LMSW LMSW Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ethical principle in social work research requires that participation must be free from coercion and that participants fully understand what they are agreeing to?
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Informed consent (Correct answer)
- Confidentiality
Correct answer: Informed consent
Informed consent requires that participants voluntarily agree to participate after receiving complete, comprehensible information about the study's purpose, risks, and benefits.
Question 2: A social worker uses a pre-test/post-test design with no control group to measure changes in clients after an intervention. This is an example of a:
- True experiment
- Quasi-experimental design (Correct answer)
- Randomized controlled trial
- Cross-sectional study
Correct answer: Quasi-experimental design
A quasi-experimental design lacks random assignment or a proper control group, making causal conclusions less certain than in a true experiment.
Question 3: Which sampling method involves every member of the population having an equal chance of being selected?
- Purposive sampling
- Snowball sampling
- Simple random sampling (Correct answer)
- Convenience sampling
Correct answer: Simple random sampling
Simple random sampling gives every individual an equal probability of selection, which supports generalizability of findings to the broader population.
Question 4: When a researcher measures what they intend to measure, the instrument is said to have:
- Reliability
- Validity (Correct answer)
- Sensitivity
- Specificity
Correct answer: Validity
Validity refers to the degree to which a measurement tool accurately captures the construct it is designed to measure.
Question 5: Which research approach is BEST suited for exploring the lived experience of LMSW clients who have recovered from trauma?
- Survey research
- Randomized controlled trial
- Phenomenological study (Correct answer)
- Single-subject design
Correct answer: Phenomenological study
Phenomenological research focuses on capturing and interpreting the subjective, lived experiences of participants in depth.
Question 6: In program evaluation, a needs assessment is conducted PRIMARILY to:
- Measure the outcomes of an existing program
- Determine whether a program should continue
- Identify gaps between current services and community needs (Correct answer)
- Assign a monetary value to program benefits
Correct answer: Identify gaps between current services and community needs
A needs assessment identifies the difference between current service availability and what is actually needed by the target population to inform program planning.
LMSW LMSW Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice 2
Which ethical principle in social work research requires that participation must be free from coercion and that participants fully understand what they are agreeing to?