Key Takeaways
- Research in social work education is essential for developing evidence-based practice and effective advocacy skills.
- Critical thinking and analytical skills, fostered by research, are integral to successful social work interventions.
- Proficiency in research can expand career opportunities and lead to advanced roles within the social work field.
The Importance of Research in Social Work
To understand social work research’s importance, we must first understand that social work is both a practice-based academic discipline and a profession that promotes people empowerment, social change, and social advocacy. Practice and research are intertwined in a wide range of ways, such as research influencing the adoption of new practices and current practices promoting research into causes, effects, and innovations.
Indeed, social workers become more effective and efficient in their evidence-based practice (EBP) and evidence-based treatment (EBT) when their strategies are supported by research.
Roles Research Plays in the Foundational Knowledge of Social Work Practices and Policies
When social workers use research in their practice, their programs and plans are backed by empirical evidence that increases their effectiveness, efficiency, and responsiveness in addressing current and emerging social issues. The empirical evidence that research provides can either challenge or support their current policies and practices, too.
Related:
Furthermore, by providing evidence based on observation, experimentation, and experience, research shapes, changes, and influences our current understanding of the theories, principles, and practices of social work.
The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, encouraged social workers to change many of their practices in addressing child protection given social distancing measures. Many research studies highlighted these changes and their causes and effects that subsequently influenced child protection practices in post-pandemic times.
Furthermore, research influences and informs the creation, implementation, and evaluation of our government’s social welfare policies affecting poverty, systemic racism, child and family welfare, and mental health, among others. In turn, these social welfare policies influence the curriculum in social work education and the foundational knowledge and skills that students gain.
Such is the importance of research that the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has highlighted the importance of research in its Social Work Code of Ethics.
The bottom line: Research builds on and expands the current body of knowledge in social work, including its history and trends, theories, principles, and practices. Both current and aspiring social workers have the technologies, tools, and strategies to challenge their practices, improve their services and delivery, and introduce innovations.
Ways Research Informs Evidence-based Practice and Contributes to Effective Decision-making
We must first understand the basics of the five-step process in evidence-based practice social work, namely:
- Ask. Create an answerable and focused question
- Acquire. Find research that will provide the best evidence to answer your question
- Appraise. Use critical evaluation strategies in the examination of the evidence and its suitability.
- Apply. Integrate suitable and useful evidence in addressing the issue based on your clinical expertise and your client’s specific needs.
- Assess. Evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention and its results.
Every step in the process uses research and its evidence. Social workers use research to build their knowledge and skills, ask questions challenging the norm, and choose the best interventions for their clients based on evidence-based assessment, treatment, and evaluation strategies.
Their decisions are informed by scientific research and its evidence, not just by their own experiences and anecdotal evidence. The result: Better decisions that serve the best interests of their clients.
Integrating Research into Social Work Education
With the crucial importance of research and research skills in social work as a profession, students must anticipate research education as an integral part of their social work education.
Overview of Integration of Research Education in Social Work Education
Social work degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels integrate research education in their respective curriculum in several ways.
- Courses in research methods
These courses usually cover topics in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, including the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. The specific course titles vary, with common titles being Introduction to Social Work Research, Advanced Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, and Clinical Research Methods in Social Work Practice.
- Fieldwork and practice-based group research projects
Students apply their research knowledge and skills during their practice-based research projects and fieldwork placements. Their research projects, for example, can be in community needs assessment, client satisfaction and outcome surveys, and midterm program reviews. Many degree programs also encourage students to participate in research internships or practicums with faculty members, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
- Thesis or capstone project
Research knowledge and skills are also put to the test in the final academic requirement – a thesis or a capstone project. In a thesis, students ask a theoretical question or add to the body of knowledge. A capstone project is about recommending a solution to a current social issue.
Core courses in social work education also integrate the acquisition of research competencies. Social Welfare Policy and Services, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, and Community Organizing and Development are the best examples.
Achieving Balance Between Theoretical Research Methodologies and Applied Research in Addressing Social Issues
Both theoretical research and applied research are valuable in finding solutions for current and emerging social issues. Striking the right balance can be tricky, but it’s possible.
On the one hand, theoretical research methodologies are useful in understanding the causes and effects of social issues, in creating theories and hypotheses, and in asking what-if questions. On the other hand, applied research methodologies are valuable in finding viable solutions for practical issues, determining the effectiveness of past and current interventions, and practicing evidence-based social work.
For social workers to address social issues, a balance must be achieved. The best ways are:
- Use data from theoretical research to inform practical solutions
- Apply data from theoretical research to create actionable strategies
- Let theoretical research and applied research influence each other through a continuous feedback loop
For example, research into trauma among young children enables social workers to create better trauma-informed care for youth populations in homes, schools, hospitals, and shelters. In turn, the professional observations and experiences of social workers in trauma settings can be noted in research studies – and the continuous feedback loop starts.
Developing Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills
Students involved in social work degree research are engaged in productive work that develops their critical thinking and analytical thinking skills. These are crucial soft skills in evidence-based social work practice because of their impact on the decision-making and problem-solving processes.
Roles of Research in the Development of These Soft Skills for Social Work Assessment and Intervention
Students engaged in research gain an understanding of the principles and practices in evidence-based social work. You will learn to make critical evaluations of evidence from research, including the credibility of information and suitability of application for the interventions you’re considering. The ability to challenge findings, question the orthodoxy, and ask difficult questions as part of the research are integral to critical thinking skills development.
Research is also crucial in social work analytical skills development because you must analyze data, interpret findings, and make conclusions from the available evidence. These activities are directly related to the assessment of the needs of individuals, groups, and communities and the determination of the best possible interventions.
Case Studies and Research Projects as Tools in Skills Development
Case studies are usually lifted from real-life scenarios where social work issues are filled with gray areas, multiple variables, and complex personalities. Students develop their critical thinking and analytical skills when they evaluate the information presented, make conclusions about the core issues presented, and recommend possible solutions to these issues.
Research projects develop critical thinking and analytical skills, too, when students interpret data, identify the core problem, and review the existing literature. These activities demand critical evaluation and objective analysis of the data presented.
If you’re planning on pursuing social work education, you must be prepared for the challenging intensity of case studies and research projects. You will likely encounter them in many, if not most, of your core courses, including research methodologies courses. Case studies are in child welfare and protection, community organizing, and family dynamics, among others.
Research as a Tool for Advocacy and Social Justice
The NASW’s Code of Ethics upholds social work advocacy research as among the profession’s core pillars. This isn’t surprising since advocacy for social justice, human dignity, and social equality has been and continues to be an integral part of being a social worker. The use of research as an advocacy tool comes naturally for social workers, too.
Research as an Empowering Tool for Future Social Workers
If you’re an aspiring social worker, you can use research as an effective and efficient tool in your advocacy for social justice and policy change. You shouldn’t be afraid either to become an advocate, even as a student, because great things start from small things.
Here are the ways that research empowers you and your advocacy in social work.
- Promote evidence-based advocacy.
Research provides strong evidence that will inform your strategies for addressing issues in social policy and social justice. You can either conduct your research or use the research of others as evidence.
- Identify the best practices in advocacy.
By studying the evidence, you can identify the best practices that experienced social workers have used in their successful programs, including treatments and interventions. Think of it as learning from the best and learning from their mistakes.
- Understand the cause and effect of issues.
Many research studies conducted on social policy and social justice focus on the identification of their root causes and effects. You can use their conclusions and evidence in informing your advocacy strategies.
Impact of Student-led Research on Highlighting Community Needs and Influencing Policy
Social work students engage in research throughout their studies, from case studies to capstone projects and thesis papers. Their impact on shaping social policy and highlighting community needs is significant in the following ways.
- Putting the spotlight on grassroots issues that have a direct impact on community welfare
- Increasing awareness among social workers, policymakers, and nonprofit organizations about pressing issues faced by underrepresented populations, remote areas, and at-risk groups
- Generating useful data for in-depth analysis in subsequent studies
- Mobilizing support from the community and stakeholders through evidence of urgent need
Student-led social work research is a treasure trove, thanks to a wide range of topics, including teenage homelessness, food insecurity among college students, and domestic violence in the LGBTQ+ community.
Career Advancement Through Research Expertise
Students in social work degree programs are strongly encouraged to take advantage of every research opportunity available. With every research experience, their research competencies increase. This comes with several benefits after graduation, particularly in competitive job markets.
Advantages of Research Experience in the Job Market
The projected growth of overall employment of social workers is 7% (2022-2032), or 63,800 openings, on average, every year. Even with the high demand, there will always be competition.
You and thousands of social workers will likely possess similar academic credentials and a state-issued license. Your competitive edge can be your extensive research experience and the knowledge, skills, and competencies that come with it.
Among the soft skills and competencies that employers find desirable among social workers are:
- Enhanced critical thinking and analytical thinking skills
- Improved ability for evidence-based practice
- Advanced problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Effective presentation and public speaking skills
- Efficient collaboration, teamwork, and communication skills
When you can demonstrate these skills in your resume, personal statement, and interview, you’re one step closer to being hired.
Opportunities for Advanced Roles
Social workers with extensive research experience from their undergraduate years and professional work experience have excellent competitiveness for leadership roles, too. The wide range of possible work settings include:
- Colleges and universities as professors, scholars, and researchers
- Government agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services
- Social service agencies
- Policy and advocacy organizations
- Nonprofit organizations
- Healthcare facilities, including medical clinics, hospitals, mental health clinics, hospices, and nursing homes
- Community development organizations
- Think tanks and research centers
- Consulting firms
In these organizations, social workers can assume leadership roles like director of social services, executive director, and program manager.
