Course Description
Three credits. Prerequisites: SW 3110. Introduction
to data analysis and interpretation. Opportunities for
skill development in the use of statistical procedures and knowledge of the
meaning of the results of such procedures. Instruction
in computer use for data entry and data analysis, including the development of
programming skills using the SPSS software package.
This course provides an introduction to data analysis and interpretation as
used in professional social work practice. It includes an orientation to value
issues that relate to the use of statistical procedures and data presentation
in practice settings, including an understanding that data selection, analysis,
and presentation have been used to maintain power differentials and compromise
progress toward social justice. It builds a knowledge base of data handling,
elementary descriptive and inferential statistics, computer use in analysis,
and interpretation. It provides an opportunity for students to develop skills
in data analysis, computer use, and data interpretation.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course the student will be able to:
1. demonstrate improved critical thinking skills,
especially with regard to the use, production, and interpretation of data
relevant to professional social work practice;
2. analyze and interpret data and use computers in a
manner consistent with accepted social work ethics;
3. demonstrate an understanding of the need to
incorporate data analysis skills as a part of the professional use of self;
4. use and produce data to more effectively understand
discrimination and oppression and to advance social and economic justice;
5. analyze and interpret data and use computers to
develop more effective methods of social work practice;
6. use and produce data to evaluate the effectiveness
of practice and to participate in agency and community evaluations of programs
and practice;
7. demonstrate computer and data analysis skills useful in the process of
assessing the adequacy of policy in relation to human needs and in taking
planned action to develop and change social policy;
8. demonstrate the ability to apply existing data and
generate additional data appropriate to practice with a variety of clients,
situations, and social change systems.
Course Assignments
A. The text below is recommended. It is a good one but expensive. Some students find that, with the handouts and other course materials, it is not necessary to buy the text. It will make the course material easier to follow and comprehend. It is also an excellent reference book which will be useful throughout your social work career, not just for data analysis but also for questions that you may have about other research processes. What I am saying is: get it if you can afford it but you may be able to do well in this course without it.
Rubin, Allen and
Earl Babbie. Essential Research Methods for Social Work.
There are several other books which
expand on the recommended reading in the text and present much of this material
in other ways. These are listed in the
bibliography at the end of this syllabus.
Many are available in the library or on loan from Professor Sanborn. It is highly recommended that students use
the text or one of these.
B. Class attendance is strongly recommended. Material will be presented in
lecture and demonstrated on the computer which is not otherwise available.
Class time will include opportunities to work on the computer assignments with
individualized instruction. It is necessary to come to class to learn the
material in this course.
C. There are three types of graded assignments:
1. There will be several quizzes. These will be closed-book and in-class. They will be given as announced in class. They may be made up only if missed for an excusable reason. These will count as 40% of the course grade. Students may chose to do a class presentation to replace the lowest quiz grade.
2. There will be a series of projects based on each student's analysis and interpretation of his/her own research results. All of these assignments must be completed to pass the course. Due dates will be announced in class. Late assignments will be accepted but penalized. The average of these will count as 40% of the course grade.
3. There will be a final exam. It will be a take-home exam. It will count as 20% of the course grade.
Any student needing to make arrangements for special considerations in graded assignments due to disabilities, including learning disabilities, are encouraged to discuss these arrangements with the instructor.
The office of Services for Students with Disabilities is located in KUC 120
and may be contacted at 898-2783 or at dssemail@mtsu.edu.
D. The course grade will be computed
on the basis of the percentages described above. The numerical result of this
process will result in the assignment of a letter grade on the following basis:
|
90% or above = A |
80 - 83% = B- |
70 - 73% = C- |
|
87 - 89% = B+ |
77 - 79% = C+ |
60 - 69% = D |
|
83 - 87% = B |
73 - 77% = C |
Below 60% = F |
A grade of C- or better is required to
graduate as a social work major with a BSW degree.
Course Outline
1. Course introduction (
a. Definitions of data analysis and interpretation
b. Data analysis in direct practice
c. Data analysis in administration
d. Data analysis in diverse practice contexts
2. Operationalization and measurement - review of material from SW 311 (Rubin, chapts. 8 & 9)
a. Construction and use of instruments (recommended reading: handout 10A from Research Methods)
b. Measurement and diversity: gender and sexual orientation
c. Levels of measurement and data analysis (recommended reading: handout 12 from Research Methods)
d. Review and quiz 1
3. Quantifying and entering data (Rubin, chapter 17: 273-275; Lecture handout 3)
a. Computers in social work research
b. Introduction to the MTSU computer system
c. Sources of data on the computer
d. Coding data
4. Data entry with SPSS (Computer assignment #1)
a. Introduction to SPSS
b. Using SPSS for data entry
c. Exercise in building a data file
d. Print-out of data file due in class
5. Introduction to statistical analysis for social work (Lecture handout 4)
a. Statistical processes and their relationship to issues of social justice
b. Descriptive statistics
c. Inferential statistics
d. Review and quiz 2
6. Univariate analysis (Rubin, chapter 17: 275-277)
a. Frequency distributions (Lecture handout #5)
b. Measures of central tendency (Lecture handout #6)
c. Measures of variability (Lecture handout #7)
d. Review and quiz 3
7. Using SPSS for data analysis
a. Introduction to command file construction
b. The FREQUENCIES command and resulting output
c. Exercise in command file construction (Computer assignment #2)
d. Print-out due in class
8. Bivariate analysis (Rubin, 17: 278-285)
a. Subgroup comparisons
b. Crosstabulation of two variables (Lecture handout #8)
c. Measures of association (Lecture handout #9)
d. Exercise in the CROSSTABS command (Computer assignment #3)
e. Print-out due in class
f. Review and quiz 4
9. Collapsing responses and composite measures
a. Collapsing response categories (Lecture handout #10)
b. Index and scale construction (Lecture handout #11)
c. Exercise in the RECODE and COMPUTE commands (Computer assignment #4)
e. Print-out due in class
f. Review and quiz 5
10. The elaboration model
a. The elaboration paradigm (Lecture handout #12)
b. Crosstabulation of three or more variables
c. Implications of the selection of control variables: ethnicity and gender
d. Exercise in CROSSTABS for elaboration (Computer assignment #5)
e. Print-out due in class
11. Inferential statistics (Rubin, chapter 17: 285-286)
a. The logic of hypothesis testing
b. Making decisions about populations (Lecture handout #13)
c. Chi square and other tests
e. Exercise in the use of inferential statistics (Computer assignment #6)
f. Print-out due in class
g. Review and quiz 6
12. Other concepts as time permits
13. Course conclusion
a. Summary of data analysis in social work
b. Course evaluation
c. Final exam: take-home final due on date of final examOffice Hours
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 8:00 – 10:00 am
Tuesday 1:00
- 5:00 pm
There will be exceptions to these due to meetings and other life events. It is best to make an appointment to be sure. I can also be available at other times. Please contact me if you need to make an appointment at some time other than these hours. My office phone is 898-2685. You may call me at home if absolutely necessary. My home phone is 563-8050.
Please make sure that you do see me if you
have questions. The structure and material of this course will make it
difficult for you to do well if you get behind.
Bibliography
Babbie, Earl. Observing
Ourselves: Essays in Social Research.
Bisman, Cynthia D. and David A. Hardcastle.
Integrating Research Into Practice: A Model for
Effective Social Work.
Campbell, Patricia B. The
Hidden Discriminator: Sex and Race Bias in Educational Research.
Craft, John. Statistics
and Data Analysis for Social Workers. (Second Edition)
Geiss, Gunther
R. and Narayan Viswanathan. The HumanEdge:
Information Technology and Helping People.
Gravetter, F. J. and L. B. Wallnau.
Essentials of Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences.
Halley, Fred, Earl
Babbie and Jeanne Zaino. Adventures in Social Research : Data Analysis Using SPSS 11.0/11.5 for Windows.
Kinnear, Paul R. and Colin D. Gray. SPSS for Windows Made Simple: Release 10. Psychology Press, 2000.
Kraus, Lewis E.,
S. Stoddard and D. Gilmartin. Chartbook on Disability in the
Levin, Jack and
James Alan Fox. Elementary Statistics in Social Research (Tenth
Edition).
Marlow, Christine. Research Methods for Generalist Social Work (Fourth
edition).
Montcalm, Denise
and David Royse. Data Analysis for Social Workers.
Norusis, Marija. SPSS 11.0 Guide to Data Analysis.
Pallant, Julie. SPSS Survival Manual: A Step By Step Guide to Data Analysis Using SPSS for Windows (Version 10) Open Univ Press, 2001.
Patterson, David A. and Basham, Randall E. Data Analysis with Spreadsheets. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc., 2006.
Reinharz, Shulamit. Feminist Methods in Social Research.
Rubin, Allen. Statistics
for Evidence-Based Practice and Evaluation.
Rubin, Allen and
Earl Babbie. Essential Research Methods for Social Work.
Twaite, J. A. and Jane A. Monroe. Introductory
Statistics.
Weinbach, Robert W. and Richard M.
Grinnell, Jr. Statistics for Social Workers (Seventh Edition).
Several of the above books, and many more, are available in the library and bookstore. They also may be available on loan from Prof. Sanborn. Again, try to gain some familiarity with one of these before you make a decision to buy. There is no requirement that you purchase a supplemental book, but you will find one very helpful this semester and in your future career.
Important Dates
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January 14 |
Classes Begin |
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January 21 |
M. L. King Holiday
– no classes |
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March 3-8 |
Spring Break
– no classes |
|
April 23 |
Last Day of Classes |
|
April 24 |
Study Day-no
classes |
|
April 25 –
May 1 |
Final Examinations |
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