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Social Work  is the premiere journal of the social work profession. Widely read by practitioners, faculty, and students, it is the official journal of NASW and is provided to all members as a membership benefit. Social Work is dedicated to improving practice and advancing knowledge in social work and social welfare.   

2021 Journal Impact Factor™: 2.855

Voices from the Frontlines: Social Workers Confront the COVID-19 Pandemic  Laura S. Abrams, PhD, Alan J. Dettlaff, PhD Translating Trauma-Informed Principles into Social Work Practice Jill Levenson, PhD, LCSW The Perils of Privatization: Bringing the Business Model into Human Services Jennifer R. Zelnick, MSW, ScD, Mimi Abramovitz, DSW Sharing Psychotherapy Notes with Patients: Therapists’ Attitudes and Experiences Hannah Chimowitz, Stephen O’Neill, Suzanne Leveille, Katrina Welch, Jan Walker Methods to Decrease Disparities in Age of Autism Diagnosis and Treatment Access among Latinx Children Kristina Lopez, Jessica M Marroquin, Courtney Gutierrez

Social Work Research

Social Work Research publishes exemplary research to advance the development of knowledge and inform social work practice. Widely regarded as the outstanding journal in the field, it includes analytic reviews of research, theoretical articles pertaining to social work research, evaluation studies, and diverse research studies that contribute to knowledge about social work issues and problems.  

2021 Journal Impact Factor™: 1.844

Social Work in the Age of a Global Pandemic Charlotte Lyn Bright Exposure to Community-Based Violence on Social Media among Black Male Emerging Adults Involved with the Criminal Justice System  Robert O. Motley, Jr., Yu-Chih Chen, Carnayla Johnson, Sean Joe Using a Trauma-Informed, Socially Just Research Framework with Marginalized Populations: Practices and Barriers to Implementation  Laura A. Voith, Tyrone Hamler, Meredith W. Francis, Hyunjune Lee, Amy Korsch-Williams State-Level Immigration Policy Context and Health: How Are Latinx Immigrant Parents Faring?  Cecilia Ayón The Association of Acculturation with Overt and Covert Perceived Discrimination for Older Asian Americans  Keith Chan

Health & Social Work

For 20 years, human services professionals have relied on Health & Social Work for the latest advances in areas such as aging, clinical work, long-term care, oncology, substance abuse, depression, and maternal health. Articles also cover research, policy, specialized services, quality assurance, in-service training, and other topics that affect the delivery of health care services  

2021 Journal Impact Factor™: 1.896

What Have Hospital Social Workers Been Prepared for COVID-19 from SARS, MERS, and H1N1? Johnson Chun-Sing Cheung Secondary Traumatic Stress and Related Factors in Australian Social Workers and Psychologists  Samantha Rayner, Cindy Davis, Matthew Moore, Tamara Cadet Body Appreciation and Health Care Avoidance: A Brief Report Mackenzie Cook, Virginia Ramseyer Winter, Elizabeth A. O’Neill Veteran Suicide Risk Factors: A National Sample of Nonveteran and Veteran Men Who Died by Suicide David S. Wood, Bethany M. Wood, Aislinn Watson, Devan Sheffield, Helena Hauter Trans Men’s Access to Knowledgeable Providers and Their Experiences in Health Care Settings: Differences by Demographics, Mental Health, and Degree of Being “Out” to Providers  Kristie L. Seelman, Shanna K Kattari, Penny Harvey, Matthew Bakko

Children & Schools

Children & Schools publishes professional materials relevant to social work services for children. The journal publishes articles on innovations in practice, interdisciplinary efforts, research, program evaluation, policy, and planning. Topics include student-authority relationships, multiculturalism, early intervention, needs assessment, violence, and ADHD. Children & Schools is a practitioner-to-practitioner resource.  

Evidence-Based Assessment Tools for Common Mental Health Problems: A Practical Guide for School Settings  Jack H. Andrews, Evelyn Cho, Siena K. Tugendrajch, Brigid R. Marriott, Kristin M. Hawley Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline: A Trauma-Informed, Critical Race Perspective on School Discipline Stacey Dutil Structural Racism in Schools: A View through the Lens of the National School Social Work Practice Model  Jandel Crutchfield, Kate L. Phillippo, Andy Frey School Social Worker Voice during COVID-19 School Disruptions: A National Qualitative Analysis Gordon Capp, Kate Watson, Ron A Astor, Michael S Kelly, Rami Benbenishty Should Esports Be a Co-Curricular Activity in School? Hok-Lai Shum, Chin-Hei Lee, Johnson Chun-Sing Cheung

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Data Collection for Field Reports in Social Work Practice

• First Online: 22 March 2024

Cite this chapter

• M. Rezaul Islam   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2217-7507 2  

80 Accesses

This chapter equips social work students with essential skills for gathering and utilizing data effectively. It begins by providing an overview of both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques, ensuring that students are well-versed in diverse methods. The chapter then focuses on the practical aspect of data collection, emphasizing the use of data collection tools and instruments to streamline the process and enhance data quality. Through this chapter, social work students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to collect, manage, and utilize data to inform their practice, enhancing their ability to make data-driven decisions in the field.

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Akhter, S. (2022). Key informants’ interviews. In M. R. Islam, N. A. Khan, & R. Baikady (Eds.), Principles of social research methodology. Springer. Principles of social research methodology (pp. 389–403). Springer Nature Singapore.

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Azam, M. G. (2022). In-depth case interview. In M. R. Islam, N. A. Khan, & R. Baikady (Eds.), Principles of social research methodology. Springer. Principles of social research methodology (pp. 347–364). Springer Nature Singapore.

Gray, M., Plath, D., & Webb, S. (2009). Evidence-based social work: A critical stance . Routledge.

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Islam, M. R. (2022). Participatory research. In M. R. Islam, N. A. Khan, & R. Baikady (Eds.), Principles of social research methodology. Springer. Principles of social research methodology (pp. 291–311). Springer Nature Singapore.

Khan, N. A., & Abedin, S. (2022). Focus group discussion. In M. R. Islam, N. A. Khan, & R. Baikady (Eds.), Principles of social research methodology. Springer. Principles of social research methodology (pp. 377–387). Springer Nature Singapore.

Margaryan, A., Littlejohn, A., & Vojt, G. (2011). Are digital natives a myth or reality? University students’ use of digital technologies. Computers & Education, 56 (2), 429–440.

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Pollock, K. (2012). Procedure versus process: Ethical paradigms and the conduct of qualitative research. BMC Medical Ethics, 13 , 1–12.

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Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

M. Rezaul Islam

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Review Questions

What is the primary purpose of data collection in social work field practice?

Name two qualitative data collection techniques discussed in this chapter and briefly explain their applications.

Briefly outline the ethical considerations related to participant autonomy and privacy in data collection.

Why is it beneficial to integrate mixed-methods approaches in social work field research?

Discuss the role of technology in data collection for social work field practices, highlighting its advantages and potential ethical considerations.

Multiple Choice Questions

What is the main advantage of utilizing mixed-methods approaches in social work field research?

Simplicity in data analysis

Increased depth and breadth of understanding

Limited perspectives on the research question

Narrow scope of data collection

Which of the following is an example of a qualitative data collection technique?

Statistical analysis

Content analysis

Standardized tests

What is a key ethical consideration in technology-mediated data collection?

Limited access to data

Participant anonymity

Informed consent

Avoidance of data encryption

In quantitative data collection, what method involves asking participants to respond to a series of predetermined questions?

Participant observation

Focus group discussions

Surveys and questionnaires

Key informant interviews

Why is ensuring participant autonomy important in social work field research?

It protects the participants’ rights and choices.

It simplifies the research process.

It reduces the need for informed consent.

It limits the diversity of collected data.

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© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Islam, M.R. (2024). Data Collection for Field Reports in Social Work Practice. In: Fieldwork in Social Work. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56683-7_9

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56683-7_9

Published : 22 March 2024

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-031-56682-0

Online ISBN : 978-3-031-56683-7

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Research & Statistics

• Research & Statistics

The CSWE organizational mission includes the charge to advocate for social work education and research. CSWE's strategic plan outlines the need for research to inform policy and practice and to serve the needs of CSWE member programs—their deans, directors, faculty members, and students. The CSWE Commission on Research (COR) and CSWE research staff work to serve that need. The COR developed research priorities with input from the CSWE commissions and councils to guide their work; they will report on progress periodically. CSWE conducts research through surveys, the annual census of social work programs, and quality assurance measures for the Board on Accreditation . Descriptions of the ongoing research efforts and reports on the results are available in this section. Contact the Institutional Research staff for more information about projects and data.  

Research Updates

2020 annual survey of social work programs.

The Annual Survey of Social Work Programs (Annual Survey) is a census of social work programs in the United States and its territories conducted by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 1952. Data collected in the Annual Survey are the primary source of information about social work students, graduates, and faculty. View the 2020 survey results .   

The Value of Accredited Social Work Programs

Pulse surveys, spring 2021.

As COVID-19 continued to force higher education institutions in the United States to make adjustments and alter their operations in spring 2021, CSWE collected additional real-time data on the shifting landscape of social work education in the United States. The spring 2021 pulse survey was launched on March 10, 2021. Focuses of the survey were field placements and collecting innovative ideas to minimize the impact on students, as well as applications, enrollment, staffing, budget concerns, and student and faculty/staff member well-being. More than 260 unique institutions responded to the survey, representing 226 baccalaureate programs, 130 master's programs, 10 practice doctorate programs, and 23 research doctorate programs. A reference copy of the spring 2021 survey is available  here . You can  access the brief here .  

Respondents were asked to identify how their programs were being administered in the fall 2020 semester and whether this was different from how they traditionally administered the program. E-mail invitations were sent in early September to program representatives from all CSWE-accredited baccalaureate and master’s social work programs and to primary contacts for the practice doctorate and research doctorate program sections for the CSWE Annual Survey of Social Work Programs. More than 250 unique institutions responded to the survey, representing 214 baccalaureate programs, 131 master’s programs, nine practice doctorate programs, and 22 research doctorate programs.  Access the brief here .  

Spring 2020

A short pulse survey was administered in March 2020, as institutions were first experiencing the impacts of the pandemic, to better understand how CSWE's members were being affected. A short brief with the results is available  here .  

CSWE/GADE Report on the Current Landscape of Doctoral Education in Social Work

More social work students are pursuing doctoral degrees today compared to 5 years ago. This report paints a picture of practice doctorate and research doctorate programs by highlighting trends in enrollment, degrees conferred, student demographics, program offerings, students' goals for completing the degrees, and more. The data also show a steady increase in the number of practice and research doctorate programs being offered over the last 5 years. Read the report for more insights .  

Social Work Student Perceptions: Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Educational Experience and Goals 

CSWE presents research that shows that more than nine in 10 social work students whose in-person classes moved online during the spring 2020 semester would be interested in returning to the classroom. The survey, conducted in partnership with faculty members from the California State University, Sacramento, Division of Social Work, showed the impact on students when social work education moved online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also gathered information about students' intentions to enroll in fall 2020 courses in different scenarios and how students had been personally affected by the pandemic. Specifically, the results show that 91.1% of students who had face-to-face classes in the spring would reenroll in face-to-face classes in thhe fall if offered by their programs.  Access the full brief here .  

2015 State of Field Education Survey

Read a  final report of findings on the 2015 State of Field Education Survey  from the CSWE Council on Field Education. The first publication from this survey was an executive summary  released in 2015. The final report provides additional analysis with a focus on field directors.  

National Workforce Initiative

In 2015 the Leadership Roundtable launched a national social work workforce study encompassing all levels and fields of practice. The George Washington University Health Workforce Institute has produced three products:  Profile of the Social Work Workforce  and reports on graduates from  2017 and 2018 .  Read more about the workforce study here .  

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12.2 Disseminating your findings

Learning objectives.

• Define dissemination
• Describe how audience impacts the content and purpose of dissemination
• Identify the options for formally presenting your work to other scholars
• Explain the role of stakeholders in dissemination

Dissemination refers to “a planned process that involves consideration of target audiences and the settings in which research findings are to be received and, where appropriate, communicating and interacting with wider policy and…service audiences in ways that will facilitate research uptake in decision-making processes and practice” (Wilson, Petticrew, Calnan, & Natareth, 2010, p. 91).  In other words, dissemination of research findings involves careful planning, thought, consideration of target audiences, and communication with those audiences. Writing up results from your research and having others take notice are two entirely different propositions. In fact, the general rule of thumb is that people will not take notice unless you help and encourage them to do so.

Disseminating your findings successfully requires determining who your audience is, where your audience is, and how to reach them. When considering who your audience is, think about who is likely to take interest in your work. Your audience might include those who do not express enthusiastic interest but might nevertheless benefit from an awareness of your research. Your research participants and those who share some characteristics in common with your participants are likely to have some interest in what you’ve discovered in the course of your research. Other scholars who study similar topics are another obvious audience for your work. Perhaps there are policymakers who should take note of your work. Organizations that do work in an area related to the topic of your research are another possibility. Finally, any and all inquisitive and engaged members of the public represent a possible audience for your work.

Where your audience is should be fairly obvious. You know where your research participants are because you’ve studied them. You can find interested scholars on your campus, at professional conferences, and via publications such as professional organizations’ newsletters and scholarly journals. Policymakers include your state and federal representatives who, at least in theory, should be available to hear a constituent speak on matters of policy interest. Perhaps you’re already aware of organizations that do work in an area related to your research topic, but if not, a simple web search should help you identify possible organizational audiences for your work. Disseminating your findings to the public more generally could take any number of forms: a letter to the editor of the local newspaper, a blog, or even a post or two on your social media channels.

Finally, determining how to reach your audiences will vary according to which audience you wish to reach. Your strategy should be determined by the norms of the audience. For example, scholarly journals provide author submission instructions that clearly define requirements for anyone wishing to disseminate their work via a particular journal. The same is true for newspaper editorials; check your newspaper’s website for details about how to format and submit letters to the editor. If you wish to reach out to your political representatives, a call to their offices or a simple web search should tell you how to do so.

Disseminating findings involves the following three steps:

• Determine who your audience
• Identify where your audience
• Discover how best to reach your audience

Tailoring your message to your audience

Once you are able to articulate with whom to you wish to share your research, you must decide what to share. While you would never alter your actual findings for different audiences, understanding who your audience is will help you frame your research in a way that is most meaningful to that audience. Certainly, the most obvious candidates with whom you’ll share your work are other social scientists. If you are conducting research for a class project, your main “audience” will probably be your professor. Perhaps you’ll also share your work with other students in the class.

What is more challenging, and possibly a little scary, is sharing your research with the wider world. Sharing with professional audiences is designed to bring your work to the attention of other social scientists and academics, but also other social workers or professionals who practice in areas related to your research. If you are sharing with other scientists, they are probably interested in your study’s methods, particularly statistical tests or data analysis frameworks. Sharing your work with this audience will require you to talk about your methods and data in a different way than you would with other audiences.  Professional social workers are more likely to want to hear about the practice and policy implications of your research.

Scholars take extraordinary care not to commit plagiarism . Presenting someone else’s words or ideas as if they are your own is among the most egregious transgressions a scholar can commit. Indeed, plagiarism has ended many careers (Maffly, 2011) [1] and many students’ opportunities to pursue degrees (Go, 2008). [2] Take this very seriously. If you feel a little afraid and paranoid after reading this warning, consider it a good thing— and let it motivate you to take extra care to ensure that you are not plagiarizing the work of others.

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Researchers commonly submit manuscripts to peer-reviewed academic journals.  These journals are commonly read by other researchers, students, and practitioners.  Peer review is a formal process in which other scholars review the work to ensure it is a high quality before publication.  A manuscript may be rejected by a journal after being submitted.  Often, this is an opportunity for the researchers to correct problems with the manuscript or find a journal that is a better fit for their research findings.  Usually, even if a manuscript is accepted for publication, the peer reviewers will request improvements to it before it can be published.  The process of peer review helps improve the quality of journal articles and research.

Formal presentations

Getting your work published in a journal is challenging and time-consuming, as journals receive many submissions but have limited room to publish. Researchers often seek to supplement their publications with formal presentations, which, while adhering to stringent standards, are more accessible and have more opportunities to share research. For researchers, presenting your research is an excellent way to get feedback on your work. Professional social workers often make presentations to their peers to prepare for more formal writing and publishing of their work. Presentations might be formal talks, either individually or as part of a panel at a professional conference; less formal roundtable discussions, another common professional conference format; or posters that are displayed in a specially designated area.

Presentations to stakeholders

While it is important to let academics and scientists know about the results of your research, it is important to identify stakeholders who would also benefit from knowing the results of your study. Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest in the outcome of the study you conduct. Instead of the formal presentations or journal articles you may use to engage academics or fellow researchers, stakeholders will expect a presentation that is engaging, understandable, and immediately relevant to their lives and practice. Informal presentations are no less rigorous than formal presentations, but they do not follow a strict format.

Disseminating to the general public

While there are a seemingly infinite number of informal audiences, there is one more that is worth mentioning—the general public.  Part of our job as social workers is to shine a light towards areas of social injustice and raise the consciousness of the public as a whole. Researchers commonly share their results with popular media outlets to reach a broader audience with their study’s conclusions. Unfortunately, journalism about scientific results can sometimes overstate the degree of certainty researchers have in their conclusions. Consequently, it’s important to review the journalistic standards at the media outlet and reporter you approach by examining their previous work and clarifying the degree of control over the final product you will have.

Reports written for public consumption differ from those written for scholarly consumption. As noted elsewhere in this chapter, knowing your audience is crucial when preparing a report of your research. What are they likely to want to hear about? What portions of the research do you feel are crucial to share, regardless of the audience? What level of knowledge do they have about your topic? Answering these questions will help you determine how to shape any written reports you plan to produce. In fact, some outlets answer these questions for you, as in the case of newspaper editorials where rules of style, presentation, and length will dictate the shape of your written report.

Whoever your audience, don’t forget what it is that you are reporting: social scientific evidence. Take seriously your role as a social scientist and your place among peers in your discipline. Present your findings as clearly and as honestly as you possibly can; pay appropriate homage to the scholars who have come before you, even while you raise questions about their work; and aim to engage your readers in a discussion about your work and about avenues for further inquiry. Even if you won’t ever meet your readers face-to-face, imagine what they might ask you upon reading your report, imagine your response, and provide some of those details in your written report.

Key Takeaways

• Disseminating findings takes planning and careful consideration of your audiences.
• The dissemination process includes determining the who, where, and how of reaching your audiences.
• Plagiarism is among the most egregious academic transgressions a scholar can commit.
• In formal presentations, include your research question, methodological approach, major findings, and a few final takeaways.
• Reports for public consumption usually contain fewer details than reports for scholarly consumption.
• Keep your role and obligations as a social scientist in mind as you write research reports.
• Dissemination- “a planned process that involves consideration of target audiences and the settings in which research findings are to be received and, where appropriate, communicating and interacting with wider policy and…service audiences in ways that will facilitate research uptake in decision-making processes and practice” (Wilson, Petticrew, Calnan, & Natareth, 2010, p. 91)
• Plagiarism- presenting someone else’s words or ideas as if they are your own

Image attributions

microphone by Skitterphoto CC-0

woman man teamwork by rawpixel CC-0

audience by MariSmithPix CC-0

feedback by surdumihail CC-0

• As just a single example, take note of this story about the pattern of plagiarism that cost a University of Utah scholar his job . ↵
• As a single example (of many) of the consequences for students committing plagiarism, see this article about two students kicked off semester at sea for plagiarism . ↵

Foundations of Social Work Research Copyright © 2020 by Rebecca L. Mauldin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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