EXAMINATION DOCUMENT 2026/2027
SW650 Social Work Research Methods Exam
Complete Practice Questions & Verified Answers
Master of Social Work (MSW) Study Guide
Original Study Guide - Different Look & Different Concept Per Question
,Question 1: [SW650-Q001] RESEARCH SCENARIO: 28yo sample measurement at Social Work
Dept Dallas - Dr Jonah PhD notes: Study: Survey N=500 housing instability. Focus: Scientific
method social work research positivist interpretivist critical paradigms. Choose best MSW
research methods answer.
A. Distractor: Violates Scientific method social work research positivist interpretivist critical paradigms -
misapplies design or threatens validity for measurement
B. Distractor: Confuses Scientific method social work research positivist interpretivist critical paradigms with
unrelated method, ignores ethics or cultural competence
C. Scientific method social work research positivist interpretivist critical paradigms - Correct: scientific method
social work research positivist interpretivist critical paradigms is appropriate for measurement per MSW
research
D. Distractor: Unsafe - ignores NASW ethics, IRB, or social justice for 28yo sample
Correct answer: C
Verified Rationale (Scientific method social work research positivist interpretivist critical paradigms):
28yo sample measurement at Social Work Dept Dallas, Dr Jonah PhD documents Study: Survey
N=500 housing instability. Scientific method social work research positivist interpretivist critical
paradigms per SW650 Social Work Research Methods Exam 2026/2027 MSW curriculum requires
scientific method, paradigms positivist interpretivist critical, problem formulation, literature review,
theory deductive inductive, conceptualization operationalization, measurement levels nominal ordinal
interval ratio, reliability Cronbach alpha validity face content criterion construct internal external, scale
Likert Thurstone Guttman, design cross sectional longitudinal experimental RCT quasi pre
experimental single subject ABAB, sampling probability random stratified cluster systematic
nonprobability convenience purposive snowball quota sample size power analysis, data collection
survey interview observation secondary, qualitative ethnography phenomenology grounded theory
case study narrative purposive theoretical saturation coding open axial selective thematic
trustworthiness credibility transferability dependability confirmability, mixed methods convergent
parallel explanatory exploratory, quantitative descriptive inferential t ANOVA chi square correlation
regression p Type I II effect size, program evaluation formative summative process outcome impact
logic model inputs activities outputs outcomes needs assessment, EBP ask acquire appraise apply
assess systematic review meta analysis forest plot critical appraisal CASP CONSORT PRISMA, ethics
NASW Belmont respect beneficence justice IRB informed consent confidentiality anonymity deception,
cultural competence culturally responsive anti oppressive decolonizing CBPR PAR feminist
intersectionality, dissemination APA grant proposal, validity threats history maturation testing
instrumentation regression mortality diffusion external ecological population temporal construct mono
method hypothesis guessing social desirability, data management cleaning missing imputation
software SPSS NVivo, secondary administrative big data GIS photovoice concept mapping Delphi
focus group, etc. Correct option demonstrates rigorous, ethical, culturally responsive, social justice
oriented research. Distinct concept from other 299 Q. Distractors fail due to validity threat, unethical, or
culturally incompetent. Understanding Scientific method social work research positivist interpretivist
critical paradigms is essential for MSW SW650 2026/2027.
Question 2: [SW650-Q002] Select BEST answer: Epistemology ontology axiology social work
research - Research Lab Austin - 35yo sampling. Dr Priya DSW - Qualitative: Interviews N=20
foster youth lived experience.
A. Distractor: Violates Epistemology ontology axiology social work research - misapplies design or threatens
validity for sampling
B. Best: Epistemology ontology axiology social work research - Correct verified answer per SW650 2026/2027
C. Distractor: Confuses Epistemology ontology axiology social work research with unrelated method, ignores
ethics or cultural competence
D. Distractor: Unsafe - ignores NASW ethics, IRB, or social justice for 35yo sample
Correct answer: B
, Verified Rationale (Epistemology ontology axiology social work research): 35yo sample sampling at
Research Lab Austin, Dr Priya DSW documents Qualitative: Interviews N=20 foster youth lived
experience. Epistemology ontology axiology social work research per SW650 Social Work Research
Methods Exam 2026/2027 MSW curriculum requires scientific method, paradigms positivist
interpretivist critical, problem formulation, literature review, theory deductive inductive,
conceptualization operationalization, measurement levels nominal ordinal interval ratio, reliability
Cronbach alpha validity face content criterion construct internal external, scale Likert Thurstone
Guttman, design cross sectional longitudinal experimental RCT quasi pre experimental single subject
ABAB, sampling probability random stratified cluster systematic nonprobability convenience purposive
snowball quota sample size power analysis, data collection survey interview observation secondary,
qualitative ethnography phenomenology grounded theory case study narrative purposive theoretical
saturation coding open axial selective thematic trustworthiness credibility transferability dependability
confirmability, mixed methods convergent parallel explanatory exploratory, quantitative descriptive
inferential t ANOVA chi square correlation regression p Type I II effect size, program evaluation
formative summative process outcome impact logic model inputs activities outputs outcomes needs
assessment, EBP ask acquire appraise apply assess systematic review meta analysis forest plot
critical appraisal CASP CONSORT PRISMA, ethics NASW Belmont respect beneficence justice IRB
informed consent confidentiality anonymity deception, cultural competence culturally responsive anti
oppressive decolonizing CBPR PAR feminist intersectionality, dissemination APA grant proposal,
validity threats history maturation testing instrumentation regression mortality diffusion external
ecological population temporal construct mono method hypothesis guessing social desirability, data
management cleaning missing imputation software SPSS NVivo, secondary administrative big data
GIS photovoice concept mapping Delphi focus group, etc. Correct option demonstrates rigorous,
ethical, culturally responsive, social justice oriented research. Distinct concept from other 299 Q.
Distractors fail due to validity threat, unethical, or culturally incompetent. Understanding Epistemology
ontology axiology social work research is essential for MSW SW650 2026/2027.
Question 3: [SW650-Q003] Which is TRUE about Literature review purpose sources databases
search terms? 42yo at Community Agency Fort Worth, data analysis, Dr Carlos MSW
assessment Secondary data: ACS homelessness. SW650 Social Work Research.
A. Distractor: Violates Literature review purpose sources databases search terms - misapplies design or
threatens validity for data analysis
B. Correct for Literature review purpose sources databases search terms: aligns with SW650 MSW research
methods evidence-based standards
C. Distractor: Confuses Literature review purpose sources databases search terms with unrelated method,
ignores ethics or cultural competence
D. Distractor: Unsafe - ignores NASW ethics, IRB, or social justice for 42yo sample
Correct answer: B