Running Head: Social Work Practice Research 1
Research Proposal Part 2
Walden University
SOCW 6301: Social Work Practice Research I
Dr. Pete R. Fawson
May 6,2023
Social Work Practice Research 2
Sampling and sampling method
In this case, the research question 'What is the impact of social injustice and
inequality in the social work field, and what measures can be taken in order to
eliminate or tackle the issues of social injustice and inequality in the social work
context?' concerns social work. Therefore, the population is identified as social
workers. To advance social justice and equality, social workers play a crucial role.
These professionals primarily deal with society's most vulnerable citizens, witnessing
that their requirements are addressed, and their standard of living is raised.
Since the methodological approach is identified as a qualitative research
method, random sampling is unbiased. The focus of random sampling concerns the
overall population of social workers. The sampling is based on the inclusion and
exclusion criteria.
Data collection
The data collection methods for this research study are gathered from
secondary sources, including published articles, academic journals, and online sources.
The literature review approach is a comprehensive approach including existing studies
on social injustice and inequality in the social work field. A wide range of secondary
sources was examined to reveal the severity of the issue linked to social injustice and
inequality. These resources play a crucial role in the research study since they will
improve the theoretical comprehension of the subject, especially the severity of the
detected problem (Kaushik and Walsh, 2019). It will be feasible to comprehend the
scope of the issue by incorporating the relevant sources into the research, particularly
how social injustice affects the delivery of high-quality social work services and the
system.
Social Work Practice Research 3
Ethics and cultural considerations
Ethical concerns in the research include a collection of guidelines that will
direct the study's designs and methods. The cultural consideration includes the
behaviours, standards, goals, mindsets, and rules of the study's organisations. While
researching social injustice and inequality among social workers, certain ethical and
cultural considerations come forward as an issue. Some of these principles include
voluntary involvement, informed permission, confidentiality, privacy, the possibility of
damage, and the sharing of results (Vivek, 2022). Interactions between research
investigators and the participants of their investigations may give rise to significant
ethical issues. The freedoms and interests of study participants, besides the needs of
investigators, must constantly be respected in the study's planning.
In the research study, it is necessary to address the ethical and cultural issues
mentioned above to avoid conflicts and enhance the focus on the particular research.
The first step should be to aim for honesty during the research. All information
should be reported truthfully, including data, findings, techniques, and publication
history. All the participants have a right to confidentiality; therefore, it is necessary to
safeguard their personal information as long as possible. To address the harm or
damage issues to participants, sensitive questions should be avoided, which may cause
negative emotions. By allowing individuals to make their own decisions, informed
permission aims to include their rights. It also aims to safeguard individual freedom
and the truth while preventing attacks on an individual's integrity (Goldberg and
Warburton, 2021). Participants may only decide to volunteer for research in an
educated manner if they are aware of the potential dangers and rewards involved. A
description of the investigation and its goals, and additional information regarding the
Social Work Practice Research 4
criteria used to choose the research participants and the methods used, must all be
included in informed and voluntary participation.
Discussion
Conducting a study on the impact of social injustice and inequality in the
social work field could have greatly impacted the profession. With such issues, social
workers face educational inequality and employment discrimination (Sobočan et al.,
2019). When individuals are viewed improperly, social injustice develops. It can have
long-lasting consequences. It restricts individuals' participation in opportunities and may
push them into unemployment or even bad health. However, various measures can be
taken to improve social injustice and inequality. It has been suggested that social
workers might assist in identifying and altering institutional policies that have failed to
point out and lead to social injustice and inequality by using transformational
practices. Likewise, to advance justice and fairness in social work, social workers must
carry out their responsibilities in a moral and accountable way by incorporating ethical
concepts like integrity, responsibility, fairness, justice, respect, and accountability
(Teasley et al., 2022). If the data did not align with the expectations, then reanalysing
the data would be a significant approach.
Reflection
Through research discussions, it is comprehended that choosing the proper
qualitative research methods that address the research question and the ethical and
cultural considerations that must be considered when conducting research regarding
social injustice and inequality in the social work field. Further, it is necessary to note
the upcoming challenges during the research process. Through the sampling techniques
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and data collection methods, it can be beneficial to gather important information
concerning the impact of social injustice and inequality in the social work field and
identify the appropriate solutions for addressing the issues.
References:
Goldberg, E. M., & Warburton, R. W. (2021). Ends and Means in Social Work: the
development and Outcome of a case review system for social workers.
Routledge.
Kaushik, V., & Walsh, C. A. (2019). Pragmatism as a research paradigm and its
implications for social work research. Social sciences, 8(9), 255.
Sobočan, A. M., Bertotti, T., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2019). Ethical considerations in
social work research. European Journal of Social Work, 22(5), 805-818.
Teasley, M. L., Dettlaff, A. J., & Abrams, L. S. (2022). Some Comments on the
Notion of Social Work as a Human Service Cartel. Research on Social Work
Practice, 32(6), 710-713.
Vivek, R. (2022). Ethics in a qualitative study in social work: a systematic review.
Social work and education, 9(2), 298-304.
