Social Work Research Practice unit (HGW423)

Each week, over a 10-week period, you will complete an hour of online learning activities (including lectures, videos, podcasts and other activities). You will also have approximately one hour of reading to complete each week. In total, you will need to allow 8-10 hours per week to complete all of the learning and assessments for this unit, including independent study. Optional webinars will be held throughout the semester.

You will need the following text:

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Research for Social Works: An Introduction to Methods (4th ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.  

You can purchase a physical copy of the book from online booksellers such as Booktopia. The UTAS library will also have physical copies (access may be limited in times of high demand) as well as access to the eBook version. 

Required weekly readings:

Week 1:

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Chapter 1 Social work research. In Research for Social Works: An Introduction to Methods (4th ed., pp. 3-38). Taylor & Francis Group.

Tilbury, C., Hughes, M., Bigby, C., & Hitchcock, C. (2023). Advancing social work research in Australia: Experience researcher perspectives. Australian Social Work, 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1080.0312407X.2023.2251434  

Gibbs, A., & Stirling, B. (2013). ‘It’s about people and their environment’: Student social workers’ definitions of social work research. Social Work Education, 32(3), 317-330. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2012.658365  

Week 2:

Rowe, S., Baldry, E., & Earles, W. (2015). Decolonising social work research: Learning from critical Indigenous approaches. Australian Social Work, 68(3), 296-308. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2015.1024264  

Bennett, B. (2015). “Stop deploying your white privilege on me!” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement with the Australian Association of Social Workers. Australian Social Work, 68(1), 19-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2013.840325  

Walter, M., & Suina, M. (2019). Indigenous data, Indigenous methodologies and Indigenous data sovereignty. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 22(3), 233-243. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2018.1531228  

Week 3:

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Chapter 2 Choosing your topic area. In Research for Social Works: An Introduction to Methods (4th ed., pp. 39-52). Taylor & Francis Group.

Week 4:

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Chapter 3 Developing research questions. In Research for Social Works: An Introduction to Methods (4th ed., pp. 53-80). Taylor & Francis Group.

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Chapter 4 Steps in the research process. In Research for Social Works: An Introduction to Methods (4th ed., pp. 81-109). Taylor & Francis Group.

Week 5:

Banks, S. (2019). Chapter 4 Ethics and social research. In M. Walter (Ed.), Social Research Methods (4th ed., pp. 83-118). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Week 6:

Flynn, C., & McDermott, F. (2016). Chapter 5 Research design: Shaping your study. In Doing Research in Social Work and Social Care (pp. 83-100). London: Sage Publications.

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Chapter 9 How do I evaluate my program? In Research for Social Works: An Introduction to Methods (4th ed., pp. 227-251). Taylor & Francis Group.

Week 7:

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Chapter 5 Sampling. In Research for Social Works: An Introduction to Methods 

You will need to access and reference other research books, journal articles and other resources to successfully complete the assessment tasks in this unit. Information about additional resources will be provided on MyLO. As a starting point, the following research texts and articles may be helpful and are available through the UTAS library. Please note that the recommended texts listed below are optional; you are not required to purchase these texts for this unit. 

Overall unit recommended readings:

D’Cruz, H., & Jones, M. (2014). Social Work Research in Practice: Ethical and Political Contexts (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.  

Flynn, C., & McDermott, F. (2016). Doing Research in Social Work and Social Care: The Journey from Student to Practitioner Researcher. SAGE Publications.  

Strega, S., & Brown, L. (2015). Research as Resistance: Revisiting Critical, Indigenous, and Anti-Oppressive Approaches (2nd ed.). Canadian Scholars.  

Walter, M. (2019). Social Research Methods (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.  

Gray, M., Plath, D., & Webb, S. (2009). Evidence-Based Social Work: A Critical Stance. Taylor & Francis Group. 

Please note, some additional readings have been provided to support your learning as they relate to weekly specific content and can be found in the library reading lists.