Overview

This textbook was created to provide an introduction to research methods for BSW and MSW students, with particular emphasis on research and practice relevant to students at the University of Texas at Arlington.  It provides an introduction to social work students to help evaluate research for evidence-based practice and design social work research projects.  It can be used with its companion, A Guidebook for Social Work Literature Reviews and Research Questions by Rebecca L. Mauldin and Matthew DeCarlo, or as a stand alone textbook.

Creation Process

In the summer of 2019, Dr. Rebecca L. Mauldin of the University of Texas at Arlington’s School of Social Work coordinated a project to adopt an Open Educational Resource textbook for the School of Social Work’s Research Methods courses across the BSW and MSW programs.  Scientific Inquiry in Social Work by Matthew DeCarlo was used as a primary source text.  In the creation of this text, Dr. Mauldin worked with Amanda Steed,  MSW Graduate Student Research Assistant, and Brooke Troutman, Assistant Librarian to incorporate and revise the source material, locate additional OER material for the book, solicit contributions from faculty members, and write additional material for the text book.

About the Author

Rebecca L. Mauldin is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington’s School of Social Work.  Dr. Mauldin’s research interests include social networks, social support, gerontology, and generosity.  Her research focuses on the role of social relationships in the health and well-being of older adults.  She examines the resources and benefits associated with relationships among residents of long-term care facilities, older immigrants, and older adults aging in place.  Collaborative in nature, Dr. Mauldin enjoys community practice, program development, and coalition building.  She thrives in teaching environments and brings forth others’ strengths in her practice, scholarship, and teaching.