The impact of quantitative research in social work
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12606228 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michael Sheppard (0000-0002-4250-0666, University of Plymouth, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2017 |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 4-15 |
| Publication date | 2017-06-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | European Journal of Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1369-1457 • E-ISSN: 1468-2664 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13691457.2017.1341386 |
| OpenAlex | W2640409468 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 19 |
The importance of quantitative research in the social sciences generally and social work specifically has been highlighted in recent years, in both an international and a British context. Consensus opinion in the UK is that quantitative work is the ‘poor relation’ in social work research, leading to a number of initiatives. However, Sharland’s UK work involves interviews with academics, representing consensus opinion. We have little independent measures of their accuracy. This paper is the first to focus on the academic impact of quantitative research in social work developing measurable outcomes. It focuses on three leading British-based generic journals over a 10-year period, encapsulating 1490 original articles. Impact is measured through three indices: Google Scholar and Web of Science Citations, and downloads. These provide measures of ‘revealed preference’ in relation to individual scholars’ impact (though to use them for a particular methodology is novel), whose particular qualities, strengths and limitations are noted. Contrary to received opinion of quantitative work as the ‘poor relation’ of social work research, findings show that it is not significantly disadvantaged relative to qualitative work in its ‘reach’ as measured by citations and downloads. The implications of this, including caveats and nuances, are discussed
Context (archaeology · Disadvantaged · Geography · Political science · Preference · Public relations · Relation (database · Social science · Sociology · Statistics · Work (physics · Computer Science · Homelessness and Social Issues · Law · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work
Impact of data sources on citation counts and rankings of LIS faculty
A Systematic Review of Structural Equation Modelling in Social Work Research
Who Is Citing Whom in Social Work? A Response to Hodge, Lacasse and Benson
Practitioners as Rule Using Analysts
Influential Publications in Social Work Discourse
Comparative Hypothesis Assessment and Quasi Triangulation as Process Knowledge Assessment Strategies in Social Work Practice
Social Work Doctoral Students in the UK
Reflexivity and the development of process knowledge in social work
Recent Developments in Structural Equation Modelling Research in Social Work Journals
Ethnography
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.67 |
| Citation span | 2020 - 2025 (6) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |