Assignment : Peer Reviewed Social Work Journals
Reflect on the importance of using articles from peer-reviewed journals compared to information from the Internet. Ask yourself who evaluates the accuracy of information that you might obtain websites like Wikipedia and what form of accountability there is to ensuring that information is up-to-date, reliable, and valid.
Review the Final Assignment: Article Review and Critique in Week 10 for this class. Note that you will have to locate an empirical research article from a peer-reviewed journal. Begin to search for an article. Practice navigating the databases in the library by searching topics of interest. (Note: At this point, you do not need to identify the actual empirical research article. The goal of this assignment is to begin getting comfortable navigating the databases in the library).
For this Assignment, complete the following:
o Identify a list of 10 peer reviewed social work journals from the library that you might find helpful relative to your social work practice interests.
o In a 100-150 word paragraph, discuss why using research studies from peer reviewed journals is important to the development of knowledge in social work. For example, discuss the advantages of having articles reviewed by other scholars and researchers. Then using a case illustration, describe how articles from peer-reviewed journals can help to inform your social work practice decisions with clients, communities, agencies, and/or social work policies.
References
Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2012). Research methods for social workers (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon.
Gossett, M., & Weinman, M. L. (2007). Evidence-based practice and social work: An illustration of the steps involved. Health & Social Work, 32(2), 147-150.
Mutschler, E. (1984). Evaluating practice: A study of research utilization by practitioners. Social Work, 29(4), 332-337.
Social Work Policy Institute (2013). Why do we need social work research? Retrieved from
http://www.socialworkpolicy.org/research
Discussion: Evidence Based Practice
Competent social workers have many types of skills to complement a wide variety of theoretical knowledge. This skill set and knowledge base is often informed by research. Whether research is quantitative, qualitative, or a mixture of both, the information that well-formed studies yield contribute to the knowledge base of the social work profession as a whole.
For this Discussion, consider how evidence-based research informs social work practice. Think about how research findings translate into social work actions.
· Post your explanation of how research informs a social worker's application of the steps in the process of evidence-based practice.
· Be sure to explain how research contributes to what a social worker may do in practice.
· Please use the Resources to support your answers.
References
Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2012). Research methods for social workers (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon.
Gossett, M., & Weinman, M. L. (2007). Evidence-based practice and social work: An illustration of the steps involved. Health & Social Work, 32(2), 147-150.
Mutschler, E. (1984). Evaluating practice: A study of research utilization by practitioners. Social Work, 29(4), 332-337.
Social Work Policy Institute (2013). Why do we need social work research? Retrieved from
http://www.socialworkpolicy.org/research