Group Research Design, Internal Validity, Ethics and External validity

Topic 

Group Research Design, Internal Validity, Ethics and External validity

Instructions 

Q&A paper on Group Research Design, Internal Validity, Ethics, and External validity

1/ What is group research design?  When and why is it a good choice in conducting research?

2/ What is internal validity? Why is it important to control for issues of internal validity in group research?

3/ What are some ethical concerns with social workers using group research design?  Name at least one from the Belmont Report (Respect, Beneficence, Justice) or from the NASW Code of Ethics, and provide an example.

4/ What is external validity? Why do social workers need to be concerned about external validity (in the research they read or in the research they do)?

Answer Preview 

Question 1

A group research design refers to designs that compare two or more groups on one or more variable, such as the impact of alcoholism on teenagers. There are different types of group research design and they include the one-time case study where in this case there is no control group, which means that the design does not have external or internal validity.  Secondly, there is the two group, post-test comparison, where the major advantage of this form of design is its nature of randomization. Thirdly, there is the one group pre-test, post-test, where there is minimal control, in that, there is more structure that exists in this design, as there is a particular group that is chosen and is under observation.

Word Count: 800