Doing Social Work Research

Aidan Worsley has a professional background in the probation service, working as a Probation Officer and latterly a Senior Probation Officer from 1987 to 1997 before moving into Higher Educaiton. He has written and researched around themes of practice education, interprofessional learning, social work education, and practitioner research. He is actively involved - and committed to - social work reform, being a member of the Reform Board, as well as having roles with the HCPC and College of Social Work. He is currently Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Central Lancashire - and is also co-chair of the Association of Professors of Social Work.

• What′s Distinctive about Social Work Research?Practitioner Research - Engaging with Individuals, Organizations and CommunitiesThe Ethics of Social Work ResearchService Users, Carers and Social Work ResearchInterviews and QuestionnairesFocus GroupsObservation, Narrative and Other ApproachesAnalyzing DataDeveloping a Research Proposal and Writing a Research Report

This is a really good introductory text. I would however prefer to see something a little less mainstream for social workers and more practical guidance for researching with with service users.