Social Work

Critical Thinking Skills for Your Social Work Degree by Jane Bottomley; Patricia Cartney; Steven Pryjmachuk Critical Thinking Skills for your Social Work Degree provides you with a sound knowledge and understanding of: the nature of critical thinking, and of its relevance and importance in HE how to adopt a critical approach to all aspects of your social work studies the importance of active, critical reading, and how it allows you an efficient, principled, effective assessment of the literature in your field the need to adopt a critical approach to writing, characterised by analytical and evaluative use of sources and the development of your own 'voice' If you are embarking on a university social work degree, the books in this series will help you acquire and develop the knowledge, skills and strategies you need to achieve your goals. They provide support in all areas important for university study, including institutional and disciplinary policy and practice, self-management, and research and communication. Tasks and activities are designed to foster aspects of learning which are valued in higher education, including learner autonomy and critical thinking, and to guide you towards reflective practice in your study and work life.    

Communication Skills for your Social Work Degree by Jane Bottomley; Patricia Cartney; Steven Pryjmachuk Communication Skills for your Social Work Degree will help you to: improve your oral and written communication skills in a range of academic and professional settings improve your public speaking, including academic presentations improve your practical writing and speaking skills If you are embarking on a university social work degree, the books in this series will help you acquire and develop the knowledge, skills and strategies you need to achieve your goals. Tasks and activities are designed to foster aspects of learning which are valued in higher education, including learner autonomy and critical thinking, and to guide you towards reflective practice in your study and work life. 

Studying for Your Social Work Degree by Jane Bottomley; Steven Pryjmachuk; Patricia Cartney Studying for your Social WorkDegree is PERFECT for anyone wanting to train to become a social worker. After reading this fully comprehensive guide you will understand: the structure and culture of HE, and how social work fits into it what to expect, and what will be expected of you, as a university student teaching and assessment methods within social work, so that you can perform to the best of your ability in an academic environment how to manage your social work studies in an effective way and make the most of the resources available to you. The books in our Critical Study Skills series will help you gain the knowledge, skills and strategies you need to achieve your goals. They provide support in all areas important for university study, including institutional and disciplinary policy and practice, self-management, and research and communication. Packed with tasks and activities to help you improve your learning, including learner autonomy and critical thinking, and to guide you towards reflective practice in your study and work life. Uniquely, this book is written by an experienced social work lecturer and an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) lecturer.  

How to Do Your Case Study by Gary Thomas This accessible guide takes you through the process of designing, conducting and writing up a research project using case study methods. In his characteristic warm and friendly style, Gary Thomas covers each step at a confidence-building pace, helping you to get to grips with the theory and practice of doing a case study. Focusing on vital issues like validity, reliability and quality in research, the author helps you ensure your research is rigorous and methodologically sound. This third edition: ·       Offers an expanded discussion of key ethical issues in case study research ·       Provides up to date information about using social media in research·       Presents a new navigation tool to help you plan your case study project·       Enables you to develop the skills you need to become a critical and reflexive researcher Covering international examples of case study in practice and accompanied by downloadable checklists and templates, this book is the perfect companion to help you successfully complete a case study.

Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers by Judith Bell and Stephen Waters. Step-by-step advice on completing an outstanding research project. This is the market-leading book for anyone conducting a research project, whether for the first time or as an experienced researcher honing their skills. Clear, concise and readable, this bestselling resource provides a practical, step-by-step guide from initial concept to completion of your research report. Thoroughly updated but retaining its well-loved style, this seventh edition provides: • A brand new first chapter outlining what it means to carry out research, the responsibilities of the researcher, the research journey, and the 'intentional' and 'unintentional' roles of a researcher. • An extensive update to chapter nine on using social media in research, to include ethical considerations and how the researcher can use and reference information collected via these platforms and create collaborative connections. • An online review of the latest tools for collecting and analysing both quantitative and qualitative data gathered from social media sites, such as Survey Monkey and Google Forms. • Further coverage on how to protect research participants, including advice from the NHS on how to conduct research in health-based settings. • More detailed coverage of how to conduct effective online literature searches, not only using Google but also other research-based search engines such as PubMed and professionally-focussed sites. • To support your learning, questions at the end of each chapter, which prompt you to reflect on your research journey. This practical, no-nonsense guide is vital reading for all those embarking on undergraduate or postgraduate study, irrespective of discipline, and for professionals in such fields as social science, education and health.

Research Skills for Social Work by Andrew Whittaker Social Work students often find research an intimidating and complex area of study, with many struggling to understand the core concepts and their application to practice. This book presents these concepts in an accessible and user-friendly way. Key skills and methods such as literature reviews, interviews, and questionnaires are explored in detail while the underlying ethical reasons for doing good research underpin the text. For this second edition, new material on ethnography is added.

Academic writing by Stephen Bailey Now in its fifth edition, Academic Writing helps international students succeed in writing essays and reports for their English-language academic courses. Thoroughly revised and updated, it is designed to let teachers and students easily find the topics they need, both in the classroom and for self-study. The book consists of five parts: The Writing Process Elements of Writing Language Issues Vocabulary for Writing Writing Models The first part explains and practises every stage of essay writing, from choosing the best sources, reading and note-making, through to referencing and proofreading. The four remaining parts, organised alphabetically, can be taught in conjunction with the first part or used on a remedial basis. A progress check at the end of each part allows students to assess their learning. All units are fully cross-referenced, and a complete set of answers to the practice exercises is included. New topics in this edition include Writing in Groups, Written British and American English, and Writing Letters and Emails. In addition, the new interactive website has a full set of teaching notes as well as more challenging exercises, revision material and links to other sources. Additional features of the book include: Models provided for writing tasks such as case studies and essays Use of authentic academic texts from a wide range of disciplines Designed for self-study as well as classroom use Useful at both undergraduate and postgraduate level Glossary to explain technical terms, plus index Written to deal with the specific language issues faced by international students, this practical, user-friendly book is an invaluable guide to academic writing in English.

Academic Writing for University Students by Stephen Bailey Academic Writing for University Students is designed to help all students succeed in writing essays, reports and other papers for coursework and exams effectively. Academic writing is often the biggest challenge facing college and university students, but this book provides all the tools needed to master the necessary skills. The book is divided into four parts, to help teachers and students easily find the help they need, both in the classroom and for self-study: The Writing Process: From finding suitable sources, through to editing and proofreading Writing Types: Practice with common assignments such as reports and cause-effect essays Writing Tools: Skills such as making comparisons, definitions, punctuation and style Lexis: Academic vocabulary, using synonyms, nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs This key handbook breaks down and practises every stage of essay writing. All units are fully cross-referenced, and a complete set of answers to the practice exercises is included. In addition, the companion website hosts comprehensive teaching notes as well as more challenging exercises, revision material and links to other sources. Designed for self-study as well as classroom use, this book uses authentic academic texts from a range of sources and provides models for common writing tasks such as case studies, while progress checks are included for each part to enable students to assess their learning. Academic Writing for University Students is an invaluable guide to all aspects of academic writing in English.

Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates by Mike Wallace; Alison Wray Reading critically, and writing using critical techniques, are crucial skills you need to apply to your academic work.  If you need to engage with published (or unpublished) literature such as essays, dissertations or theses, research papers or oral presentations, this proven guide helps you develop a reflective and advanced critical approach to your research and writing. New to this edition: Two new chapters on basic and advanced writing skills More advice on self-bias and perception Updates and additional examples throughout Updated online resources providing additional support. A Companion Website provides additional resources to help you apply the critical techniques you learn.  From templates and checklists, access to SAGE journal articles and additional case studies, these free resources will make sure you successfully master advanced critical skills.

Critical thinking: tools for taking charge of your learning and your life by Richard Paul and Linda Elder Written by international authorities on critical thinking, this book details an integrated, universal concept of critical thinking that is both substantive and applicable to any and every situation in which human thinking is necessary. It provides students with the basic intellectual tools needed for life-long learning, helping them understand the mind and how its three functions-thinking, feeling, motivating-influence one another. Critical Thinking fosters the development of fair-minded critical thinking and explores essential intellectual standards of clarity, precision, accuracy, logicalness, significance, depth, breadth, and fairness; the importance of skilled and deep questioning; and how to take thinking apart in order to find problems in thinking and then improve thinking. The fourth edition features: Think for Yourself activities, Glossary of critical thinking terms, New chapter on argumentation, New chapters on critical thinking in the professions (including critique of disciplines), Discussion of the Internet's effects on our lives, Updated discussions of media bias and political propaganda, as well as egocentric and sociocentric thought as barriers to critical thinking.

How to Use Your Reading in Your Essays by Jeanne Godfrey Reading is part and parcel of academic writing, and knowing which sources to include in assignments and how to go about this process can be challenging. That's where this handy guide comes in. With over 20 years' experience in the field, Jeanne Godfrey is no stranger to essay writing. Taking students step-by-step through the process, from choosing their sources to checking their work, she helps students to develop the skills and confidence they need to use their reading effectively in their essays and get the best marks possible for their work. Concise and practical, it breaks down the 'why' and 'how' of using reading in academic writing and contains valuable guidance on paraphrasing, comparing the views of different authors and commenting on sources. This book is ideal for students of all disciplines, and can be used by college students, undergraduates and postgraduates. New to this Edition: - Part A contains new sections on how to target your reading, remain focused and know when to stop reading - New section on how to use reading in reports, supported by short report extracts - New two-colour text design to enliven the reading experience and make the text more accessible

Study Skills for International Postgraduates by Martin Davies Destined to become a life saver for international students everywhere, this book provides clear, comprehensive guidance for students embarking on postgraduate study at a western university. Helping to maximise your chances of academic success, topics include challenges such as critical thinking, research, writing and speaking skills.

Succeeding with your master's dissertation: a step-by-step handbook John Biggam by John Biggam Succeeding with your Master’s Dissertation is a thorough and comprehensive guide for postgraduate dissertation students. Now in its fifth edition, it offers clear, straightforward and practical support for each stage of the master’s dissertation. Brimming with examples of good practice, to help students to reach their full potential, this fully updated and revised edition takes students through the entire writing process, from start to finish, from proposal to submission. Featuring detailed guidance on how to: • Clarify your research objectives • Produce a research proposal • Complete each chapter of a traditional dissertation: Introduction, Literature Review, Research Methods, Findings, and Conclusion • Reference sources • Add a professional touch • Prepare for a viva This is essential reading for social science students of all disciplines. Additional, tailored advice is provided on: • Writing about theory and practice • Critiquing what you have created • Completing a systematic review