Research

Research is a systematic and critical inquiry towards understanding a phenomenon.

Research aims at description, explanation and understanding of various objects or
phenomena in nature and thus brings out original contribution to the existing body of
knowledge. Research provides us with the information and knowledge needed
for problem solving and making decisions.

Research is the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of

generalising to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in
the construction of theory or in the practice of an art (Encyclopedia of Social Sciences)

Research is fundamentally of two types.

a) Basic or Pure Research: aims to develop a body of general knowledge for the
understanding of human social behaviour by means of a combination of
empirical enquiry and application of theory. Basic research is not directly
applicable to the real world but it feeds applied research for further inquiry.
b) Applied Research: aims to provide knowledge and information that can be used
in practice and also to influence social policy. Applied research has direct
application and it also feeds basic research. 

Need and Relevance of Research

Research is a tool in building knowledge and facilitates learning. It’s a means to

understand various issues and to raise public awareness. It’s a tool to bring innovations
and improvements in products and services. Research helps in proving lies and
supporting truth. Research is inevitable in making better decisions, relevant policy
making and developing effective programmes/services. Research helps in problem
solving through identification of problem, diagnosis of causes and identification of
potential solutions. Research informs policy-making by providing descriptive baseline
data, analytical explanations about why things are the way they are, what factors
explain the way things are etc. It also helps in prediction, decision making, monitoring
and of the effects of changes during and after they have been made. Investigations may
be made to compare results in practice with predictions, or to monitor the effects of a
policy, management technique or treatment.

Inductive and deductive approaches in research

Deductive Inductive
aimed at testing theory concerned with the generation of
new theory emerging from the data
 more narrow in nature and is concerned
with testing or confirming hypotheses
Commonly associated with quantitative
research
Emphasis on causality
Begins with a hypothesis
Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Based on the type of methods employed for data collection, research is classified into
quantitative and qualitative researches. Those researches in which a combination of
both is used are called mixed method researches. The major differences between
quantitative and qualitative researches are,
Quantitative
Objective is to test hypotheses that the
researcher generates.
Concepts are in the form of distinct
variables
Measures (tools) are systematically
created before data collection and are
standardized as far as possible
Data are in the form of numbers
Theory is largely causal and is deductive.
Procedures are standard, and replication
is assumed.
Analysis proceeds by using statistics,
tables, or charts and discussing how they
relate to hypotheses (testing of
hypotheses).
moves from specific observations to
broader generalizations and theories, more
open-ended and exploratory
Commonly associated with qualitative
research
Emphasis on exploring new phenomenon
or looking at previously researched
phenomena from a different perspective
Usually use research question to narrow
the scope of the study
Qualitative
Objective is to discover and summarise
meanings once the researcher becomes
immersed in the data.
Concepts tend to be in the form of themes
and the objective is still to generate
concepts.
Measures are more specific and may be
specific to the individual setting or
researcher
Data are in the form of words from
documents, observations, and transcripts.
Theory can be causal or non-causal and is
often inductive.
Research procedures are particular, and
replication is difficult.
Analysis proceeds by extracting themes or
generalisations from evidence and
organizing data to present a coherent,
consistent picture. These generalizations
can then be used to generate hypotheses.
Social Research

Social research is the research involving social scientific methods, theories and concepts,
which can enhance our understanding of the social processes and problems
encountered by individuals and groups in society. It is the systematic method of
discovering new facts or verifying old facts, their sequences, interrelationships, causal
explanations and the natural laws which govern them; in the field of social sciences.
Social research thus implies scientific investigation conducted in the field of social as
well as behavioral sciences. Most of the subject matter of social research is qualitative. It
is conducted by sociologists, psychologists, economists, political scientists and
anthropologists.

Aims of social research

• To understand the functioning of society.

• To study individual behaviour and social action.

• To evaluate social problems, their effects on society, and to find out possible
solutions.

• To explore social reality and explain social life.

• To develop theories.

Social Work Research

Social work research may be defined as systematic investigation into the problems in
the field of social work. Social work research is the application of research methods to
solve problems that social workers confront in the practice of social work or in
improving social policy. It aims at providing information that can be taken into
consideration by social workers in making decisions which are likely to affect their
clients or schemes of things or agencies which are involved in the use of alternative
intervention techniques or transformation or modification of client / programme /
objectives etc. It also encompasses those complex questions which confront the social
work practitioners or planners or administrators of social work services which needs
further investigation.
From the theoretical point of view, social work research re-examines the special body or
knowledge, concepts and theories. But from the practical view point, it tries to evolve a
systematized theory and valid concepts so as to understand the efficacy of different
methods / interventions of social work to find out innovative interventions or alternate
treatments.
Social work research addresses psychosocial problems, preventive interventions,
treatment of acute and chronic conditions, and community, organizational, policy and
administrative issues. Covering the lifespan, social work research may address clinical,
services and policy issues. (NASW)

Need and purpose of Social Work Research

As social work is a practice profession, the major purpose of social work research is to
search for answers relating to interventions or practice effectiveness. It also helps in
seeking answers for surmounting the difficulties faced by the practitioners of social
work in the practice of their profession. Furthermore it provides the knowledge for
social work in building theory and for practice also. Another major purpose of social
work has always been to focus on assessment of practitioner’s work with individuals,
groups, families, communities or appraisal of agencies or programmes which are
concerned with the continued efforts of practitioners with many clients. A part from
these, a special purpose of social work research is evaluation. In fact, this is the reason
that designates social work research as evaluative research. The varieties of evaluative
researches undertaken in social work research are based on impacts or effects, efficacy
and effectiveness. The core of evaluative research under the rubric of social work
research lies in evaluation of agencies and its projects and programmes.

Scope of Social Work Research

Social work research informs professional practice. Through social work research, the
profession can:

• Assess the needs and resources of people in their environments and thereby also
demonstrate ‘need’ for resource/service claims
• Evaluate the effectiveness of social work services in meeting peoples’ needs,
examine prevention and intervention strategies and techniques; and thereby
helps in developing guidelines for practice.

• Justify current practice and also demonstrate relative costs and benefits of social
work services

• Describe dimension of an issue, identify causal connections and thus develop

new explanatory frameworks or concepts
• Credible evidence on outcomes of practice – accountability
• Practice research and programme evaluation
• Provide evidence for improved service delivery and public policies

• Substantiate profession’s claim for status and legitimacy

• Advance professional education in the light of changing contexts for practice

Thus, social work research embraces the entire gamut of social work profession;
concepts, theories, methods, programmes, services and the problems faced by social
workers in their practice. Since Social work is a diverse profession, the scope of social
work research extends to all areas of practice like i) Community Development ii)
Community Health (Including Mental Health) 12 Social Work Intervention with
Communities and Institutions iii) Child Welfare iv) Women Welfare v) Youth Welfare
vi) Aged Welfare vii) Welfare of SC & ST Groups viii) Poverty Alleviation ix) Physical
and Mental Disabilities x) Juvenile Delinquency xi) Crime and Correction etc. xii)
Management of Social Welfare Department and Organisation xiii) Disaster
Management xiv) Industrial Social Work xv) Issues concerning Advocacy and
Networking.

Scientific method

The method used in scientific research is usually termed as scientific method. Scientific
method is "an objective, logical and systematic method of analysis of phenomena,
devised to permit the accumulation of reliable knowledge". According to George
Lundberg (1946), scientific method consists of three basic steps, systematic observation,
classification and interpretation of data. Through these steps, scientific method brings
about not only verifiability of the facts, but also it lays the confidence in the validity of
conclusions.
Characteristics of Scientific method

• Reliance on empirical evidence: Research should be based on clear and definite

factual evidence. Relevant data are gathered by observation and
experimentation. Nothing is left to speculation. The validity and reliability of
data are thoroughly checked and carefully analyzed by employing appropriate
methods. On the basis of the findings of analysis, conclusion is reached.

• Ethical neutrality: Scientific method demands that the investigator maintains an

ethically neutral attitude in his search for knowledge. Science never passes
normal judgment on facts by designating them as good and bad. In his
professional capacity, the man of science is not supposed to take sides on issues
of moral or ethical nature.

• Generality: Principles evolved through scientific method are universal. The

conclusions drawn through scientific investigation apply to all cases and all
circumstances. The conclusions are not affected by the factors of time and space.
However, various branches of science do not attain the same level of
generalization.
• Commitment to objectivity: By objectivity it is meant that the scientific
investigation must not be influenced by the subjective biases of the investigator.
The researcher makes deliberate efforts to eliminate personal bias and prejudices
and resists the temptation to seek only such data that supports his/her
hypothesis. The emphasis is on testing, rather than proving the hypothesis. The
researcher is prohibited to make personal judgment. Instead it uses the data and
logic to lead to a sound conclusion. Objectivity is achieved through
standardisation of research instruments and analytical tools.

• Public methodology affording testing of conclusions through replication: There

is nothing secret or personal about a research process because science is a
collective, cooperative endeavor geared to the discovery of facts and unless the
methodology of scientific enquiry is made public, it would not enable the fellow
scientists or critics to replicate the initial enquiry for verification. Repeated
replications strengthen the conclusions and lend added evidence to it. At the
same time, it also ensures that mistakes, if any, in the initial enquiry are not only
repeated, but also removed in the process.

• Verifiability: Research findings presented must be verifiable. Research is a

scientific endeavour and hence its findings are open to scrutiny. This
characteristic of scientific method, i.e. verifiability, is related to the criteria of
objectivity. That is, a study which is based on objective facts can be verified.
Verifiability is achieved through two different approaches: first, analysing the
same data on the same sample through alternative analytical tools (statistical
methods); second, replicating the study on a different sample.

• Predictions based on probability: Science is concerned with relating the present

to the future. In fact, scientists strive to develop theories because, for one reason,
they are useful in predicting behavior. A theory's adequacy lies in its ability to
predict a phenomenon or event successfully. Conversely, if a theory generates
predictions that are supported by the data, that theory can be used to make
predictions in other situations. Prediction is achieved through the use of
statistical methods and techniques. In order to make accurate predictions (not by
coincidence) using the empirical data, use of probability techniques in taking
representative and adequate sample is important.

Ethical issues in research

• Deception, hiding, or misleading the respondents about the purpose of the

research (covert research);
 • invasion of privacy, or intrusion into matters the respondent would rather keep
to him or herself;

• Ethical issues in Data management: - This include three issues: 1) the ethical and
truthful collection of reliable data; 2) the ownership and responsibility of
collected data; and, 3) retaining data and sharing access to collected data with
colleagues and the public. Each issue contributes to the integrity of research.
Ethical data collection refers to collecting data in a way that does not harm or
injure someone. Harm and injury could range from outright physical injury to
harmful disclosure of confidential information. In comparison, truthful data
collection refers to data that, once collected, are not manipulated or altered in
any way that might impact or falsely influence results.
• Research misconduct is defined as fabrication (making up data or results),
falsification (manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes), or
plagiarism (appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words
without giving appropriate credit) in proposing, performing, or reviewing
research, or in reporting research results.

Ethical considerations in Research

Research ethics provides guidelines for the responsible conduct of social research. They
are a set of principles about how researchers and research organizations should conduct
themselves when dealing with research participants, other researchers and colleagues,
the users of their research and society in general. All parts of a research project – from
the project design to submission of the results – have to be upstanding in order to be
considered ethical. When even one part of a research project is questionable or
conducted unethically, the integrity of the entire project is called into question.
Typical considerations include:
• Recruiting study participants and informed consent,
• Keeping data secure and confidential,
• Making procedures, methods and findings transparent so that they can be
assessed,
• Respect for Persons – Informed Consent. The three requirements for informed
consent are, a) information must be disclosed to research participants regarding
the research procedure, their purposes, risks and anticipated benefits, alternative
procedures (where therapy is involved), and a statement offering the participant
the opportunity to ask questions and to withdraw at any time from the research.
b) Researchers must adapt information to be understandable to every
participant. This requires taking into consideration different abilities, intelligence
levels, maturity, and language needs. c) Voluntariness. Informed consent can be
neither coerced nor improperly pressured from any participant. If research
involves children, informed consent from parents is required.
• Respect for Persons – Privacy and confidentiality. Privacy and confidentiality
are very important components for research involving human subjects. People
have a right to protect themselves, and information gathered during research
participation could harm a person by violating their right to keep information
about themselves private. Identity of the individual shall be kept confidential
unless received consent in writing.