Running head: FUNDAMENTALS OF RESEARCH

Fundamentals of Research Name BSHS 382 February 3, 2013 Jason Cantone

FUNDAMENTALS OF RESEARCH

Fundamentals of Research Research plays an important role in the human services field everything a person wants to know involves some type of research. The scientific method is a method of research that can be viewed as a way to examine observations and bring answers to questions. The scientific method can be used in determining the cause of a problem and producing potential strategies to remedy a problem. This is done by asking a question, gathering data, and forming a hypothesis, conducting experiments to test the hypothesis, examining data generated from the experiments, forming a conclusion, and communicating the findings to those tasked with creating programs of change. The objective of scientific method is to provide clear steps for collecting information and if it is properly implemented can add to the legitimacy of the information acquired. In the human services field there is a constant need for research, use of the scientific method allows the researcher to look at a particular issue like child abuse, joblessness, or homelessness and examine the variables and statistical information, and decide what methods will work best for the particular clientele. Proper use of the scientific method in the human services field can play a big part in creating or improving programs and also provide possible intervention strategies to assist an agency. In order to conduct an open-minded and balanced research, there are steps that a respectable researcher must follow. Though the steps will vary among researchers, the steps are usually the same and are known as scientific inquiry. These steps include (Rosnow & Rosenthal, "Chapter 2 What Is the Discovery Phase of Scientific Inquiry?" 2008): 1. Ask a question 2. Background Search

FUNDAMENTALS OF RESEARCH

3. Defining Concepts and Variables 4. Form a hypothesis 5. Design and conduct experiments to support hypothesis 6. Form a conclusion

An example of when the scientific method could be used in the human services field would be a social worker in a community that has a high school with an extremely high teenage pregnancy rate. The social worker can use scientific inquiry to assist in determining the cause of the problem and suggesting possible intervention strategies. This would be done by first asking the question such as Why is the teenage pregnancy rate so high at this high school? To answer this question, the social worker would need to gather data and form a hypothesis by studying the variables leading to the high pregnancy rate. The researcher would then conduct experiments to test the hypothesis. Now that the experiments have been tested the data collected needs to be examined and a conclusion would be formed. Once a conclusion is formed, the researcher can share the findings with the individuals responsible for creating programs of change. There are many methods that can be used when one is attempting to conduct research, the idea is to obtain the necessary information to form a conclusion and work toward answering the primary question. Two of the most common approaches are gathering data through quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative research is a type of educational research in which the researcher decides what to study, asks specific, narrow questions; collects quantifiable data from participants; analyzes these numbers using statistics; and conducts the inquiry in an unbiased, objective manner (Creswell, 2008, "Chapter 2 What Does It Mean to Conduct Quantitative and

FUNDAMENTALS OF RESEARCH

Qualitative Research?"). The objective behind quantitative research is collecting data and generalizing that data with different groups of individuals. On the other hand, Qualitative research is a type of educational research in which the researcher relies on the views of participants, asks broad, general questions; collects data consisting largely of words (or text) from participants; describes and analyzes these words for themes; and conducts the inquiry in a subjective, biased manner (Creswell, "Chapter 2 What Does It Mean to Conduct Quantitative and Qualitative Research?," 2008). . In contrast, qualitative researchers depend on the answers of participants and normally ask broad questions while observing patterns and questioning the answers. Both quantitative and qualitative research is useful in the human services field when examining issues like teenage pregnancy. Both methods can be used toward finding answers to the question of the high teenage pregnancy rate. Qualitative research can be used to find commonalities of a group example why are so many teen aged girls becoming pregnant. Although quantitative research can be used to explain if a particular intervention influenced the group for example now that programs have been implemented for teenage pregnancy is there a drop in teen age pregnancy rate. At times, it may be necessary for a researcher to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. This is known as a mixed method of research. In the human services field, mixed method research can be useful when there is a need for both the numerical data and the documented data of an issue. The scientific method provides a clear path for gathering information and the opportunity for the human services professional to uncover variables of which that was not

FUNDAMENTALS OF RESEARCH

previously known and this information can be used to make tremendous improvements to an organization. These improvements can make an organization more efficient giving the organization the opportunity to provide more services and also save money in the process.

FUNDAMENTALS OF RESEARCH

References Rosnow R. L., & Rosenthal, R. (2008). Beginning Behavioral Research: A Conceptual Primer Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx?assetMetaId= e6955156-ad7f-4617-8f77-e8b61d8f72fc&assetDataId=5f6b57c9-9788-4ea8-92ac2b61920cfb34&assetpdfdataid=7ac3ba1a-f59e-4d11-b54b-45dc35d7ff6a.

Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational Research. Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (3rd ed.). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx.