Planning and Conducting Agency-Based Research, 4th edition

Chapter 1

Orientation to Agency Research 1

If the Agency Has a Research Program 1

If the Agency Does Not Have a Research Program 5

Staff Views and Usage of Research 8

Agency Resources for Your Research 10

Timeline for Your Research Project 10

 

Chapter 2

Protection of Research Participants (Preliminary) 13

The University IRB 13

The Agency IRB 13

Prepare a Timeline for Your Human Subjects’ Review Application 14

 

Chapter 3

The Research Question 15

A Word About Evidence-Based Practice 16

What Would You Like to Know? 18

What Would the Agency Like to Know? 19

What Would the Clients Like to Know? 20

What is Your Research Question? 20

List of Student Research Questions and Design Type 21

Browse the Literature Related to Your Topic 22

Refine Your Research Question 23

Finalize Your Research Question 24

 

Chapter 4

The Literature Review: Finding and Evaluating Practice-Based Information 25

Helpful Tips 27

Conduct a Literature Search 28

Evaluate and Critique the Literature 32

Sample Critique for Empirical Studies 38

Sample Critique for Nonempirical Studies 42

Annotated Example of a Literature Review 46

Online Databases 51

 

Chapter 5

Choosing Your Methodology & Developing a Timeline 53

Determine the Purpose of Your Study 53

Develop Your Proposed Timeline 55

Timeline 56

 

Chapter 6

Survey Research 57

Translate Concepts and Variables into Measures 57

Construct Your Research Questionnaire 61

Plan How to Administer Your Questionnaire 63

Pilot Your Research Instrument and Plan for Data Collection 71

 

Chapter 7

Qualitative Research 73

Develop the Interview Agenda 74

Plan How to Conduct Interviews 78

Pilot Your Interview Agenda and Plan for Data Collection 83

 

Chapter 8

Single-Subject Design Research 85

Translate Concepts into Variables 86

Translate Variables into Measures 87

Identify the Specific Single-Subject Design 93

 

Chapter 9

Outcome Evaluation 97

Logic Models 99

Developing the Rationale for the Intervention 101

Developing Program Outcomes and their Measures 102

Choosing a Design 110

Selecting a Sample and Assigning Groups 111

Threats to Internal Validity 114

Example of a Logic Model 117

Threats to Internal Validity Application 119

 

Chapter 10

Sample Design 121

For Probability Samples 122

For Nonprobability Samples 128

 

Chapter 11

Protection of Research Participants 133

Outline Procedures for Obtaining Informed Consent 134

Confidentiality Safeguards 135

Construct a Consent Form 136

Request Agency Approval 138

Request IRB Approval 138

Sample Consent Forms 139

 

Chapter 12

Data Analysis for Surveys and Outcome Evaluations 141

A Word for the Statistically Intimidated 141

Computer Analysis 142

Descriptive versus Inferential Statistics 143

Table Construction 143

Presentation of Descriptive Information 144

Presentation of Group Comparisons 146

Statistical Significance 149

The Impact of Sample Size 150

Effect Sizes 151

Statistical Tests for Univariate Data 153

Statistical Tests for Group Comparisons 154

Testing the Relationship between Continuous Variables 156

Consideration of Moderating Variables 157

 

Chapter 13

Data Analysis for Qualitative Research 159

First Level Coding 160

Second Level Coding 161

Elaborate and Discuss Themes 162

Establish Credibility 162

 

Chapter 14

Data Analysis for Single-Subject Design Research 163

Visual Significance 163

Statistical Significance 165

Substantive or Clinical Significance 166

 

Chapter 15

Writing the Final Report 167

Revise Earlier Sections 167

Rewrite the Method Section 168

Write the Results Section 168

Write the Discussion Section 169

Compile the References and Appendices 170

Write the Abstract 170

Final Checklist 170

Abstract Examples 171

Research Paper Outline 172