Chapter 13 explains how to appraise and conduct data analysis in the EIP process. Some of the material in this chapter was moved from the previous edition's Chapter 4. Other material appeared in an appendix on statistics in the previous edition. A major new section, which did not appear in our previous edition, shows how to calculate within-group effect sizes and compare them to benchmarks derived from meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that can show practitioners and agencies whether their treatment recipients appear to be benefiting from treatment approximately as much as recipients in the RCTs.
Chapter 14 examines critically appraising social justice research studies. This is a new chapter, one that emphasizes the importance of being informed by research evidence in making decisions about efforts to promote social justice rather than being guided solely by noble intentions, emotions, or well-meaning ideologies. In addition, much of the content in this chapter examines participatory action research.
Significant Additions to This Edition
Among the changes that have been made in various chapters throughout this edition, the following are the most significant:
Connecting EIP to social justice efforts, the Black Lives Matter movement, and reducing incidents of police misconduct and violence.
Replacing evidence-based terminology with evidence-informed terminology.
Increased attention to the value of limited studies that do not permit conclusive causal inferences, but that do provide enough support for the plausibility of causality when practice decisions do not require the degree of certainty associated with eliminating all threats to internal validity.
Expanded coverage of qualitative methods.
Constructing measurement instruments.
A new chapter on data analysis.
A new chapter on social justice.
Calculating within-group effect sizes and comparing them to benchmarks to assess whether practitioners and agencies are implementing with adequate fidelity interventions that have strong research support in RCTs.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In addition to the various individuals whom we have acknowledged in previous editions of this book, we thank the following people at Wiley who have been particularly helpful in the development of this edition: Monica Rogers (Associate Managing Editor) and Darren Lalonde (Acquisitions Editor).
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Allen Rubin, Ph.D., holds the Kantambu Latting College Professorship for Leadership and Change at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. He has been teaching courses on research and practice evaluation for more than 42 years, including 34 years at the University of Texas at Austin. He is internationally known for his many published books and articles on research methods and evidence-informed practice, and has received various awards for his distinguished career achievements. He was a founding member of and is a Fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.
Jennifer Bellamy, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and Professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. Her research focuses on the engagement of fathers in child and family services, child welfare, implementation science, and evidence-based practice. She works with state, federal, and community partners to develop, test, and implement strategies and interventions to better serve fathers in child welfare, home visiting, and community programs. She recently served as Board Member-at-Large for the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) and is the Evidence-Based Practice Track Co-Chair for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
ABOUT THE COMPANION WEBSITE
This book is accompanied by a companion website.
www.wiley.com/go/rubin/researchguide3e
This website includes:
Instructor's Manual
Test Banks
PowerPoint Slides
Sample Syllabi
1 Introduction to Evidence-Informed Practice (EIP)
3 1.3 Types of EIP Questions 1.3.1 What Factors Best Predict Desirable or Undesirable Outcomes? 1.3.2 What Can I Learn about Clients, Service Delivery, and Targets of Intervention from the Experiences of Others? 1.3.3 What Assessment Tool Should Be Used? 1.3.4 Which Intervention, Program, or Policy Has the Best Effects? 1.3.5 What Are the Costs of Interventions, Policies, and Tools? 1.3.6 What about Potential Harmful Effects?
4 1.4 EIP Practice Regarding Policy and Social Justice
5 1.5 EIP and Black Lives Matter
6 1.6 Developing an EIP Practice Process Outlook 1.6.1 Critical Thinking
7 1.7 EIP as a Client-Centered, Compassionate Means, Not an End unto Itself
8 1.8 EIP and Professional Ethics