Integrating Study Design and Statistical Analysis- Analyzing Chi-Square Findings in Social Work Research

Integrating Study Design and Statistical Analysis- Analyzing Chi-Square Findings in Social Work Research

Any researcher must understand how their study design relates to their statistical analysis. Statistical analysis entails data collection and trend or pattern discovery, as well as using the data to evaluate the area or topic of study. Various statistical analysis tools, including SPSS, can help researchers extract meaning from collected data (Ranganathan & Aggarwal, 2017). In the current case, one of the main reasons the agency created a plan for evaluating the program is that the resources were easily available and accessible. Another reason why they could have created the plan was to determine the association between the population under study. The social work agency used the chi-square statistic to evaluate whether there was any difference between the individuals who participated in the program and those who did not (Plummer et al., 2014).

The agency made an excellent decision to use chi-square statistics to conduct the evaluation. The chi-square statistic is usually used to compare expected results with observed results. Therefore, it is excellent for evaluating two variables. The current study variables are those who participated in the program and those who did not. The chi-square is also appropriate for the case because of the variables under study. The variables are nominal, meaning that the values are grouped into categories in no meaningful order. The research design included an intervention group (X) and the comparison group waitlist. Each group had three observations (O): unemployed, part-time, and full-time. The chi-square test output reveals that the Pearson chi-square statistic was 11.748 while the p-value was 0.003. These results mean that the null hypothesis is rejected, indicating no difference between the intervention and comparison groups. Therefore, the intervention was effective in promoting full-time employment.

References

Plummer, S. B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (2014). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing [Vital Source e-reader].

Ranganathan, P., & Aggarwal, R. (2017). Common pitfalls in statistical analysis: Linear regression analysis. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 8(2), 100. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-3485.203040

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Statistical analysis software is a valuable tool that helps researchers perform complex calculations. However, the study must be well-designed to use such a tool effectively. The social worker must understand all the relationships involved in the study. He or she must understand the study’s purpose and select the most appropriate design. The social worker must correctly represent the relationship being examined and the variables involved. Finally, he or she must enter those variables correctly into the software package. This assignment will allow you to analyze the decisions made in the “Social Work Research: Chi-Square” case study and the relationship between study design and statistical analysis. Assume that the data has been entered into SPSS and you’ve been given the output of the chi-square results. (See Week 4 Handout: Chi-Square findings).

Integrating Study Design and Statistical Analysis- Analyzing Chi-Square Findings in Social Work Research

Review the Week 4 Handout: Chi-Square Findings to prepare for this Assignment and follow the instructions.

Statistical analysis software is a valuable tool that helps researchers perform complex calculations. However, the study must be well-designed to use such a tool effectively. The social worker must understand all the relationships involved in the study. He or she must understand the study’s purpose and select the most appropriate design. The social worker must correctly represent the relationship being examined and the variables involved. Finally, he or she must enter those variables correctly into the software package. This assignment will allow you to analyze in detail the decisions made in the “Social Work Research: Chi-Square” case study and the relationship between study design and statistical analysis. Assume that the data has been entered into SPSS and you’ve been given the output of the chi-square results. (See Week 4 Handout: Chi-Square findings).

An analysis of the relationship between study design and statistical analysis used in the case study that includes:
An explanation of why you think that the agency created a plan to evaluate the program
An explanation of why the social work agency in the case study chose to use a chi-square statistic to evaluate whether there is a difference between those who participated in the program and those who did not (Hint: Think about the level of measurement of the variables)
A description of the research design in terms of observations (O) and interventions (X) for each group.
Interpret the chi-square output data. What do the data say about the program?