Monash University

Leader: Professor C Goddard

Offered

Caulfield First semester 2008 (Day)
Caulfield First semester 2008 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

Topics include the purpose of research and its place in social work; research ethics including intellectual property issues; research designs including qualitative, quantitative, exploratory and experimental methods; developing research questions and hypotheses; sampling and data analysis including statistical analysis and writing research reports.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit, candidates should have developed an understanding of:

1. ethical issues relating to research with humans;
2. issues relating to the place and role of different types of research in Social Work;
3. the principles underlying qualitative and quantitative research;
4. research design, research questions and data collection methods;
5. a range of statistical techniques and when it is appropriate to use them.

Students are also required to demonstrate their ability to develop a research proposal.

Assessment

One or two assignments totalling 9000 words including a research proposal: 100%