journal of Indigenous Voices

in Social Work. 1(1), 1-16.

http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10125/15117/v1i1_04hart.

pdf?seq uence=1

Unit 4: The reflective researcher questions evidence

Readings:

Wilson – Research is Ceremony –Chapter 2 & 3 (pgs: 22-61)

Fook, J., & Gardner, F. (2007). Using critical reflection in research and

evaluation. In, Practising Critical Reflection: A Resource Handbook: A

Handbook. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=zOZRwQ8I5gUC&oi=fnd&pg=PP

1&dq=fook+using+critical+reflection+in+research+and+evaluation&ots=5txj5k8

XAp&sig=AJHAcbXV691-

A7p_g3AwUPtd5dI#v=onepage&q=fook%20using%20critical%20reflection%20

in%20r esearch%20and%20evaluation&f=false

Van de Sande, A., & Schwartz, K. (2011). Chapter 2: Research Paradigms. (Pages

1020). In Research for social justice: A community-based approach. Fernwood

Pub.

Blackstock, C. (2009). First Nations children count: Enveloping quantitative

research in an indigenous envelope. First Peoples Child & Family Review, 4(2),

135-143.

https://fncaringsociety.com/sites/default/files/onlinejournal/vol4num2/Blackstock

_pp135.pdf

Additional resources:

Finlay, L. (2002). “Outing” the researcher: The provenance, process, and practice

of reflexivity. Qualitative health research, 12(4), 531-545.

http://qhr.sagepub.com/content/12/4/531.full.pdf+html de Jong, D. H. (2015). A

New Paradigm in Social Work Research: It’s Here, It’s Queer, Get Used to It!.

Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping,20(4), 40-44.

http://www.reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/

article/v iewFile/1301/1199

Ferguson, J. (2013). Queering methodologies: Challenging scientific constraint in

the appreciation of queer and trans subjects. The Qualitative Report 18, Article

25, 1-13 http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR18/ferguson25.pdf

Unit 5: Literature reviews/Knowledge synthesis

Seminar with Scott Johnston, Social Work librarian

Readings:

Thorne, S. (2016). Chapter 3: Scaffolding a study. Interpretive Description:

Qualitative Research for Applied Practice, 2nd Edition. New York: Routledge

Ellison, C. (2014). Indigenous Knowledge and Knowledge Synthesis Translation

and

Exchange (KTSE). Prince George, BC: National Collaborating Centre for

Aboriginal

Health. www.nccah-ccnsa.ca Or;

http://www.nccah-

ccnsa.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/127/2354_NCCAH_KTSE_

report_ web.pdf

Additional Resources:

CIHR: A Guide to Knowledge Synthesis http://www.cihr-

irsc.gc.ca/e/41382.html CIHR: Synthesis Resources http://www.cihr-

irsc.gc.ca/e/36331.html

Schick-Makaroff, K., MacDonald, M., Plummer, M., Burgess, J., & Neander, W.

(2016). What Synthesis Methodology Should I Use? A Review and Analysis of

Approaches to Research Synthesis. AIMS Public Health, 3(1): 172-215.

http://www.aimspress.com/article/10.3934/publichealth.2016.1.172

Gough, D., Thomas, J., & Oliver, S. (2012). Clarifying differences between

review designs and methods. Systematic reviews, 1(1), 1:28.

http://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2046-4053-1-

28

Decolonizing Indigenous and “Southern” Methodologies: A Scoping review

(video.

(13:13mins)

www.caan.ca/decolonizing-indigenous-and-southern-methodologies-a-scoping-

review/ or … www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6dX94LVEZA

Barbour, R.S. & Barbour, M. (2003). Evaluating and synthesising qualitative

research:

The need to develop a distinctive approach. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical

Practice,

9(2), 172-186.

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgibin/fulltext/118896018/PDFSTART

Unit 6: The reluctant researcher – secondary analysis

Readings:

Thorne, S. (2016). Chapter 15: Building, Aggregating and Synthesizing.

Interpretive Description: Qualitative Research for Applied Practice, 2nd Edition.

New York: Routledge

Rainbow Health Ontario. (2012). LGBTQ Research with Secondary Data

http://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/wp-

content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2012/10/LGBTQRESEARCHWITHSEC

ONDA RYDATA_E.pdf

Unit 7: Critical appraisal of research

Readings:

Saini, M. (2012). A Systematic Review of Western and Aboriginal Research

Designs: Assessing Cross-Validation to Explore Compatibility and Convergence.

Prince George, BC: National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health.

http://www.nccah-

ccnsa.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/54/review_research_designs

_web.p df

Unit 8: The engaged researcher

Readings:

Wilson – Research is Ceremony –Chapter 4 & 5 (pgs: 62-96)

Stanley, D., Marshall, Z., Lazarus, L., LeBlanc, S., Heighton, T., Preater, B., &

Tyndall, M. (2015). Harnessing the power of Community-Based Participatory

Research: examining knowledge, action, and consciousness in the PROUD study.

Social work in public health, 30(3), 312-

323.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2014.1001935

Wallace, B. (2005). Participatory Action Research can be complicated: Some

questions to ask yourself and others before moving ahead. Perspectives: British

Columbia Association of Social Workers.

www.vipirg.ca/archive/publications/pubs/clippings/0505_bcasw_par.pdf

Additional Resources:

Pacific AIDS Network (PAN)’s Community-Based Research (CBR) Toolkit

http://pacificaidsnetwork.org/resources/cbr/cbr-toolkitresources/

Pacific AIDS Network (PAN)’s CBR Tip Sheet – Compensating Peer Researchers

http://pacificaidsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CBR-Tips-

CompensatingPeer-Researchers-Pacific-AIDS-Network-Final.pdf

Drugs and Community Based Research Ethics “Know Your Rights Guide”

http://drugscbrethics.com/

HIV CBR Ethics: Improving the Accessibility of Research Ethics Boards for HIV

Community-Based Research. 10 evidence-based fact sheets

http://www.hivethicscbr.com/#documents

The Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network: Principles of Research Collaboration

http://www.caan.ca/research/general-research-resources/

CAMH: Community-based research: Partnering with scientists A Guide for

Community

Members

http://api.ning.com/files/mAhJbRiQDqHi4cbFYIOfsknxX*VNAMVSC40RYfaI

LtVf*a7M7Jr579Jo0qG*EyAN8uDjh53OqavKb2Xb8djInWJKoASFqw/CBRCo

mmunityguideFINAL.pdf Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (2005). “Nothing

about us without us” — Greater, meaningful involvement of people who use

illegal drugs: A public health, ethical, and human rights imperative. Toronto:

Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Open

Society Institute

http://www.aidslaw.ca/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Greater+Involvement+-

+Bklt+-

+Drug+Policy+-+ENG.pdf

Plus, here is a 1-page version of what is included in the reading:

Nothing About Us Without Us – A manifesto by people who use illegal drugs

(poster)

© 2008 Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, International HIV/AIDS Alliance,

Open Society Institute and International Network of People Who Use Drugs.

http://www.aidslaw.ca/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GrtrInv-

intl_manifestoENG.pdf

FEANSA. Shared Values for Participation Principles, planning and evaluation

for participation of people who are homeless. European Federation of National

Organisations working with the Homeless

http://www.feantsa.org/spip.php?action=acceder_document&arg=2058&cle=52e5

6c9b3ba5e433bd13ae2cc70100960b98320f&file=pdf%2Ffinal_shared_values_pa

rticipation_en.pdf

Ontario Women’s Health Network. (2009). Inclusion Research Handbook.

Toronto: OWHN. http://www.owhn.on.ca/inclusionhandbook.htm

Rainbow Health Ontario. (2012). Community-Based Research with

LGBTQ Communities. http://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/wp-

content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2012/10/COMMUNITYBASEDRESEA

RCHWITHLGBTCOMMUNITIES_E.pdf

York University; Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (2010). Guidelines for

Conducting Research with People who are Homeless.

http://www.homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/ldnsjytd.pdf

Vancouver Native Health Society’s Research Committee Charter

http://www.vnhs.net/downloads/charter-finalized-2.pdf

Reading Break

Unit 9: Action research and KTE (knowledge translation and exchange)

Readings:

Wilson – Research is Ceremony –Chapter 6 (pgs: 97-125)

CIHR. (2009). Aboriginal Knowledge Translation: Understanding and Respecting

the Distinct Needs of Aboriginal Communities in Research.

http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/41392.html

Unit 10: The program evaluator

Readings:

Fiona Gardner. (2003). Critical Reflection in Community-Based Evaluation.

Qualitative Social Work, 2(2). 197-212

Wallace, B., Pauly, B., Perkin, K. & Ranftt. (2015). Shifting the evaluative gaze:

Community-based program evaluation in the homeless sector. Gateways:

International Journal of Community Research and Engagement. 8(1), 43–58.

Pauly, B., Carlson, E., & Perkin, K. (2012). Strategies to End Homelessness:

Current Approaches to Evaluation. Toronto: Canadian Homelessness Research

Network Press. http://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/strategies-end-

homelessness-current-approachesevaluation

Additional Resources:

Pacific AIDS Network. Participatory Evaluation Primer.

http://www.reachprogramscience.ca/new-resources-on-participatory-evaluation-

andimpact-evaluation/

Pacific AIDS Network. Impact Evaluation Primer.

http://www.reachprogramscience.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Impact-

EvaluationPrimer-FINAL.pdf

McCreary Centre Society. Asking Questions that Matter …and some tools to

answer them. A toolkit for community-based program evaluation in Yukon.

http://www.mcs.bc.ca/evaluation_resources

Gardner, F. (2003). Critical reflection in community-based evaluation. Qualitative

Social Work, 2(2), 197-212

http://qsw.sagepub.com/content/2/2/197.short

Manzano-Santaella, A. (2016). The Craft of Interviewing in Realist

Evaluation. Evaluation.

http://evi.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/04/01/1356389016638615.full.p

df+html Unit 11: The ethical researcher

Readings:

Wilson – Research is Ceremony –Chapter 7 (pgs: 126-138)

Berg, B., Hewson, J., & Fotheringham, S. (2012). Collaborating to Explore Social

Work Research Ethics. Canadian Social Work. Volume 14 (1), 11-26.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sarah_Fotheringham/publication/262105511

_Collab

orating_to_Explore_Social_Work_Research_Ethics/links/00b49536a934e0a09a00

0000.p df

Or, http://www.casw-acts.ca/en/canadian-social-work-journal-fall-2012-volume-

14-1

King, J. R., & Stahl, N. (2015). Revisiting Ethics Updating Earlier Beliefs with a

Queer Exemplar. Qualitative Inquiry, 21(2), 184-193.

http://qix.sagepub.com/content/21/2/184.full.pdf+html

Additional Resources:

First Nations Health Authority. Resources for Academics Interested in First

Nations Research. http://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/research-knowledge-

exchange-andevaluation/researcher-guides

First Nations Information Governance Centre. (2011). First Nations Regional

Health

Survey (RHS) Best Practice Tools for OCAP Compliant Research

http://fnigc.ca/sites/default/files/RHSBestPracticeBooklet.pdf

Ethical guidelines | VIPIRG http://www.vipirg.ca/ethical-guidelines/

Runnels, V., Hay, E., Sevigny, E., & O’Hara, P. (2009). The ethics of conducting

community-engaged homelessness research. Journal of Academic Ethics, 7(1-2),

57-68. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10805-009-9083-2#page-2

Unit 12: The 5-P principles

- Positionality, Political, Power, Process, Participation

School Notes:

Course Experience Survey (CES):

I value your feedback on this course. Towards the end of every course at the University of

Victoria, all students will have the opportunity to complete a brief, anonymous, online survey on

their experience as a student in the course. The purpose of the CES is to provide feedback to the

instructor, the department and the university as a means to improve and sustain the quality of

teaching, course design, and program development. The University regards it as a student’s

responsibility to provide such feedback in order to support the constant improvement of

programs for future students. Instructions to students will be provided for each course to obtain

access to the survey via laptop, tablet, or mobile device.

Request for Accommodation:

Please note that if you need assistance in order to fully participate and complete the assignments

due to disability or for any other reason, you need to discuss this with your assigned instructor at

the outset of the course or as soon as possible. The Resource Centre for Students with a

Disability (RCSD) staff are available by appointment to assess specific needs, provide referrals

and arrange appropriate accommodations http://rcsd.uvic.ca/. The School of Social Work's

Policy for People with Disabilities can be viewed at the following link:

http://socialwork.uvic.ca/policies/pwdis.htm. School policies on accommodation, grading,

submitting assignments, participation, course evaluation, grading, etc. can be accessed at

www.uvic.ca/hsd/socialwork/current/msw/policies/index.php. Please also note Faculty of

Graduate Studies policies that apply to all graduate students http://web.uvic.ca/calendar2014-

09/GRAD/index.html.

Policy on late assignments:

Please note that generally no extensions are given on any of the assignments in the course unless

the student has accommodations. A student who is unable to meet an assignment deadline due to

illness, accident, or family affliction, may be eligible for an extension. Unless a student

negotiates with an instructor prior to the deadline, a penalty for late assignments will be applied.

Please see the School’s policies regarding late assignments and late penalties.

Plagiarism and academic integrity:

Plagiarism involves using other people’s work without due acknowledgement, irrespective of the

site where the author’s work is published. Plagiarism may be done deliberately or unwittingly.

Either way, it constitutes a serious act of academic misconduct and will result in failure in the

course. If you may be unclear about what constitutes plagiarism and how you might prevent it

from occurring, consult the Policy on Academic Integrity at

http://web.uvic.ca/calendar2005/FACS/UnIn/UARe/PoAcI.html.

Other Policies:

Please access the following links for policies on accommodation, assessment of student learning,

submitting assignments, attendance and participation, course challenge, course evaluation, and

grading: http://socialwork.uvic.ca/policies