Week 9  Data Analysis  Resources  Readings  Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018). Research methods for social workers (8th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson. o Chapter 13, “Analyzing Data” (pp. 295–297, “The Data in Perspective”) Bauer, S., Lambert, M. J., & Nielsen, S. L. (2004). Clinical significance methods: A comparison of statistical techniques. Journal of Personality Assessment, 82 , 60–70. Gibson, F. H. (2003). Indigent client perceptions of barriers to marriage and family therapy (Dissertation, University of Louisiana at Monroe). Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e- reader]. o Social Work Research: Program Evaluation Data Analysis Techniques In order to make decisions about the value of any research study for practice, it is important to understand the general processes involved in analyzing research data. By now, you have examined enough research studies to be aware that there are some common ways that data are reported and summarized in research studies. For example, the sample is often described by numbers of participants and by certain characteristics of those participants that help us determine how representative the sample is of a population. The information about the sample is commonly reported in tables and graphs, making use of frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, and dispersion. Information about the variables (or concepts) of interest when quantified are also reported in similar manner. Although the actual data analysis takes place after data have been collected, from the initial planning of a research study, the researcher needs to have an awareness of the types of questions that can be answered by particular data analysis techniques. For this Discussion, review the case study entitled "Social Work Research: Measuring Group Success." Consider the data analysis described in that case. Recall the information presented in the earlier chapters of your text about formulating research questions to inform a hypotheses or open-ended exploration of an issue. Discussion 1  Relationship Between Purpose of Study and Data Analysis Techniques 1 page paper  Post   an explanation of the types of descriptive and/or inferential statistics you might use to analyze the data gathered in the case study. Also explain how the statistics you identify can guide you in evaluating the applicability of the study’s findings for your own practice as a social worker. Please use the Resources to support your answer.  Week 9  Data Analysis  Discussion 2  Research studies often compare variables, conditions, times, and/or groups of participants to evaluate relationships between variables or differences between groups or times. For example, if researchers are interested in knowing whether an intervention produces change in the ...

1. Week 9
Data Analysis
Resources
Readings
Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018).
Research methods for social workers
(8th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
o Chapter 13, “Analyzing Data” (pp. 295–297, “The Data in
Perspective”)
Bauer, S., Lambert, M. J., & Nielsen, S. L. (2004). Clinical
significance methods: A comparison of statistical techniques.
Journal of Personality Assessment, 82
, 60–70.
Gibson, F. H. (2003).
Indigent client perceptions of barriers to marriage and family
therapy
(Dissertation, University of Louisiana at Monroe).

2. Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014).
Social work case studies: Foundation year.
Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing.
[Vital Source e- reader].
o Social Work Research: Program Evaluation
Data Analysis Techniques
In order to make decisions about the value of any research study
for practice, it is important to understand the general processes
involved in analyzing research data. By now, you have
examined enough research studies to be aware that there are
some common ways that data are reported and summarized in
research studies. For example, the sample is often described by
numbers of participants and by certain characteristics of those
participants that help us determine how representative the
sample is of a population. The information about the sample is
commonly reported in tables and graphs, making use of
frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, and
dispersion. Information about the variables (or concepts) of
interest when quantified are also reported in similar manner.
Although the actual data analysis takes place after data have
been collected, from the initial planning of a research study, the
researcher needs to have an awareness of the types of questions
that can be answered by particular data analysis techniques.
For this Discussion, review the case study entitled "Social Work
Research: Measuring Group Success." Consider the data
analysis described in that case. Recall the information presented
in the earlier chapters of your text about formulating research
questions to inform a hypotheses or open-ended exploration of
an issue.

3. Discussion 1
Relationship Between Purpose of Study and Data Analysis
Techniques 1 page paper
Post
an explanation of the types of descriptive and/or inferential
statistics you might use to analyze the data gathered in the case
study. Also explain how the statistics you identify can guide
you in evaluating the applicability of the study’s findings for
your own practice as a social worker. Please use the Resources
to support your answer.
Week 9
Data Analysis
Discussion 2
Research studies often compare variables, conditions, times,
and/or groups of participants to evaluate relationships between
variables or differences between groups or times. For example,
if researchers are interested in knowing whether an intervention

4. produces change in the desired direction, they will want to
know whether the change is due to chance (statistical
significance) or possibly due to the intervention. In this case,
researchers could use a pre and post measurement of the same
participants on the condition being treated, or they could
compare a group of individuals who receive the intervention to
a group that does not receive the intervention. Researchers
could also compare two groups of individuals who receive
different interventions. The rigor of the research design helps
control for other factors that might account for the changes
(e.g., time, conditions, group differences in other factors, etc.).
To prepare for this Discussion, consider the concept of
statistical significance
.
Statistical Significance and Variables 1 page paper
Post
your explanation of how the difference between statistical
significance and the true importance (clinical significance) of
the relationship between variables or the degree of difference
between groups affect your practice decision making (see
Discussion details in the course). Please use the Resources to
support your answer.