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Assignment 3

Student’s First Name, Middle Initial(s), Last Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course Number and Name

Instructor’s Name and Title

Assignment Due Date

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PART 1. BACKGROUND

(NO POINTS)

1. To begin, please specify the social work EFFECTIVENESS PRACTICE QUESTION

you are seeking to answer. Your practice question should be formatted using the PICO

framework and include each of the PICO components.

In low-income African American women (P), what would be the effect of the use of job

training programs (I) compared to non-specific social policy interventions (C) on quality-of-

life (O)?

2. Next, provide the reference for the article you selected and a link to the article:

Full Citation of Article:

Lam, L. (2019). A design for Workforce Equity: Workforce Redesign for Quality Training

and Employment: A Framing Paper. Washington: Center for American Progress.

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2019/10/16/475875/design-

workforce-equity/

Link: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2019/10/16/475875/

design-workforce-equity/
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PART 2. CRITICALLY APPRAISING QUALITY OF EVIDENCE

(70 POINTS TOTAL)

1. Indicate the type of research goal addressed in the study you appraised (exploratory,

descriptive, or explanatory) and briefly describe the goal in your own words. (10

POINTS)

Type of Research Goal:

 Explanatory

Goal:

When doing explanatory study, the aim is to explain why certain events occur as well as the type

and direction present in the connection shared by the variables under investigation. Accordingly,

the research aim of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of workplace design training

while also proposing the establishment of a novel future-resilient Worker Equity Trust Fund

(WETF) that would codify primary workers’ rights into an act.

Also provided by this study is an analytical framework for prioritizing equality issues at the

forefront of policymakers in the field of workers progress. Additionally, the paper provides the

theoretical underpinnings necessary to replace current workforce development standards with a

set of equity-based policy training and routine measures.

2. Using appropriate terminology and notation, state and briefly describe the design and

design methods used in the study described in the article you selected. Also describe the

extent to which the design of the study corresponds with the “intervention” and

“comparison” components of your PICO-formulated practice question. (10 POINTS)

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Design and Design Methods:

 The study design is a randomized control trial study.   Methods such as this one concern

allocating participants to either a control group or an experimental group based on a random

drawing. The only anticipated difference in randomized controlled test (RCT) between

experimental and control groups throughout the research is the result variable under study. This

study is systematic, and as a result, it emphasizes the need for a repeatable and rigorous search

approach. It is possible to classify the report in this instance as an investigative report. The

researcher draws on various research and random sampling to integrate views and develop a new

theoretical model, answer a research question, or verify an already recognized hypothesis.

Moreover, a research design that uses original data was provided in this case; there were such

studies available that were relevant to the practice question. The research work identified as the

most appropriate and best available evidence was specific to the practice question.

Alignment with Practice Question:

The design of a study must match the question asked in the practice session. In this particular

instance, the review design perfectly matched the comparison and intervention aspects of the

PICO-formulated practice question. The design approach enables the researcher to get data on

the good or negative impacts of job training on participants' quality of life by examining their

work histories. Additionally, it enables the researcher to gather data on the effects of other social
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policy interventions and compare it to the effect achieved when job training is used as an

intervention strategy. This is further supported by the fact that performing the research using

another method, such as an experimental approach, would have been more challenging than it is

now. Reeducation programs are regularly of low quality and are not always receptive to the

employment market's requirements. Employees are now required to evaluate a training program's

quality and employment prospects; to bear the financial burden of not only training but also fees

or books; and to take time away from their jobs, as well as transportation, housing, health care,

child care, and all of the other women’s responsibilities that come with it.

Notation

Design name: A randomized control trial study

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Diagram

Design Nomenclature
It comprised of Xs and Os

X - represents the independent variable

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O - indicates the process of observation or measurement.

X1: Equality

X2: Women of Color

O: Case Study Method. This involved an in-depth investigation of women of color.

3. Using appropriate terminology, state and briefly describe the target population, sample,

and sampling methods used in the study described in the article you selected. Also

describe the extent to which the sample corresponds with the “population” component

of your PICO-formulated practice question. (10 POINTS)

Target Population, Sample, and Sampling Methods:

In this research, low-income people who work in particular sectors form the majority of the

study's target group. Although this is a research work, it does not provide a specific sample or

sampling technique has been established for it. Moreover, it does not give any information on

the criteria used to pick the evidence used to get to its conclusion, which would have been

helpful. The sample and sampling procedures cannot be determined in this situation as a result

of which.

Alignment with Practice Question:

The selected target demographic has a high degree of correspondence with the population
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component of the practice question, as stated by PICO. The majority of the women of color in

the practice question are included in the population. A large proportion of low-income people

are members of minority groups. The fact that women and African-Americans are designated

minority groups means that they will be disproportionately represented among low-income

people working in various businesses and sectors, as would be anticipated. As a result, the

demographic identified in the research and the practice question is the same. They both face

difficulties related to the need to enhance their overall quality of life.

4. Using appropriate terminology, state and briefly describe the dependent variable(s) and

corresponding measurement methods used in the study described in the article you

selected. Also describe the extent to which the dependent variable(s) and corresponding

measurement methods of the study correspond with the “outcome” component of your

PICO-formulated practice question. (10 POINTS)

Measurement Methods:

The dependent variable in this research is the equality of opportunity in the workforce among

low-income people. Workforce equality is a significant social predictor of the standard of

living, which is an essential indicator of overall life satisfaction and well-being. The study was

a research report, even though no data was gathered and no measuring technique was

specified.

Alignment with Practice Question:

The dependent variable corresponds to the result component of the practice question
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developed using the PICO method. The result of the practice question was determined to be an

improvement in overall quality of life. However, the dependent variable is concerned with

equality in the workforce, which is a critical component in determining the general level of

well-being in a community.

5. What is your overall appraisal of the INTERNAL VALIDITY of the study based on the

appropriateness and rigor of the design, sampling, and measurement methods that the

researchers used? As part of your response, consider the strengths and weaknesses of

the study that stem from the study’s methods. (10 POINTS)

Internal validity is concerned with the degree to which the research results are correct due to

the use of suitable and rigorous methods in the study's development. Consequently, it is

possible to conclude that the report has poor internal validity. Although the research results

seem solid and acceptable, the researcher has not followed the procedures anticipated from

this kind of study. The absence of a search strategy and the inclusion and exclusion methods is

an example of this. Consequently, it is impossible to infer with certainty that the results are the

product of a well-conducted research study. The absence of identification of measuring

techniques has a negative impact on the study's internal validity.

6. What is your overall appraisal of the EXTERNAL VALIDITY of the study based on

the appropriateness and rigor of just the sampling methods that the researchers used?

As part of your response, consider the strengths and weaknesses of the study that stem

from the study’s sampling. (10 POINTS)

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It is essential to examine the degree to which the research results can be applied to compare

populations in various contexts when evaluating external validity. Because they are concerned

with the statistical representativeness of the sample, this research report typically relies on

external validity to evaluate the quality of its findings. In this case, the researcher has specified

the specific sample of participants, the number of studies reviewed, or the particular settings

considered in the reviewed studies, making it easier to determine the generalizability of the

study's findings. In addition, the researcher has specified the number of studies reviewed.

Consequently, the research design has few samplings, which creates a flaw in which the

study's external validity cannot be ensured. Thus, the findings may not be deemed accurate for

all low-income employees, particularly poor African American women of color.

7. In relation to your practice question, HOW STRONG IS THE QUALITY OF

EVIDENCE offered in the article that you selected, based on BOTH the internal and

external validity of the study, as discussed in your responses to the previous questions?

Critically discuss your answer. (10 POINTS)

Strength:

 Moderate

Critical Discussion:

External and internal validity does not support the conclusion that the proofs is of high quality.

Because the author did not adhere to the standard processes for writing a randomized control

trial study, the author's internal validity was insufficient. Although this is a low level of

evidence, it cannot be called a low level of proof. The paper offers reliable findings that
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contribute to the development of evidence in the subject of practice setting. For other research

investigations that used more traditional and rigorous designs and methodologies, internal and

external validity to assess the strength of the quality of evidence would have been more

suitable. Due to these limitations intrinsic to research methods chosen by the researcher, the

degree of the evidence's quality may be described as modest.

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PART 3. INTERPRETING AND APPLYING THE BEST AVAILABLE EVIDENCE TO

IMPROVE PRACTICE, POLICY AND SERVICES

(30 POINTS TOTAL)

1. Briefly summarize the results of the study described in the article you appraised

(include ONLY the results relevant to your practice question). (5 POINTS)

First and foremost, job training leads to increased opportunities for promotion, perks, and

wages for those who take part, thus improving their overall quality of life. Additionally, job

progression enhances one's overall quality of life by taking advantage of employer-sponsored

advantages such as equality in the workplace. The second finding is that job training

encourages multi-stakeholder collaboration methods to achieve equality objectives in the

workplace. Furthermore, evaluating partnership success as a metric, built on factors such as

the intended purpose, structure, and scope, will aid in the development of a better knowledge

of how to develop partnerships and optimize their efficacy in the long run. Additionally,

according to the research findings, job training enables low-income groups, such as African-

American women, to get work, which in turn increases the political power of the people who

participate in these programs. Because of their increasing political clout, these groups are

better positioned to fight for measures that promote job equality.

2. Based on the article's results, what is the answer to the effective practice question you

sought to answer? (5 POINTS)

Effectiveness Practice Question (0 POINTS):

In low-income African American women (P), what would be the effect of the use of job
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training programs (I) compared to non-specific social policy interventions (C) on quality-of-

life (O)?

Answer to the Question (5 POINTS):

Job training programs for low-income African American women may be more successful in

improving the quality of their lives by increasing their access to the labor force and raising

their standard of living. Other quality of life factors, such as education, job, wealth, and health,

are addressed in the paper.

3. In relation to your practice question, HOW STRONG IS THE APPLICABILITY OF

EVIDENCE offered in the article you selected? As part of your discussion, consider

how the goal addressed in the study aligns with your effectiveness practice question and

the extent to which each component of your practice question (i.e., PICO) is reflected in

the study. Also consider the external validity of the study. Critically discuss your

response. (10 POINTS)

Strength:

 Moderate

Critical Discussion:

According to the author, the article's evidence has a modest degree of relevance concerning

the practice issue. An essential goal of this research was to show the efficacy of workplace

design training while simultaneously advocating creating a new future-proof Worker Equity

Trust Fund (WETF) that would preserve fundamental worker rights into an act. This objective

is perfectly aligned with the efficacy practice question, which seeks to determine the success
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of job training to enhance the quality of life of African-American women. Equity is a

significant predictor of overall life satisfaction. In the research, all of the components of the

efficacy practice question were adequately addressed. This research focused on African-

American women classified as low-income minorities, which is the demographic studied in

the practice question. This is the group that was taken into consideration in the study. The

intervention in the question is job training, which is the same as that given by this research,

which prioritizes equity problems at the forefront of policymakers in workforce development,

which is taken into consideration. However, the study did not pay particular attention to the

comparative treatments examined in the question but examined a small sample of individuals.

For a final point, the study offers an analytical framework for putting fairness concerns at the

forefront of policymakers' minds in workers development. Finally, the study's primary

objective is work equity, which relates to the practice question's preliminary result since work

indicates the overall quality of life (QOL). Although the external and internal validity of the

research was low, this had a significant impact on the quality of the evidence since the

investigation was conducted using a randomized control trial study design.

4. Finally, briefly discuss the extent to which you would use the evidence offered in the

article to guide your professional practice based on your appraisal of the strength of the

QUALITY, and APPLICABILITY of the evidence. (10 POINTS)

I would seriously consider incorporating the evidence presented in the paper into my legal

expertise. The article makes it apparent that work training may be essential in improving

quality of life. When working with clients who belong to minority groups and suffer

employment inequality, lobbying and identifying opportunities for job training may help

increase their career progression prospects. The increased work opportunity would assist the
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client in coping with job inequality and impact other indicators of quality of life, which would

have an overall beneficial effect on their quality of life.

References

Lam, L. (2019). A design for Workforce Equity: Workforce Redesign for Quality Training and

Employment: A Framing Paper. Washington: Center for American Progress.

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2019/10/16/475875/design-

workforce-equity/
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Grading Rubric & Self-Assessment

PLEASE COMPLETE AND SUBMIT WITH THE ASSIGNMENT

COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C

Possible Self- Instructor

Item
Points Assessment Completes

PART 1. BACKGROUND 0

Item 1. 0

Item 2. 0

PART 2. APPRAISING QUALITY OF

70 TOTAL
EVIDENCE

Item 1. 10 9

Item 2. 10 10

Item 3. 10 10

Item 4. 10 9

Item 5. 10 8

Item 6. 10 9

Item 7. 10 10

PART 3. INTERPRETING AND

APPLYING THE BEST AVAILABLE

30 TOTAL
EVIDENCE TO IMPROVE PRACTICE,

POLICY AND SERVICES

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Item 1. 5 5

Item 2. 5 4

Item 3. 10 10

Item 4. 10 10

TOTAL POINTS 100 95