Week 8 Assignment: Data Collection and Analysis Evaluation Plan

Overview

For the Week 5 Assignment, you recommended the best practice intervention model to the City of Erickson. Good work, or is it? The City of Erikson wants to ensure its money was well spent. They have approached you once again as the expert to evaluate the success of the best practice interventions you recommended. For this assignment, you will develop a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the recommendations including data collection and analysis.

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following EPAS and practice behaviors:

C1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior.

• C1.GP.A Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context.
  • Demonstrate ethical decision making for data collection and analysis in research and program evaluation.
• C1.GP.C Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and oral, written, and electronic communication.
  • Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.

C4: Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice.

• C4.GP.B Apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and qualitative research methods and research findings.
  • Evaluate critical questions related to the evaluation of best practice intervention recommendations for the clinic.
  • Propose a relevant pool of a study population and sampling strategy.
  • Analyze the process for the collection and protection of the data using contextually appropriate data collection tools.
  • Evaluate the approach to relevant data analysis and interpretation.
• C4.GP.C Use and translate research evidence to inform and improve practice, policy, and service delivery.
  • Assess the appropriate audience(s) and medium for final data analysis

Instructions

Include the following components in your paper:

1. Research Question: Evaluate critical questions for the evaluation of best practice interventions recommendations for the clinic.
   • Restate the overarching research question you developed in Week 5.
   • Then, for your program evaluation plan, evaluate critical question(s) that will require answers in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the best practice intervention model you recommended.
   • Be specific in identifying the purpose and the variables or constructs to be assessed.
     • These questions will inform the type of research/evaluation methods employed, e.g., is your question aligned with a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method design?
     • Use relevant scholarly literature to support your selections.
2. Participants: Propose a relevant pool of a study population and sampling strategy.
   • Identify the study population for the evaluation of your best practice intervention model.
   • Describe your sampling plan.
     • Will you use a probably or non probably sample? Why?
     • What are the inclusion and exclusion criteria?
     • Does your sampling plan align with the type of study, e.g., qualitative (exploratory), quantitative (descriptive, explanatory), mixed methods?
     • Use the relevant scholarly literature to support your method of selection.
3. Ethical Considerations: Demonstrate ethical decision making for data collection and analysis e in research and program evaluation.
   • What ethical concerns or issues need to be addressed? Have you considered diversity, social justice, and culture in your selection of the participants?
   • Does your study sample include vulnerable or underserved individuals?
   • What methods will be employed to ensure informed consent, respect for persons, autonomy, confidentiality, and protection of the participants?
   • How does this align with the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social WorkersLinks to an external site. in research?
   • Use relevant scholarly literature to support your claims.
4. Analyze the process for the collection and protection of the data.
   • Describe your data collection methods and their alignment with the information you need to answer your research question(s). Consider alignment between quantitative and qualitative data and the methodology employed for the evaluation study.
   • Describe the tool(s) selected for data collection and your rationale for the selection (surveys, interviews, questions, observations, etc.).
   • Discuss the reliability and validity of these tools. Are these published and reliable instruments or processes? Are these consistent with your research evaluation design?
   • Describe who will collect the data and how the tools or methods will be employed for collection including the process. Have you considered language, how to protect vulnerable groups and culture in your plan?
   • Consider the ethical use and protection of the data you will collect including how the data be protected and stored. Who will have access? How will confidentiality be ensured?
   • Use relevant scholarly literature to support your selections.
5. Data Analysis: Evaluate the approach to relevant data analysis and interpretation.
   • Analyze your plan to analyze the data that you collect. This will differ depending on the methods employed, e.g., qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods.
     • Is statistical analysis needed (why or why not)?
     • If you used a quantitative approach, consider the use of measures of central tendency (mean, mode, median), correlations (strength and direction of relationships), difference between group means (t-test, ANOVA).
     • If you used a qualitative approach, consider the use of content analysis (coding and categorizing), thematic analysis, narrative analysis.
6. Data Interpretation.
   • Evaluate the approach to relevant data interpretation. How would you analyze the data that you collect?
     • Will you be using coding and categorizing?
     • Will you be conducting statistical analyses of any kind?
     • Consider whether you will use any computer software or applications to assist with the data analysis.
     • Be sure to explain why you have selected this approach.
   • Provide an example of how the data will be analyzed.
   • Do you have any concerns about bias in the analysis of the data/results?
   • Use the relevant scholarly literature to support your selection.
7. Audience and Medium.
   • Assess the appropriate audience(s) and medium for final data analysis. Include how you propose to present your results and what format would be most appropriate to communicate them to your audience(s).
     • Think about the potential results of your study. Who should know about the results?
     • Identify the audience(s) for your results and why they are the appropriate recipients.
     • How will you communicate the results to this group? What format will you use? What is your dissemination plan?
     • Will you use different methods for different audiences?
     • Use examples that connect to professional practice and/or the relevant scholarly literature to support your selection and methods.
     • Consider diversity, inclusion, and culture in your plan.

Additional Requirements

The assignment you submit is expected to meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Written communication is free from errors that detract from the overall message.
• References: A minimum of 5 scholarly references.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations must be formatted according to current APA style and format standards. Evidence and APALinks to an external site. can help with that.
• Length of paper: 3–4 double-spaced pages, not including cover page and reference pages.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
• Due date: Assignment must be submitted to your instructor in the courseroom no later than 11:59 p.m. on Sunday of this week.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

• Competency 2: Apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and qualitative research methods and research findings. (C4.GP.B)
• Evaluate critical questions related to the evaluation of best practice intervention recommendations for the clinic. (C4.GP.B)
• Propose a relevant pool of a study population and sampling strategy. (C4.GP.B)
• Analyze the process for the collection and protection of the data using contextually appropriate data collection tools. (C4.GP.B)
• Evaluate the approach to relevant data analysis and interpretation. (C4.GP.B)
• Competency 3: Use and translate research evidence to inform and improve practice, policy, and service delivery. (C4.GP.C)
• Assess the appropriate audience(s) and medium for final data analysis. (C4.GP.C )
• Competency 6: Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context. (C1.GP.A)
• Demonstrate ethical decision making for data collection and analysis in research and program evaluation. (C1.GP.A)
• Competency 7: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the social work profession. (C1.GP.C)
• Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards. (C1.GP.C)