Social Work Statistics and Research
Textbook Exam Questions
Course Introduction
This course introduces students to fundamental concepts and techniques in statistics and research methods as applied to social work practice. Students will learn to collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data relevant to social work settings, enabling evidence-based decision-making and program evaluation. Emphasis is placed on understanding statistical tools, ethical considerations in research, and the critical appraisal of published studies. Through practical assignments and case studies, students develop the skills necessary to design research projects, utilize statistical software, and effectively communicate research findings in professional social work contexts.
Recommended Textbook
Empowerment Series Research Methods for Social Work 9th Edition by Allen Rubin
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Chapter 1: Why Study Research
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Sample Questions
Q1) According to the scientific method:
A) currently accepted knowledge should be open to question.
B) even the best research studies need to be replicated.
C) observations should be comprehensive and unbiased
D) All of the above
Answer: D
Q2) Legitimate ex post facto hypothesizing requires additional research.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) When social work practitioners utilize research discriminatingly, they help uphold and advance the values and mission of their profession.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q4) The misuse of authority refers to experts who discuss their area of expertise in public.
A)True
B)False Answer: False
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Chapter 2: Evidence-Based Practice
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Q1) If one finds that no quality research studies exist to answer one's EBP question, then no additional phase of the EBP process is needed.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) Practitioners engaged in evidence-based practice will
A) be critical thinkers.
B) track down evidence as an ongoing lifelong part of their practice.
C) question things that are based on tradition or authority.
D) think for themselves as to the logic and evidence supporting what others may convey as practice wisdom.
E) All of the above.
Answer: E
Q3) If an intervention has been supported by the best evidence, then it is safe to assume that it will be effective with a particular client.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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4
Chapter 3: Factors Influencing the Research Process
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Sample Questions
Q1) A probabilistic explanation takes the form
A) x is always y.
B) x is never y.
C) x tends to be y.
D) x is y if a and b are true.
E) None of the above is probabilistic.
Answer: C
Q2) Comparing ideologies and paradigms, which of the following is true?
A) a paradigm organizes our observations and makes sense of them.
B) an ideology is a closed system of values and beliefs.
C) a paradigm does not tell us the answer.
D) paradigms are frequently discarded.
E) All are true except D.
Answer: E
Q3) The empowerment paradigm focuses on using research to empower oppressed groups.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Comparing Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed
Methods of Inquiry
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Q1) Which of the following is/are an aim of qualitative studies?
A) Deeper understanding.
B) Generating hypotheses.
C) Discovery.
D) All of the above.
Q2) Many qualitative studies use more than one qualitative research method, while quantitative studies use only one research method.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following statements is TRUE about qualitative and quantitative research methods?
A) Scholars have always agreed about their comparative value.
B) They are incompatible.
C) They tend to measure different attributes.
D) None of the above.
Q4) Research procedures are more likely to be specified in advance in qualitative studies than in quantitative studies.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 5: The Ethics and Politics of Social Work Research
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Q1) The norm of voluntary participation threatens the social research goal of generalizability.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Explain why bias and insensitivity regarding gender and culture in a study's methodology can be relevant to the ethics of the study.
Q3) Which of the following statements is/are true about the dilemma involving the right to receive services versus the responsibility to evaluate service effectiveness?
A) This is not really a dilemma, since no conflict in values is involved.
B) All professionals agree that services should never be delayed, even if their effects have not yet been verified.
C) No professionals question the ethics of providing untested services, as long as we have good intentions.
D) All of the above are true.
E) None of the above is true.
Q4) Science is never influenced by political matters.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 6: Culturally Competent Research
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Q1) There is no foolproof recipe for ensuring that your research will be culturally competent in all respects.
A)True
B)False
Q2) It is not always easy to define who qualifies as a member of a specific ethnic minority group.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Describe the steps you would take to maximize the measurement equivalence of a study that compares the degree of caregiver burden among White, African American, Hispanic, and Asian American caregivers for relatives with Alzheimer's disease.
Q4) The best time to read about the culture of a population you seek to research is after you design your investigation.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Explain the difference between linguistic, conceptual and metric equivalence.
Q6) Ethnocentrism is the belief in the superiority of your own culture.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 7: Problem Formulation
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Q1) Cohort studies examine how specific subpopulations change over time, but the specific set of people observed will be different at different chronological points.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Reductionism refers to an overly strict limitation on the kinds of concepts and variables to be considered as caused.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Explain why it is usually important to review the literature early in the problem formulation phase of research. study.
Q4) Which of the following statements is/are TRUE about selecting a research question?
A) The selection should be based exclusively on the researcher's personal curiosity.
B) The question should pass the "so what" test.
C) Reading the research literature on the topic should be put off until after the research question is finalized.
D) The question must test a theory.
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Chapter 8: Conceptualization in Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiry
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Q1) Discuss how the quantitative and qualitative perspectives on operational definitions differ.
Q2) The following is an example of a good hypothesis: "Social work practitioners who work in mental health agencies do not care adequately for the chronically mentally ill."
A)True
B)False
Q3) Concepts are
A) empirical measurements.
B) variables.
C) mental images.
D) hypotheses.
E) definitions.
Q4) Concepts are mental images that summarize collections of seemingly related observations and experiences.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Extraneous variables are variables that are irrelevant to a particular study.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 9: Measurement
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Q1) Professor Smith gave an exam on Monday. On Wednesday Smith gave the same class the same exam. Professor Smith was clearly interested in assessing the exam's A) reliability.
B) validity.
C) face validity.
D) conceptualization.
E) precision.
Q2) The use of several different research methods to test the same finding is called triangulation.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Unobtrusive observation can be used for the purpose of minimizing social desirability bias.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Given a scale to measure family risk of child abuse or neglect, contrast a way to measure the criterion-related validity of the scale with a way to measure that scale's construct validity.
Q5) Describe how qualitative studies attempt to deal with reliability and validity.
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Chapter 10: Constructing Measurement Instruments
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Q1) In looking over the responses given to the items in question 7, you notice that a respondent checked "strongly agree" to all four items. As a methodologist, which of the following statements BEST describes your ideas about the respondent?
A) The respondent is a scale type 12.
B) The respondent probably fell into a response set.
C) The respondent is probably unsure about his or her feelings toward education.
D) The respondent must strongly agree with all the items.
E) The respondent has a high opinion of education.
Q2) Qualitative interviews must be completely unstructured in order to gain valid information.
A)True
B)False
Q3) There are several formats for contingency questions. Give illustrations of three different formats, using examples not presented in the text. How does the format for contingency questions differ from the format used for matrix questions? Give an illustration of the latter to differentiate it from the former.
Q4) Identify acceptable options for handling missing data in an index or scale.
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Chapter 11: Causal Inference and Experimental Designs
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Q1) Briefly describe how a study would be particularly vulnerable to the threat of statistical regression.
Q2) Attrition effects are automatically controlled when participants are assigned randomly to experimental and control groups.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Discuss how attrition can affect the validity of an experiment and describe steps to minimize attrition.
Q4) The problem of external validity refers to the generalizability of results.
A)True
B)False
Q5) What differentiates experimental from pre-experimental designs? Give an illustration of a situation in which an experimental design would be preferred and one in which a pre-experimental design would be preferred.
Q6) The classical experiment with random assignment of participants controls for measurement bias.
A)True
B)False
Q7) Explain what is meant by internal and external validity.
Page 13
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Chapter 12: Quasi-Experimental Designs
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Q1) Which of the following statements is true about client recruitment and retention in experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations in social work agencies?
A) Referring agencies almost never dump clients that they don't want to serve.
B) Referring agencies are usually eager to refer clients.
C) Referring agencies might resent having their referrals assigned to a control condition.
D) Clients usually welcome the use of randomized procedures to determine which service they receive.
Q2) Describe and explain the logical arrangements used in nonequivalent comparison groups designs, simple time-series designs, and multiple time-series designs.
Q3) Which of the following statements is/are true about case-control designs?
A) They are rarely feasible.
B) Data must be collected at multiple points in time.
C) Retrospective data are collected about past differences that might explain differences in outcome.
D) We can usually be highly confident about their internal and external validity.
E) We can usually be highly confident about the direction of causal influence.
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Chapter 13: Single-Case Evaluation Designs
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Q1) Explain how B or B+ designs can have value in the evidence-based practice process despite lacking an adequate baseline phase.
Q2) Discuss why it can be argued that a single-case AB design, if done appropriately, has greater internal validity than a simple pretest/posttest group design with no control group.
Q3) If a self-report scale has high reliability and validity in group research, we can assume it will have equally high reliability and validity in single-case experiments.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Self-monitoring is an example of obtrusive observation.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Explain why it is important to obtain a stable baseline, if possible. Explain your answer in connection to threats to internal validity.
Q6) Most social work target problems or goals cannot be defined in operational terms.
A)True
B)False
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Page 15
Chapter 14: Program Evaluation
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Q1) External evaluators, as compared to In-house evaluators, are likely to:
A) have less access to program information and personnel.
B) have more knowledge about program processes.
C) have less independence from agency administrators.
D) experience no pressure whatsoever from stakeholders regarding desired results.
Q2) Which of the following statements is true about the goal attainment model of program evaluation?
A) It emphasizes qualitative methods and deemphasizes experimental and quasi-experimental designs.
B) One problem is that formal goals are often stated in grandiose and vague terms.
C) No more than one operational indicator of success should be measured.
D) Cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit analysis both attempt to monetize program outcomes.
Q3) Discuss and provide an example of the value of qualitative approaches to program evaluation.
Q4) Why might the increasing importance that funding sources attach to program evaluation be a mixed blessing in terms of the way politics can affect program evaluations?
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Chapter 15: Sampling
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Q1) Selecting a sample that the researcher believes will yield the most comprehensive understanding of a subject based on the researcher's knowledge of the population is employing purposive or judgmental sampling.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Multistage cluster sampling requires a complete listing of all the elements in a population.
A)True
B)False
Q3) You are doing research on hospital personnel-orderlies, technicians, nurses, and doctors. You want to be sure you draw a sample that has cases in each of the personnel categories. You want to use probability sampling. An appropriate strategy would be
A) simple random sampling.
B) quota sampling.
C) cluster sampling.
D) stratified sampling.
E) accidental sampling.
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Chapter 16: Survey Research
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Q1) A response rate of at least 50 percent guarantees the absence of any response bias.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Monitoring questionnaire returns
A) provides a clue about when to launch a follow-up mailing.
B) does NOT enable you to estimate sampling bias.
C) should begin two to three months after the questionnaires are mailed.
D) should be used only when surveys are NOT anonymous.
Q3) A prime advantage of online surveys is the representativeness of respondents.
A)True
B)False
Q4) In contrast to interviews, self-administered questionnaires have the advantage of A) being more effective in dealing with complicated issues.
B) producing fewer incomplete questions.
C) dealing with the context of social life.
D) handling sensitive issues more effectively.
Q5) Give a comparative analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of survey research.
Q6) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of online surveys.
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Chapter 17: Analyzing Existing Data: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods
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Q1) When analyzing official government documents you should be concerned about the reliability of those documents.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Unobtrusive measures reduce the impact of the data collection on the phenomena being studied.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Describe the difference between primary and secondary sources in historical research and the cautions to keep in mind when using each type of source.
Q4) In comparison to coding the manifest content of communication, coding the latent content
A) has a disadvantage in terms of validity.
B) has an advantage in terms of reliability.
C) is better designed for tapping the underlying meaning of communications.
D) has an advantage in terms of specificity.
Q5) Describe a study for which the secondary analysis of existing data is the appropriate research method. What source would you use? What problems might you encounter and how would you resolve them?
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Chapter 18: Qualitative Research: General Principles
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Q1) Which of the following is a weakness of qualitative research?
A) It measures phenomena too superficially.
B) It is inflexible.
C) It is weak on generalizability.
D) It cannot be used to study formal organizations.
Q2) Qualitative research is especially effective for A) descriptive research.
B) examining social processes over time.
C) meeting the scientific norm of generalizability.
D) meeting the scientific norm of inter-subjectivity.
Q3) Qualitative research differs from other forms of observation in that it is both a data-collecting and a theory-generating activity.
A)True
B)False
Q4) In qualitative research, the formulation of theoretical propositions, the observation of empirical events, and the evaluation of theory are typically all part of the same ongoing process.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 19: Qualitative Research: Specific Methods
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Q1) Which of the following statements is true about the emic and etic perspectives?
A) They both emphasize maintaining your objectivity.
B) They both deemphasize maintaining your objectivity
C) You must adopt one perspective or the other, rather than try to adopt both postures.
D) It is difficult, yet possible, to assume both the emic and the etic perspectives.
Q2) Qualitative researchers should NEVER participate as an actor in the events under study.
A)True
B)False
Q3) How does qualitative interviewing differ from quantitative survey interviewing?
Q4) In qualitative research the unstructured interview is used to
A) minimize interviewer bias.
B) gain an in-depth understanding of respondents' views, attitudes, values, and beliefs.
C) obtain easily tabulated data.
D) obtain responses to closed-ended questions.
E) control for factors that may affect the respondents' answers.
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21
Chapter 20: Qualitative Data Analysis
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Q1) Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A) Concept mapping is appropriate for qualitative analysis only.
B) Concept mapping can be used for either quantitative or qualitative analysis.
C) Concept mapping is appropriate for quantitative analysis only.
D) Computers cannot be used for qualitative research.
Q2) Conversational analysts look only at the structure of communication.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The search for the intentional or unintentional meanings attached to signs is called semiotics.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Semiotics is a social science because
A) meanings are inherent in signs.
B) meanings reside in people's minds.
C) a particular sign may have a particular meaning to a particular person.
D) we have agreements about the meanings associated with particular signs.
Q5) Qualitative data processing is both a science and an art.
A)True
B)False
22
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Chapter 21: Descriptive Data Analysis
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Q1) Which of the following guidelines should be kept in mind when coding?
A) the coding scheme should be appropriate to the analysis intended in the study.
B) data should be coded in less detail than the researcher intends to use in the analysis.
C) the reliability of the coders can be assumed.
D) Codes cannot be generated from data that has already been collected.
Q2) Given the following age distribution, the mean is 16, 31, 5, 30, 4, 3, 2
A) 2
B) 5
C) 13
D) 30
Q3) Assuming that there are no missing data, which line of three codes would reflect a data entry error for at least one of the following three variables: gender male or female; whether currently incarcerated yes or no; and ethnicity White/not Hispanic, African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Other?
A) 2 2 3
B) 3 3 6
C) 1 2 4
D) 2 1 5
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Chapter 22: Inferential Data Analysis
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Q1) A method for simplifying the process of drawing conclusions from different studies on the same topic is called super-analysis.
A)True
B)False
Q2) When a finding is statistically significant:
A) alternative explanations other than the independent variable are not plausible.
B) a strong relationship has been observed.
C) it is an important finding.
D) its meaning depends on the rigor of the research methods.
Q3) Statistical power analysis deals with the probability of avoiding Type I errors.
A)True
B)False
Q4) If a result is statistically significant, it is also substantivelysignificant.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Inferential statistics are used primarily for describing samples.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Explain what is meant by "chance as a rival hypothesis.
Page 24
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Chapter 23: Writing Research Proposals and Reports
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Q1) The conceptual framework section of a research proposal should A) clearly specify the research questions, hypotheses, variables and operational definitions.
B) flow in part from the literature review.
C) justify why you chose to study the research questions, hypotheses, and variables.
D) Do all of these.
E) None of the above
Q2) Which of the following is NOT plagiarism?
A) Using another writer's exact words without using quotation marks.
B) Taking a passage of eight or more words without a citation.
C) Editing another's words and presenting them as your own.
D) Paraphrasing another's words and presenting them as your own.
E) All of these constitute plagiarism.
Q3) The presentation of data analyses in research reports should provide a maximum of detail without being cluttered.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Describe how qualitative research reports often differ from quantitative ones.
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