SW650 – SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH METHODS VERIFIED
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
2026/2027
Typical Coverage: Research paradigms, ethics, problem formulation,
sampling, measurement, quantitative/qualitative/mixed designs, data
collection, analysis, program evaluation, and dissemination.
Section 1: Foundations of Social Work Research (Q1–Q12)
Q1. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of
social work research?
A. To prove personal opinions
B. To generate knowledge that improves social work practice and client
outcomes
C. To replace clinical judgment
D. To satisfy funding requirements only
Answer: B
Rationale: Social work research aims to build knowledge that informs
practice, policy, and services to enhance client well-being and social
justice.
Q2. The two major philosophical paradigms in research are:
A. Positivism and interpretivism
B. Quantitative and qualitative
C. Deductive and inductive
D. Basic and applied
,Answer: A
Rationale: Positivism (objective reality, quantitative) and interpretivism
(subjective meaning, qualitative) are overarching paradigms.
Quantitative/qualitative are methodologies; deductive/inductive are
reasoning approaches.
Q3. A researcher who believes there is a single objective reality that
can be measured is operating from which paradigm?
A. Constructivist
B. Post-positivist
C. Critical theory
D. Pragmatic
Answer: B
Rationale: Post-positivism (a refined positivism) holds that reality exists but
can only be imperfectly measured. Constructivists believe reality is socially
constructed.
Q4. Evidence-based practice (EBP) in social work involves:
A. Using only randomized controlled trials
B. Integrating best research evidence, clinical expertise, and client
values/preferences
C. Ignoring client preferences
D. Relying solely on intuition
Answer: B
Rationale: EBP is a process of combining research evidence, practitioner
expertise, and client values/circumstances to make practice decisions.
Q5. Which type of research is designed to solve practical problems
and improve interventions?
A. Basic research
B. Applied research
,C. Exploratory research
D. Descriptive research
Answer: B
Rationale: Applied research addresses real-world problems. Basic
research expands knowledge for its own sake.
Q6. A literature review serves which purpose in the research process?
A. To identify gaps, refine questions, and build on existing knowledge
B. To replace data collection
C. To prove the researcher's opinion
D. To avoid ethical review
Answer: A
Rationale: A literature review situates the study, identifies gaps, sharpens
the research question, and informs methodology.
Q7. Which of the following is a characteristic of qualitative research?
A. Relies on numerical data
B. Seeks in-depth understanding of meaning and experience
C. Uses large random samples
D. Tests hypotheses statistically
Answer: B
Rationale: Qualitative research explores meaning, context, and subjective
experience, often with small purposive samples.
Q8. A research question should be:
A. Vague and broad
B. Clear, focused, and answerable
C. Impossible to answer
D. Based on personal bias
, Answer: B
Rationale: A good research question is specific, measurable (when
quantitative), and feasible to answer with available resources.
Q9. The acronym FINER stands for:
A. Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant
B. Fast, Innovative, New, Easy, Reliable
C. Formal, Integrated, Neutral, Exact, Rigorous
D. Focused, Interpretive, Natural, Empirical, Real
Answer: A
Rationale: FINER criteria help evaluate research questions: Feasible,
Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant.
Q10. Which section of a research report describes the study design
and procedures?
A. Introduction
B. Literature review
C. Methods
D. Results
Answer: C
Rationale: The Methods section details design, sampling, measures, and
procedures. Results present findings; Discussion interprets them.
Q11. A hypothesis is:
A. A testable prediction about the relationship between variables
B. A research question
C. A conclusion
D. A sampling method
Answer: A
Rationale: A hypothesis is a tentative, testable statement predicting
relationships among variables.
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
2026/2027
Typical Coverage: Research paradigms, ethics, problem formulation,
sampling, measurement, quantitative/qualitative/mixed designs, data
collection, analysis, program evaluation, and dissemination.
Section 1: Foundations of Social Work Research (Q1–Q12)
Q1. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of
social work research?
A. To prove personal opinions
B. To generate knowledge that improves social work practice and client
outcomes
C. To replace clinical judgment
D. To satisfy funding requirements only
Answer: B
Rationale: Social work research aims to build knowledge that informs
practice, policy, and services to enhance client well-being and social
justice.
Q2. The two major philosophical paradigms in research are:
A. Positivism and interpretivism
B. Quantitative and qualitative
C. Deductive and inductive
D. Basic and applied
,Answer: A
Rationale: Positivism (objective reality, quantitative) and interpretivism
(subjective meaning, qualitative) are overarching paradigms.
Quantitative/qualitative are methodologies; deductive/inductive are
reasoning approaches.
Q3. A researcher who believes there is a single objective reality that
can be measured is operating from which paradigm?
A. Constructivist
B. Post-positivist
C. Critical theory
D. Pragmatic
Answer: B
Rationale: Post-positivism (a refined positivism) holds that reality exists but
can only be imperfectly measured. Constructivists believe reality is socially
constructed.
Q4. Evidence-based practice (EBP) in social work involves:
A. Using only randomized controlled trials
B. Integrating best research evidence, clinical expertise, and client
values/preferences
C. Ignoring client preferences
D. Relying solely on intuition
Answer: B
Rationale: EBP is a process of combining research evidence, practitioner
expertise, and client values/circumstances to make practice decisions.
Q5. Which type of research is designed to solve practical problems
and improve interventions?
A. Basic research
B. Applied research
,C. Exploratory research
D. Descriptive research
Answer: B
Rationale: Applied research addresses real-world problems. Basic
research expands knowledge for its own sake.
Q6. A literature review serves which purpose in the research process?
A. To identify gaps, refine questions, and build on existing knowledge
B. To replace data collection
C. To prove the researcher's opinion
D. To avoid ethical review
Answer: A
Rationale: A literature review situates the study, identifies gaps, sharpens
the research question, and informs methodology.
Q7. Which of the following is a characteristic of qualitative research?
A. Relies on numerical data
B. Seeks in-depth understanding of meaning and experience
C. Uses large random samples
D. Tests hypotheses statistically
Answer: B
Rationale: Qualitative research explores meaning, context, and subjective
experience, often with small purposive samples.
Q8. A research question should be:
A. Vague and broad
B. Clear, focused, and answerable
C. Impossible to answer
D. Based on personal bias
, Answer: B
Rationale: A good research question is specific, measurable (when
quantitative), and feasible to answer with available resources.
Q9. The acronym FINER stands for:
A. Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant
B. Fast, Innovative, New, Easy, Reliable
C. Formal, Integrated, Neutral, Exact, Rigorous
D. Focused, Interpretive, Natural, Empirical, Real
Answer: A
Rationale: FINER criteria help evaluate research questions: Feasible,
Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant.
Q10. Which section of a research report describes the study design
and procedures?
A. Introduction
B. Literature review
C. Methods
D. Results
Answer: C
Rationale: The Methods section details design, sampling, measures, and
procedures. Results present findings; Discussion interprets them.
Q11. A hypothesis is:
A. A testable prediction about the relationship between variables
B. A research question
C. A conclusion
D. A sampling method
Answer: A
Rationale: A hypothesis is a tentative, testable statement predicting
relationships among variables.
