LMSW Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards

Which research design involves randomly assigning participants to either a treatment or control group to test an intervention's effectiveness?

Answer: Randomized controlled trial

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is the gold standard for testing intervention effectiveness because random assignment minimizes selection bias.

In evidence-based practice (EBP), which of the following is the FIRST step a social worker should take?

Answer: Formulate a well-built question from the client's problem

The EBP process begins with formulating a clear, answerable question derived from the client's presenting problem before searching for evidence.

Which level of measurement assigns numbers to categories with no implied ranking or order?

Answer: Nominal

Nominal measurement classifies variables into mutually exclusive categories (e.g., gender, race) with no inherent order or numerical meaning.

A social worker reviews multiple studies on a topic and combines their statistical results into one overall estimate. This is called a:

Answer: Meta-analysis

A meta-analysis statistically combines results from multiple studies to produce a single, more precise estimate of an effect.

Which qualitative research method involves a researcher living within a community to understand its culture and practices from an insider perspective?

Answer: Ethnography

Ethnography involves immersive, long-term observation within a community to understand cultural norms, behaviors, and meanings from the participants' viewpoint.

Internal validity in a research study is MOST threatened by which of the following?

Answer: Pre-existing differences between comparison groups

Pre-existing differences between groups (selection bias) threaten internal validity by making it unclear whether the intervention—not those differences—caused the outcome.