Statistics for Human Service Evaluation

by Reginald O. York

Overview

This practical book shows how both Excel® and SPSS® can be used for analyzing data for human service evaluation. Assuming no prior instruction for statistics, the text utilizes a "learn by doing" approach: readers see the use of statistics demonstrated and then are encouraged to apply their own data to statistical analysis with step-by-step guidance. Decision trees, practice exercises, and quizzes ensure readers will be well prepared to practice data analysis in a wide variety of human services situations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483386713
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	10/28/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Reginald O. York, PhD, is a professor in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Previously, he served on the social work faculties of East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He is the author of Human Service Planning (The University of North Carolina Press, 1982), Building Basic Competencies in Social Work Research (Allyn and Bacon, 1997), Conducting Social Work Research (Allyn and Bacon, 1998), Evaluating Social Work Practice (Pearson, 2009), and Statistics for Human Service Evaluation (Sage Publications, 2017). Prior to his entry into academia, he served as a foster care social worker, a child protective services supervisor, and the director of two human service organizations. His research interests include evidence-based practice, social work education, and human service management.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter 1 Why Do We Use Statistics?
Why We Use Statistics
What You Will Find in the Rest of This Chapter
Two Key Issues Addressed by Data Analysis—Practical Significance and Statistical Significance
Using Statistics to Describe Clients, Evaluate Services, and Explain Client Behavior
Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
How Do We Analyze Data the User-Friendly Way?
What You Will Learn From This Book
Quiz
Key Terms
Chapter 2 Using the Computer for Statistical Analysis of Data
Using Excel for Statistical Analysis
Using SPSS for Statistical Analysis
The Structure of Excel and SPSS for Data Analysis
Using Excel in a User-Friendly Approach to Data Analysis— An Illustration
Reporting Your Findings
Summary of How to Use Excel
Quiz
Chapter 3 Selecting a Statistic to Answer Your Research Question
Finding a Descriptive Statistic
Finding a Statistic to Test Your Hypothesis in Evaluative Research
The Study Hypothesis
Things to Do Before You Seek a Statistic for an Evaluative Hypothesis
Finding Your Statistic for Testing the Evaluative Research Hypothesis: One Example
Practice Exercise
Key Terms
Chapter 4 Using Descriptive Statistics to Describe Your Study Sample
Deciding What Variables to Describe
Deciding What Statistics to Report About Your Study Subjects
Some Common Descriptive Statistics
Variance and the Normal Distribution
Using the Special Excel Files for Descriptive Statistics
Using SPSS for Descriptive Statistics
Summary
Quiz
Key Terms
Chapter 5 Analyzing Data With Pretest and Posttest Measurements of One Group
Using the t Test
Examining Statistical Significance and Practical Significance With the t Test
Testing Your Hypothesis With the Paired-Samples t Test When You Have Matching Pretest and Posttest Scores
Testing Your Hypothesis With the One-Sample t Test When You Have Pretest and Posttest Scores That Cannot Be Matched
Testing Your Hypothesis With the Binomial Test When You Have Pretest and Posttest Measurements of a Dichotomous Variable
Using the Binomial Test for the Posttest-Only Design When You Have a Threshold Proportion for Comparison
Summary
Quiz
Practice Exercise
Key Terms
Chapter 6 Analyzing Data When You Are Comparing Two Groups
Using the Independent-Samples t Test When You Are Comparing the Gain Scores of Two Groups
Using Chi Square to Compare Two Groups When You Have a Dichotomous Dependent Variable
Quiz
Practice Exercise
Key Terms
Chapter 7 Analyzing Data When You Are Evaluating a Single Client
Using the One-Sample t Test When You Have a Single Baseline Score and Several Treatment Scores
Using the Standard Deviation Approach When You Have Several Baseline Scores and Several Treatment Scores
Using Other Single-Subject Designs With Data Measured at the Interval Level
Using the Binomial Test for the AB Design When Data Are Measured as a Dichotomy
Quiz
Practice Exercise
Key Terms
Chapter 8 Explaining Client Gain
Examining the Relationship Between Client Gain and a Variable Measured at the Nominal Level
Examining the Relationship Between Client Gain and a Variable Measured at the Interval or Ordinal Level
Using Multiple Regression Analysis to Examine the Relationship Between Client Gain Scores and More Than One Other Variable
Quiz
Practice Exercise: Youth Diversion Program
Key Terms
Chapter 9 A Synopsis of Selected Statistical Tests for Examining Nominal Data
Chi Square and the Binomial Test: A Review
Examination of the Relationship Between Two Nominal Variables With Independent Data Using Chi Square, the Phi Coefficient, and the Contingency Coefficient
Examination of the Relationship Between Two Nominal Variables With Related Data Using the McNemar Test
Using the Binomial Test to Compare the Categories of a Dichotomous Variable
Key Terms
Chapter 10 A Synopsis of Selected Statistical Tests for Examining Ordinal Data
Using the Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient When You Have Two Ordinal Variables
Using the Mann–Whitney U Test When You Have Independent Data With One Ordinal Variable and a Dichotomous Nominal Variable
Using the Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed Ranks Test When You Have Related Data With a Dichotomous Variable and an Ordinal Variable
Using the Kruskal–Wallis One-Way Analysis of Variance When You Have Independent Data With an Ordinal Variable and a Nominal Variable That Has More Than Two Categories
Key Terms
Chapter 11 Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice
What Is Evidence-Based Practice?
Levels of Evidence
Statistics for Review of Evidence
Some Tips for Reviewing the Evidence
Key Terms
Key Terms
Answers to Quizzes and Review Questions
Appendixes
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

The author sees data analysis and statistics through a student’s perspective. Use of a task-based approach to statistics makes it more relevant to students and easier to grasp.

Roseanna Mc Cleary

This is definitely the right book for students and human service workers who have anxiety around statistics. It is easy to follow and one does not need any pre-knowledge of statistics to be able to use this book.

Rashmi Gupta

This is the most comprehensive book on statistical analysis of data for human service evaluation. Social work educators, psychologists, clinicians, and sociologists would be well served in making use of this all-inclusive text.

Jitendra Kapoor

York’s text provides an easy-to-follow ‘how-to’ text for practitioners who want to evaluate client progress. It guides practitioners in the selection of appropriate statistical tests to compare groups, assess change from pre- to post-tests, and assess outcomes in single system design. York’s text is one that practitioners will want to keep on their bookcase and refer back to over the years.

Carolyn L. Turturro

This textbook empowers students to understand not only how to run statistics, but why they will run their chosen statistics. It closes the gap between ‘scary statistics’ and practical alienation of statistics in the profession.

Marjorie C. Shavers

The author sees data analysis and statistics through a student’s perspective. Use of a task-based approach to statistics makes it more relevant to students and easier to grasp.

Roseanna McCleary