Research minded

Research is important and relevant to social work practice because:

• All social work practice is based on what has been found out through research.

• Research can provide evidence to inform the decisions that social workers make.

• Research can provide all the answers social workers need to help people by showing what works.

Ethics are important to Social Research because:

• They should underpin a regard for human rights and responsibilities.

• They ensure participants know that their details will be kept anonymous.

• They ensure that the researcher acts responsibly.

The most effective way to access research studies relevant to the practice in which I am involved is:

• Through newspaper and magazine reports.

• In the local library.

• By searching a collection of online databases, such as Athens or ASSIA.

• By using Wikipedia

It is important to be able to appraise and summarize research studies because:

• Some kinds of research projects aren't worth bothering with.

• I only want to know what they conclude.

• It's important to see if research is ethical.

• It's the clearest way to see which studies are best suited to my needs

I make use of anti-oppressive perspectives in evaluating research by:

• Only using service-user controlled research.

• Exploring the process, aims and outcomes of the research.

• Being aware of the dynamics of power and control that are part of research.

I relate research to practice issues and demonstrate how relevant research informs practice:

• By telling my supervisor that this is what I do.

• By reflecting on what I know about practice and relating it to research findings.

• By reading research summaries and reports whenever I can.