Research Methods for Social Work (Empowerment Series)

by Allen Rubin

When we understand through experience, we make observations and seek patterns of regularities in what we observe. • In day-to-day inquiry, we often make mistakes. Science offers protection against such mistakes. • When we use the scientific method, everything is open to question, and we should keep an open mind about everything we think we know or want to believe. • When we use the scientific method, we should consider the things we call “knowledge” to be provisional and subject to refutation. • When we use the scientific method, we should search for evidence that is based on observation as the basis for knowledge. • Scientific observations should be systematic, comprehensive, and as objective as possible. • Scientific observations should be specified in ways that show the basis for the conclusions that were reached and that allow others to judge whether the evidence warrants those conclusions. • The scientific method calls for the replication of studies. • Sometimes we jump to general conclusions on the basis of only a few observations. Researchers and scientific practitioners avoid overgeneralization through replication, or the repeating of studies. • Once a conclusion has been reached, we sometimes ignore evidence that contradicts the conclusion, paying attention only to evidence that confirms it. Researchers and scientific practitioners commit themselves in advance to a set of observations to be made regardless of whether a pattern seems to be emerging early. • When co...