Fundamentals of Research

Fundamentals of Research

Virginia Rackins

BSHS/382

May 20, 2012

Tina Henderson

In the human service field research plays a big role in assisting a human service professional in making daily decisions. Within this paper there will be a discussion of the definition of the scientific method and how it relates to human service research. There will be a discussion of the steps of the process of the scientific inquiry, and the paper will provide why each step will support the scientific method. The terms of quantitative and qualitative research will be defined and discussed how the two are different and how they both relate to the human service field. The definition of mixed method research will be defined and talked about in the discussion as well as when it is the appropriate time to apply this method in the human service field. A brief summary will be included, in which research will support the functions of a human resources manager.

The Scientific Method

The use of the scientific method is important in the human service field. Using the methods of observing and experimenting a human service worker can learn and understand much about his or her client. Scientific method is defined as a method of investigation, in which that a problem is identified first and observations, experiments, or other relevant data are usable to construct or test hypotheses to prove to solve the problem. The steps in the scientific method consist of the following to conduct the proper research to a problem: identifying the research problem, observation, hypothesis, experimentation, gathering data, testing the hypothesis data, and the conclusion. These steps of the scientific method should be in conduct order and no steps should be left out i to get a proper research done. This method is usable to determine the cause and effect and to define the problem by collecting data to make a possible solution to the problem. Without these steps the research would not be a valid or solid conclusion.

In the human service field the scientific method is usable to collect data from the clients with many issues. The scientific method can be a valuable tool for researchers to use in relating to human service work. An example, in which the scientific method can be usable in the human service field, is an agency that issue money to help pay delinquent bills for people who have a low-income of money or no money. The agency is no longer able to provide assistance to these low-income families because of the rise of unemployed clients' in the community. The first step is to identify the problem, which is the agency cannot provide enough money to low-income families to pay his or her delinquent bills because of the rise of unemployed clients' in the community.

The next step is to for the agency to develop a hypothesis to solve the problem, which is to seek out the clients who desperately need the funds more than another client, so funds will be available to help those clients who have a delinquent cut-off bill. After conducting the hypothesis, the human service manager will experiment and observe by limiting the funds to clients who have no income. Discover how many clients with no income need to be served. Collecting the data and testing the hypothesis to formulate a conclusion that would help solve the problem.

Scientific Inquiry

The scientific inquiry has numerous steps to the process. These steps help a human service worker focus on the problem he or she is exploring. It also helps organize the thoughts, observations, and relevant information of the human service