Great way to connect social work principles/values to this chapter's content. Perhaps we can include additional connections of this kind. For example, evaluating programs can help establish empirical support bases for existing or new interventions, and in a general sense helps move social work toward evidence-based practice. (The NASW identifies "evaluation and research" as ethical responsibilities.)

Two terms - "cultural considerations" and "cultural humility" - seem to be used somewhat interchangeably here. To facilitate reader comprehension of any differences between these terms, perhaps we can provide a direct link to relevant material in previous chapters/sections. For instance, can we link the term "cultural humility" to the chapter/section where it is first discussed in the text?

I suggest linking this statement/claim to a specific reference. Can we find and link the relevant article or other publication so that readers, if interested, can look this up?

To avoid possible reader confusion, I suggest dropping the word "before" in this sentence. Consider revising to something like:

"I've evaluated programs that turned out to be ineffective, but were required by state law..."

Perhaps this is slightly nitpicky, but I think the word "solve" communicates a potentially problematic implication that all ethical dilemmas can be solved. "Address," rather than "solve," might be a more appropriate term here. Consider revising to something like:

"You need to use your research and social work ethics to address these problems."

This last half of the sentence tripped me up a bit. Perhaps consider rewording, or restructuring into multiple sentences, so that the author's main point is more clearly articulated.

among rather than "from" our stakeholders?

Instead of "Discuss," perhaps "Identify" is a more appropriate action verb for this first Learning Objective. Alternatively, perhaps revise to something like:

"Consider cultural and ethical issues when planning and conducting program evaluation."

(Recognizing that this is perhaps a relatively trivial matter, I think that the Learning Objectives should focus on reader internalization/comprehension, rather than on the ability to discuss important concepts.)

These brief exercises are helpful in that they review important concepts and test reader learning - but I think the more important and potentially more helpful aspect of these exercises is that they also present realistic research scenarios. Associating realistic research scenarios with this section's content helps readers understand how the content is actually applied in research practice.

For clarity and easier reading, consider revising to something like:

"Impact evaluations, which try to establish a logical link between program participation and long-term change, apply research methods to analyze that change after a program has ended and some defined period of time has passed."

Concrete examples - either from the literature or the author's own experience - might be a helpful way to sharpen student reader comprehension here. Are there abstracts we can link to, for example, that summarize research scenarios with and without baseline data? Are there abstracts or research summary sites/documents that review participant tracking methods? These kinds of examples may be important for student readers, particularly since (in my experience) many are likely to incorporate program evaluation in their MSW research projects.

To maintain consistency, consider revising to the plural form. Suggested revision:

"It may also be difficult or impossible to control for whatever happens in your participants' lives between the end of the program and the end of your long-term measurement period."

Can we perhaps provide an in-text example, or a link to a relevant study, to illustrate the articulation of this principle/suggestion in actual research practice? While I do think this is an important suggestion, it may be difficult for some student readers to translate this suggestion into actual practice. Providing a concrete example of how to do this may also help students whose research projects could benefit from some intentional strategy for maintaining intermittent contact with participants.

This sentence might fit better, I think, if inserted earlier in the paragraph. To improve the general flow and logical presentation of important points, consider revising so that this paragraph looks something like:

"When we talk about research or program evaluation, a lot of us tend to use the terms 'outcome' and 'impact' interchangeably. The truth, however, is that these are two distinct terms, and it's important to understand the differences between them. Because of these distinctions, outcome and impact evaluations are going to look a little different."

To clarify and to facilitate easier reading, consider revising so that the concepts and the examples, both of which are currently included in the same single sentences concerning outcomes and impacts, are separated into more manageable and easier-to-grasp chunks. Perhaps revise to something like:

"It may be helpful to think of outcomes as short-term effects. For our kinesthetic learning example, an improvement over last year's end-of-grade math test scores might be an outcome we're interested in as researchers. An impact is the long-term condition that occurs at the end of a defined time period after some intervention. Think of impact as the longer-term effect. For the same kinesthetic learning example, an appropriate impact might be the improved math skills retention as students advance through school."

This could just be an issue specific to my computer hardware or software, but I thought it best to mention anyway: When I attempted to click on the linked definitions for the terms "outcome" and "impact" in this section, I was not able to properly see the pop-up definition text boxes. Though a text box does appear for both terms, they pop up and disappear so quickly that the reader has very little time - maybe less than half a second - to read the text box content. Perhaps another team member can check these linked definitions to verify that this is just an issue with my equipment rather than something that will affect all readers.

For clarity and to promote easier reading, consider revising this sentence so that the subjects are more explicitly identified. For instance, I'd suggest revising this section's introduction to something like:

"When we talk about research or program evaluation, a lot of us tend to use the terms 'outcome' and 'impact' interchangeably. The truth, however, is that these are two distinct terms, and it's important to understand the differences between them."

To preserve formatting consistency, consider adding a period to the end of this sentence ("Understand the principles of conducting an impact evaluation.")

Because some readers may look to the Key Takeaways sections for quick/easy reference, consider providing direct links to important models/terms. For example, linking the "EPIS model" as well as "logic model" to their relevant places/definitions in the previous sections may be useful for some readers hoping to brush up on this material.

Good use of a practical, straightforward summary paragraph to conclude this section. Noting that implementation science is often beyond the scope of student work at this point in their careers is a useful observation and also a way to keep students interested and engaged with the material here.

I could have missed it, but - to the best of my recollection - I did not see the term Evidence-Based Practice defined and associated with a parenthetical acronym earlier in this chapter.

Can we revise the text color or format so that this section is easier to read and visually more manageable? Each beginning term, for example, could be formatted in this way:

"Participant data: Can help you determine if you're actually reaching the people you intend to reach."

To facilitate quick/easy reference, consider linking back to the original introduction/definition for this term ("iterative approach")

Again - this is a straightforward, practical section introduction. Great way to keep readers engaged by connecting content to real-world experiences common among social workers.

To clarify and maintain consistent terminology, consider revising so that this sentence reads:

"...affected by the resources you can dedicate to your program evaluation project, just like in a research project."

This is a potentially helpful review method for student readers. For some of the other chapters (the chapters on qualitative data collection and analysis, for example), this kind of quick review might also be helpful to promote reader comprehension and internalization of key terms/concepts.

Not sure if this is just an issue with my internet browser (Google Chrome), but this link, rather than showing up as standard linked text, appears as the following:

< iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/IHEp0gJRTwI” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe >

To align with social work terminology and values, consider revising to something like:

"...the teachers at your school might be interested in decreasing classroom disruptions or enhancing subject matter learning, while the administration is solely focused on test scores."

Rather than presenting the link in separate parenthetical form (which may disrupt the flow of this sentence/paragraph for some readers), consider revising so that the link is included at a different point. For example, the link might be embedded in the word "framework" (as in: "The Centers for Disease Control has a great, simple framework(LINK) for planning your program evaluation project...")

Excellent practical observation/suggestion. This will undoubtedly be appreciated by many student readers.

It may be helpful to include an example of how program stakeholder involvement can change program evaluation focus. Is there a way to emphasize cultural sensitivity by way of such an example? For instance, maybe in the example scenario, the student engaged in the kinesthetic teaching methods project meets with stakeholders and learns that teachers want some evaluation of novel methods for a special education classroom, which has children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The student in this hypothetical scenario might not have intended at the outset to focus in any particular way on the effects of kinethetic teaching methods for this specific population, but this student is now aware that the teachers perceive some particular need in this area. Might be a helpful way to demonstrate (a) the possible effects of stakeholder involvement, and (b) the importance of cultural sensitivity when approaching program evaluation projects.

Not sure if this was intentional or if this is an error, but I did want to mention: This paragraph ("In the end, it's important to remember that these are guidelines...") is a verbatim repetition of the concluding paragraph in the Execution subsection (right-arrow dropdown) above.

This use of a consistent example topic (kinesthetic teaching methods) is, I think, helpful for promoting reader comprehension.

Consider providing direct links to chapters and content referenced in each subsection. (For example, under "Purpose," the first paragraph mentions researchaim and notes that this concept was introduced in Chapter 2. To facilitate faster/easier reader review, consider embedding a link to the relevant section in that chapter.)

The wording or sentence structure threw me off a bit here. For clarity, perhaps revise to something like:

"However, there are some key differences between program evaluation and research. Understanding these differences will help us determine which of the two is most appropriate for certain circumstances or goals."

"As we talked about above" is slightly repetitive, since the same phrase (describing the same idea re: program eval and research similarities/differences) was recently used in a previous paragraph. I think this section might be better introduced if the opening sentence just read:

"Program evaluation and research are similar, especially in that they both rely on scientific methods."

This kind of practical, real-world connection to the social work profession will likely be appreciated by many MSW student readers.

To facilitate easier/faster reader reference, consider providing a linked definition to the relevant section in Chapter 1.

This kind of straightforward/practical observation is much appreciated by many MSW students, in my experience.

Perhaps we can include a reference to the relevant literature here to bolster this claim/statement.

Also, to specify intended meaning - and to align with social work terminology - consider explicitly identifying "student behavior issues." For example, we might revise to something like:

"You have read research suggesting that kinesthatic teaching methods enhance student retention of information, and may reduce disruptive or aggressive student behavior in the classroom."

The use of the word "by" here - as in "...will by integrating kinesthetic learning" - threw me off a bit. Not sure if this is a typo?

Also, we may want to provide a linked definition for the term kinesthetic learning, and perhaps a link to a blog post, educational fact sheet, etc. that illustrates the concept. This may be appreciated by students interested in school social work, for those in education-related field placements, etc.

Great way to begin this chapter. I appreciate the introduction of this chapter's topic by way of a concrete example.

For clarity and to facilitate a smooth conceptual transition to the next chapter, consider revising this sentence to something like:

"Your research team will need to consider how to put your findings together in a way that supports this intended change. The packaging and format of your findings will have important implications for developing and disseminating the final products of qualitative research. Chapter 20 focuses in part on these implications."

To break this relatively dense paragraph into separate sections, and to emphasize this helpful example a bit more, consider beginning a new paragraph with "As an example of this work, Mitchell (2008)..."

The "Coding in grounded theory" section is fairly dense and potentially difficult-to-grasp for some readers. I think the inclusion of the blog post link is a great way to help students internalize concepts. Perhaps we can also provide linked definitions for the different coding types (open coding; axial coding; selective/theoretical coding) to clarify that these are each separate terms with separate definitions, and also to preserve formatting consistency used earlier in the textbook.

In my experience, many MSW-level readers will not internalize definitions/concepts surrounding postpositivism without a fair amount of repetition. To facilitate readers' comprehension and understanding, I suggest we provide a direct link to the earlier section or definition for postpositivism.

Perhaps we can provide a direct link to Chapter 22's section on grounded theory to facilitate easier/quicker reader reference

We might improve sentence structure and clarity with the following revision:

"Readers with a keen eye will notice that while this quote describes grounded theory as a research design, this chapter of our textbook identifies grounded theory as a qualitative analysis approach."

The multiple usages of "they" in this sentence threw me off a bit. For clarity, consider revising to something like:

"However you choose to represent the findings of your content analysis, make sure the resulting product answers your research question and is readily understandable and easy-to-interpret for your audience."

To preserve the general tone of this chapter, and to clarify the sequential order of suggested action steps, consider revising to something like:

"Once you have (or are developing) your codes, your next step will be to actually code your data."

Sentence structure/grammar is potentially misleading here. To clarify that the codebook excerpt is from the author's Ageing Project, and not from a project explicitly concerned with "help[ing] illustrate what this might look like for you," consider revising this sentence to something like:

"To help illustrate what this might look like for your project, see below for a brief codebook excerpt from one of my own current projects."

To break this section's content into more visually manageable chunks, and to maintain consistency, perhaps we should (a) link a formal definition to the word "codebook" and (b) begin a new paragraph with the sentence "A codebook is a document that outlines..."

To clarify that the text refers here to previously presented terms, and to facilitate reader review, perhaps we can provide direct links to the Deductive and Inductive Research sections.

This table will definitely be helpful for readers, in my humble opinion - but I also think that this sentence describing the table is perhaps unnecessarily wordy. For clarity and concision, perhaps revise to something like:

"In the table below, Hsieh and Shannon (2005) review key differences between these three approaches to content analysis."

ALSO - is there a way to reformat the text in "Table 4: Major Coding Differences Among Three Approaches to Content Analysis"? Perhaps having a unique text color for each particular subsection ("Conventional," "Directed," and "Summative") will facilitate reader review.

Though I think I do understand the author's intended point here, I think the wording is perhaps a bit tricky and potentially confusing for some readers. To make links explicit and content easier to understand, consider revising to something like:

"As you might have guessed, this approach is more likely to be used if you're studying a topic which already has some existing research in the literature base."

(I think this section will be clearer, and can stand on its own, without the last "...when compared to the other two" part of the sentence.)

To clarify that the coding categories are what actually help us understand dimensions of a phenomenon (rather than the raw data itself helping us understand those dimensions), consider revising this sentence so that the ideas stand apart. For example, a revised sentence here might read something like:

"Starting with a general idea or phenomenon you want to explore (for which there is limited data), coding categories then emerge from the raw data. These coding categories help us understand the different dimensions, patterns, and trends that may exist within the raw data collected in our research."

Though I think I do understand the author's intended point here, the wording is perhaps slightly confusing. A concrete example or two might also help to clarify this section's content. Consider revising to something like:

"There are significant variations among different content analysis approaches. Also, different disciplines may assign their own distinct labels to varying approaches. For example, (BLANK) is often referred to as (BLANK) in the social sciences, while the same approach is typically called (BLANK) among engineering professionals."

(Note: I'm not familiar with different content analysis categories/labels, so I just pulled some hypothetical examples out of the air. No importance or meaning should be given to my choice of social sciences and engineering as example disciplines.)

Good inclusion of an example from the literature to illustrate and expand on this section's material.

In this explanatory subsection, can we perhaps format the text color or font so that the main point in each numbered section stands out visually? For example, a revised format might look something like this:

"1. Places a greater emphasis on determining unit of analysis. When conducting a content analysis, you'll want to first determine what your unit of analysis may be. . . ."

These two learning objectives are perhaps best presented separately, since they're both important and both represent major goals for readers. Also, the way the sentence currently reads, it's not technically clear what is meant by "when it is most effectively used." Grammatically, "it" could refer to qualitative data analysis OR content analysis, depending on how the reader interprets this sentence. Consider revising to something like:

"Learners will be able to:

Explain defining features of content analysis as a strategy for analyzing qualitative data.

Determine when content analysis can be most effectively used."

I appreciate the author's inclusion of exemplars here. Is there a way to thread some of these exemplars into the main bodies of text in the Thematic Analysis sections? Some readers may tend to skip over these end-of-section details, in my experience.

While I do think this thematic map graphic can be useful for readers, I also think some continuity can help clarify the main points and recommended action steps in the larger Thematic Analysis section. Instead of including a graphic illustrating a thematic map unrelated to the previous hypothetical example, perhaps we can include a thematic map graphic illustrating how to apply this concept to the example focusing on the project with people "in a vocational preparation program" (under Identifying, Reviewing, and Refining Themes section). This kind of continuity will, I think, help readers grasp concepts and illustrate how students might apply different elements of thematic analysis to a single/unified project thread. I think it may still be useful to include the Maguire & Delahunt (2017) example, since it shows how thematic maps appear in the literature - but maybe we can also loop in the vocational prep program project example to preserve continuity.

The descriptor "stagnate" threw me off a bit here - perhaps revise to include a different descriptor or additional details? This may clarify the author's point as students first read this section.

This section is definitely helpful in that it provides a concrete, practical example of a scenario directly involving this section's presented material/info. Because this section is relatively lengthy and detailed, perhaps we can include a simple graphic or table - similar to the table under "Coding Data" (interview with Susan Hanks, PhD) - to illustrate the example visually.

In addition to the research journal as a possible place to track coding and labeling categories, perhaps we can also include a suggestion to track coding and relabeling via spreadsheet. Some students may prefer to record thoughts, reactions, and personal reflections in the research journal, but may tend to track more concrete editing/coding info in a spreadsheet (which often allows for quicker/easier tracking).

Is this an example of an iterative approach? If so, perhaps we can make a reference to iterative approaches here, using this example as a way to make concrete the previously presented, slightly abstract concept of iterative research.

Great use of a concrete example to clarify elements of thematic analysis. Also helps students internalize practical tips and tools.

To highlight this as a hypothetical example, perhaps revise to something like:

"For example, let's say you're studying the experience of individuals in a vocational preparation program, and you have codes..."

Perhaps start a new paragraph with this sentence, and also link the suggested action steps to the broader effort. For example, the new paragraph could start with something like:

"As we refine our thematic analysis, our first step will be to identify groups of codes that hang together or seem related."

Consider revising this potentially overly-lengthy sentence for easier readability. Perhaps revise to something like:

"Now that we have our codes, we need to find a sensible way of putting them together. Remember, we want to narrow this vast field of hundreds of codes down to a small handful of themes. If we don't review and refine all those codes, the story we're trying to tell with our data becomes distracting and diffuse."

It may be helpful for readers if this sentence begins a new paragraph, thus making this important example more of a stand-apart subsection and facilitating easier reading/quicker reference.

Perhaps begin a new paragraph with this sentence to visually break up this content into more manageable, easier-to-read chunks.

Might we change the text color or format to highlight/indicate the term a priori?

Instead of stating "(like we discussed in Chapter 6)", perhaps we can provide a direct link to that chapter.

For further clarity, perhaps this sentence can be revised such that the prescribed progression of action steps is more evident. Perhaps revise to something like:

"Some thematic analysis takes on an inductive approach. For example, after we deconstruct our data into small segments representing distinct ideas, we may then start to analyze all the resultant separate little pieces of data."

Good use of examples to emphasize diversity/cultural sensitivity

Great use of an example that will likely connect with students' real-world experiences. This example also contextualizes and provides a concrete platform for info in this section.

Because this particular subsection is visually separate from previous sections describing "these approaches" in detail, perhaps consider revising or providing direct link(s) to reminder readers what is specifically meant by "these approaches."

Perhaps consider revisions to summarize and clarify important points. Suggested edits:

"Document your thoughts, feelings, and reactions throughout the research process. This will promote transparency and help account for your role in the analysis."

Perhaps provide a direct link back to the codebook section for quick reader reference.

Perhaps revise for concision/clarity -

"During the review and memoing processes, our understanding of the data often evolves as we observe patterns and trends."

The first prompt ("Will your approach to analysis reflect more of a linear or an iterative approach?") and the second prompt ("As you are conceptualizing your research process...") - these seem to be asking the same question. I'm not sure about the author's intent here - are these two separate questions asking about the nature of the analysis as well as the nature of the general research project?

Another observation: the sub-questions seem to basically be asking the same question, or at least prompting readers to think about the same decision-making process. Perhaps we can collapse these two questions into a single prompt. The second one ("What justifies or supports this decision...") gets at the same information.

The repeated use of "approach" in this Decision Point sentence threw me off a bit. I think we could perhaps just say:

"Will your analysis reflect more of a linear or an iterative approach?"

There are multiple important concepts strung together in this single sentence. Perhaps consider breaking this sentence apart into more manageable/readable chunks. For example, a revision might look something like:

"However, linear research, with its more defined nature and rigid approach, also presents certain challenges. A linear approach assumes that we know what we need to ask or look for at the very beginning of data collection, which is often not the case. With iterative research, we have more flexibility to adapt our approach as we learn new things. We still need to find ways to keep our approach systematic and organized, however, so that our work doesn't become a free-for-all. As we adapt, we don't want to stray too far from the original premise of our study. It's also important to remember with an iterative approach that we may risk ethical concerns if our work extends beyond the original boundaries of our informed consent and IRB agreement."

The definition provided for "linear" is helpful. Perhaps in the definition text box we can also give or link to an example of linear qualitative research - something to illustrate how this concept is articulated in an actual research project/published study.

Perhaps it would be beneficial for readers if a direct link were provided (link "qualitative sampling" to the relevant chapter so readers can quickly and directly reference back to that part of the text)

Correction: instead of "than," revise to:

"Then, think about the noun(s) you need to pair with your verb(s)..."

To clarify the connection between this prompt and students' research projects, perhaps explicitly note the link with a revision like:

"Think about action verb(s) associated with your project and the qualitative data you're collecting: Does your research aim to summarize, compare, describe, examine, outline, identify, review, compose, develop, illustrate, etc.?"

This particular sentence may be a bit repetitive, since this information was presented nearly verbatim in an earlier section. I think this subsection could end with "Whatever your aim, you need to have a plan for what you'll do when the data starts coming in."

It may be helpful to reiterate or rephrase "the question posed at the beginning of this paragraph." Perhaps we can add a sentence like:

"Think about the reasons for selecting a qualitative approach, as well as your ultimate purpose for conducting your research."

Because this sentence includes multiple important points, it may be helpful to break it up into separate statements. Perhaps consider revising to something like:

"To address this, it's especially important early in our recruitment efforts and during the informed consent process to educate our participants on what the research will involve. We also need to thoughtfully consider what risks may be involved - not just to the individual, but also to the community at large."

Might it be helpful to provide links to previous sections on "recruitment efforts" and the "informed consent" process?

Perhaps make an explicit reference to "our research topic" earlier in this sentence to add clarity. Instead of initially stating "...part of this larger discussion on this topic." perhaps revise to something like:

"While they might be (and often are) excited to be part of a larger discussion about our research topic, they could also be concerned with what other people might say about our topic and how this could impact their community."

Just for the sake of clarity in this sentence, perhaps consider making an explicit reference instead of saying "...how this might be perceived by participants." It may be helpful for readers if this sentence were revised to look something like:

"In our attempt to tell a broader story that incorporates the experiences of perspectives of many people, it's helpful to consider how our data compilation methods might be perceived by participants."

Might we provide an explicit link to a more formal definition for "member checking"?

To help readers more easily digest content in this subsection, consider revising into separate sentences that might look something like this:

"Now, some research approaches, particularly participatory approaches, suggest that participants should be trained and actively engaged during analysis and throughout the research process. This, however, is the exception, not the rule."

This is a powerful, clear, straightforward introductory statement for this subsection. I think it might be even stronger if allotted its own separate paragraph. For example, if we accord the highlighted section its own space and begin a new paragraph with "Now, some research approaches, particularly participatory approaches...." - this could serve to further emphasize the main point of the introduction and also break up this subsection's text into more manageable chunks.

Might we provide a real-world example here to clarify the effect that selective perception or confirmation bias may have on the qualitative research process? While this is an important idea to include in the chapter, I think that some kind of concrete example of how cultural humility (or lack thereof) can impact the research process might be a good way to help students understand the importance of cultural humility.

Reading this particular subsection on "member checking," I wasn't quite sure what this term refers to. Perhaps we can include a link, a more formal definition, or a clearer/more concrete example of "member checking" as a tool for qualitative research enhancement. Might a Student Example, or an example from the author's own research/professional experience, serve this purpose?

Good link to earlier chapter's emphasis on cultural humility and ethical considerations for qualitative researchers.

The way this particular section's introductory sentence is worded, it may be a bit confusing for some readers. Instead of formally referring to the "preceding discussion" which (from my humble perspective) seems to suggest that a larger section previously discussed this issue at length, perhaps revise to something like:

"Similar to the ethical considerations we need to keep in mind as we deconstruct stories, we also need to work diligently to understand the cultural context in which these stories are shared."

Good section reinforcing similar points emphasized in earlier chapter(s). While this section is not redundant, it does dovetail nicely with previous sections focusing on ethical issues in qualitative research.

As a student reader, I think "in the act" is perhaps too formal and, at least from my perspective, clashes somewhat with the overall tone of previous chapters. Perhaps we can revise to something like:

"Identify how researchers can conduct ethically responsible qualitative data analysis."

Solid, concise, easy-to-understand but still sufficiently detailed introduction to this chapter.

I appreciate the author's overall consistency as far as linking important usage permissions and related considerations to the researcher's required IRB applications. I think this helps students remember that any research project they plan may be subject to IRB approval. Thinking about required permissions, and proactively considering strategies to gain IRB approval, are useful skills for student researchers.

The example graphic below - Pride Rock, Simba, Mufasa - is an excellent way to use humor while simultaneously providing a helpful example and emphasizing important concepts.

What are some practical examples of using intentional dress/overall appearance to "blend in as much as possible"? Giving a few brief examples here will, I think, help students clearly grasp the author's point.

Consider revising this sentence to give this important point a bit more clarity. Perhaps revise to something like:

"This means actually spending time within the community that is the focus of your observation. Taking the time to make repeated observations will allow you to develop a reasonable framework of understanding, which in turn will empower you to better interpret what you see and help you determine whether your observations are consistent."

Good inclusion of a practical focus group prep strategy

Repetitive use of the root word "problem" is perhaps not sufficiently descriptive in this instance. Consider revising to something like:

"If you rely solely on a recording and there's a technical problem with the equipment, this can become very disruptive to the focus group and may consume valuable time you'd otherwise have to gather data from participants."

While the Focus Group Guide does mention "confidential participation," it doesn't elaborate re: how a researcher might explain confidentiality to focus group participants. Perhaps we can include an example of a brief, standard confidentiality statement - a sort of boilerplate template for students to use as they think about how to discuss confidentiality with research participants.

I think students will appreciate the inclusion of common focus group norms. Good way to link real-world experience and practical considerations with the concepts and terms presented in this chapter.

As I was reading this section, I wondered whether the main facilitator and the observer should or could ever switch roles, either during any particular focus group session or across different sessions. Perhaps this question can be briefly addressed in future drafts.

Great inclusion of a real-world example to highlight an important point

This is certainly an important point. May want to consider revising slightly to clarify. Perhaps revise to something like:

"As a cautionary note, the advantages discussed above should be the primary reasons for your choice to use a focus group for data collection. Convenience should not be the driving factor if and when you select focus groups as a data collection strategy."

To make sure the text is aligned with current social work terminology, consider revising to something like the following:

"...we may help facilitate their connection with appropriate resources, such as counseling or crisis supports. Indeed, this is our ethical obligation as competent and caring researchers. Counseling and treatment, however, are not our direct responsibilities as researchers, and we must be very careful not to confuse research and clinical roles."

(replacement of the original terms "counseling or crisis numbers" with "counseling or crisis supports or contacts will help align text with social work terminology. Actually, this is not necessarily a terminology problem, per se, but more of a practical usage issue. We usually need to provide more than contact numbers; we may need to provide descriptions of available resources, service types, etc.).

This table is a great review resource for student readers. However, perhaps the text can be formatted differently or broken up to facilitate quick review. Can we organize important points as bullet points rather than complete sentences? This may make for easier reader review.

Does the use of probes carry any risk of selective perception or confirmation bias? If so, may want to mention this briefly here.

Great use of examples from author's own research to highlight concepts presented in the text

There's a lot of detail re: interview guides. Might it be possible to provide an example interview guide, or the outline of a working interview guide - or even a link to an existing interview guide? Although the text reviews in detail what interview guides should include, I think it may be helpful for students to have an example of what everything looks like - what all the considerations add up to - when pieced together in a functional interview guide document.

Good references to previously introduced concepts. Linking scientific approaches with interview guide styles is a great way to facilitate student internalization of connections between important concepts.

I remember reading in my Group Practice MSW class text that office settings may involve inherent power imbalances, and that the physical office layout can emphasize or de-emphasize such imbalances. Because this and other chapters remind students to think about power dynamics of researcher-participant interactions, perhaps we can add something about striving toward power-balanced physical office layouts if and when interviews are conducted in office settings. (As an example: The actions required to ease power imbalances in this environment are relatively straightforward: Instead of a researcher sitting behind a desk and having the participant sit opposite in a different sized/styled chair, arrange the chairs across from each other, with no person behind a desk.)

Perhaps we can list a few brief examples here to make this point a bit less abstract/vague. What specific non-verbal or contextual information might be limited during a phone or video interview? And how might the non-verbal/contextual info benefit the researcher and/or participant?

We should probably format key terms in a certain color/font to clarify the introduction of specific terms. For example, this sentence might read: "...(or other dyads, combinations of two people)" to highlight the term's introduction and definition.

This review table will definitely be useful for students. I imagine this will often be used as a reference point for students considering which data collection strategy to employ for their projects.

Good reference to previously introduced terminology.

Though I do understand (I think) what the author is trying to say here, perhaps a slight change in wording would clear this sentence up a bit. Beginning this sentence with "These responses..." was confusing perhaps because I first interpreted the word "responses" as the answers participants provided during the hypothetical interview. Perhaps revise to something like:

"Your emotional and intellectual reactions to what you learn during an interview may lead you to consider pursuing a slightly different line of questioning. You might highlight or de-emphasize certain aspects of the interview. Your personal reactions to what happens as you collect data are important and may influence your work."

Nice summary review of benefits, costs, and work surrounding qualitative research. Wording is straightforward, and important ideas are easily digestible.

May want to provide a direct link to the participatory research section of the textbook

Again - interesting and helpful way to conceptualize intellectual ownership and sharing. To emphasize and clearly illustrate this point, perhaps we can include a brief example, which might read something like this:

"It is a resource that participants own that they choose to share with us. Think about it: When a smart phone app or computer program wants your personal data, you're usually asked to read a privacy statement and agree to certain terms. Companies are legally required to notify you about their intentions to use the data you may share. And many companies certainly recognize that your data is a valuable resource. As researchers, we have similar responsibilities."

Great point about conceptualizing shared data as a resource. This is an important and helpful way for researchers to think about the information they get from participants. However - the repetitive use of the word "think" in this sentence threw me off a bit. Perhaps revise to something like:

"As we're thinking about going out into the world to gather data, it may be helpful to conceptualize the data that is shared with us as a resource."

I sense that the author is making an important point here, but I'm not certain about the specifics. Perhaps revising the wording/sentence structure here will provide some clarity. Is this sentence saying that we should examine our own biases so that we do our best to avoid selective perception? And/or is this sentence saying that we need to be open enough to allow participants to express views that might not align with our preconceived notions? I think the wording could be tweaked so that the main point shines through. Perhaps a real-world example might help illustrate the author's point.

These two bullet points are potentially redundant. Is there a way to combine the second point into the structure of the first bullet point's sentence?

This wording might be a bit confusing. Perhaps revise to something like:

"Explain the special considerations researchers should keep in mind as they design qualitative studies and collect qualitative data."

May want to link directly to this example, since it originally appeared a while ago in terms of reading time

Just to have the main text express encouragement and to avoid giving readers the sense that any concepts should be discarded, perhaps we can revise the wording here. Consider revising to something like:

"While you don't necessarily need to have an extensive understanding of them all at this point in time, it is important that you understand which of the different design types are best for answering certain research questions."

It may be helpful to provide a brief example here. A Student Example box, or a hypothetical scenario included in the main text, could clarify how researchers "break these larger hunks of data apart."

May want to expand on this a bit to clarify the nature of Al-Anon. Not all students will be familiar with this organization, so perhaps a brief explanation will be helpful here. Perhaps revise to something like:

"As an example, let's say you're interested in studying the experiences of family members who have a loved one struggling with substance use. To aid in your recruitment for this study, you enlist the help of a local person who does a lot of work with Al-Anon, an organization facilitating mutual support groups for individuals and families affected by alcoholism."

(Also: note replacement of original phrase "loved one with a substance addiction" to "loved one struggling with substance use." This will help the text align with current social work terminology.

Good references to previous material in this chapter. Linking these ideas about sampling methods and recruitment strategies can be very helpful for students as they think about project design. Also, referring back to previously presented info helps readers absorb important information.

The conversational tone is effective here. I would suggest, however, that we remove or revise the word "Now" in this first sentence. The way the sentence reads, it could seem to some readers as if not every study currently requires a research protocol, but this was a past requirement.

May want to revise this sentence a bit for clarity. Perhaps revise to something like:

"Emergent design is the idea that our initial research design is dynamic, and may change as we go through the research process and our understanding of the research question evolves."

(I think what threw me off a bit was the phrase "...some decision in our design" - this is the main part I would suggest tweaking for clarity.)

Very helpful summary tables - great way to review chapter info

Action verb missing - add "select" to clarify (?)

Well-written, easy-to-understand summary of convenience/availability sampling.

Use "who" instead of "that" to keep the focus and style aligned with person-centered social work values

I do understand (I think) what the author was saying here. The sheer number of apostrophes in the parenthetical part of this sentence, however, threw me off a bit. Perhaps reword for clarity/simplicity.

Great way to bring topics together under a single easy-to-understand conceptual umbrella. Helpful conclusion for this section.

I would suggest that we begin a new paragraph with the sentence "These two categories..."

We may also want to very briefly reiterate the relevant topics. For example, the first sentence of the new paragraph might read something like "Idiographic and nomothetic research represent two different research categories existing at opposite extremes on a continuum."

Not sure how the linked term "generalizable findings" fits into this particular sentence - a typo, perhaps? If this term was intended to be included in this paragraph, we may want to add an extra/separate sentence to clarify and contextualize.

As I was reading this idiographic study example, I wasn't sure whether the example pertained to a single youth/family or multiple youth and family groups. Perhaps we can revise the wording a bit to clarify here.

Suggested revision: "For example, an idiographic study might be a good approach for a case study examining the experiences of a transgender youth and her family living in a rural Midwestern state. Data for this idiographic study would be collected from a range of sources, including (*provide examples of appropriate sources), to gain a very holistic picture of this family's experiences."

Perhaps we can expand a bit on these examples by highlighting them in a separate Student Example box. This may be a useful way to briefly explain what is meant by the earlier statement "...and remember, you want your sample of artifacts to reflect the diversity of perspectives that you have outlined for your study." Also, I think that a Student Example could bring this important hypothetical scenario to life and keep readers engaged.

It may be helpful to include here a Student Example box with a hypothetical scenario involving a student project using artifacts to answer a qualitative research question. Particularly when I read the last sentence of the paragraph - "...you want your sample of artifacts to reflect the diversity of perspectives that you've outlined for your study" - I wasn't quite sure exactly what this would mean for a student research project.

Instead of "grasp" an understanding, we might say "build or "enhance understanding of societal values and opinions." To align with social work values, the text should emphasize (albeit subtly, in this case, but still importantly) that researchers won't necessarily come to grasp a comprehensive cultural/social understanding of some particular topic. The primary research goal, from my perspective, is to improve understanding - with a key recognition that no understanding is ever "perfect" or "complete,"

(Recognizing that this comment may be overly nitpicky, I did nevertheless want to mention my perspective about the word choice for this sentence.)

Video "captures" - to what is this referring, specifically? Does this mean video recordings? May want to provide a brief explanation or alternative word choice here.

May want to include a few concrete examples here. How problematic/ethical would it be for a student to collect observational data during a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, for example? Or during a religious gathering/ceremony? How about a city council meeting? We could provide just a couple/few specific real-world examples to make this point more engaging to readers.

Perhaps the author could include a brief example of their own experience here. Earlier in the chapter, I thought the author's side note about mental health field experiencing leading to research bias was helpful and engaging. A note here from the author - a brief story from the field, perhaps - might serve to bring home the key point in this paragraph in a way that resonates with students.

Perhaps this "for instance" can be formatted as a Student Example. By framing this hypothetical scenario in the context of a student research project, readers may be further empowered to imagine how they themselves might collect observational data for their own projects. The same example details would be included - just in a different format.

Word repetition in this sentence may be a bit confusion for some readers. Consider revising to something like:

"As noted above, participant willingness and honesty can present challenges for qualitative researchers. You may face similar challenges as a student gathering verbal data directly from participants who have been personally affected by an issue of import to your research topic/question."

The first part of the revision suggestion reiterates key points from the previous paragraph. Then, the revised sentence avoids repeated use of the word "directly" so that the concepts and wording are explicitly separated and thus clearer.

I think this important point could perhaps be more clearly explained/worded. I think that if we separately identify the researcher's topic of interest and research approach, we'll bring some added clarity to this hypothetical scenario. Here's how I might revise this sentence to clarify core concepts and explain links between ideas:

"Let's say, for example, that a researcher wants to learn about the experiences of public assistance recipients after federal legislation drastically changes the requirements for receiving benefits. This researcher might schedule interviews to capture verbal data shared by participants. The researcher relies on the data he or she may capture as participants talk about their personal stories, experiences, and reactions to the federal legislation."

*The above revision suggestion references the "personal stories" of participants - which could be a good way to naturally reiterate this chapter's earlier points about qualitative research focusing in part on the stories of research subjects.

May want to consider breaking this sentence up into 2 separate parts. For example, could revise to something like "Because of this, as you are reviewing the sections below, think about accessible alternative data sources that will still allow you to practically answer your research question. I'll try to provide some examples to get you started along the way."

The above suggested revision would preserve the informal tone of this section and perhaps more clearly emphasize the main point about considering alternative data sources.

To emphasize how students will need to present data in their formal papers, I think we might want to use consistent formatting here. For example, if we revise to something like "...analysis of media coverage 6 months prior and 12 months after the employer closed," this may (subtly) encourage students to embrace the need for clear and consistent formatting in written research article sections.

If the author added one or two examples of how bias has actually affected their research approaches, I think this could be a great way to operationalize bias and related risks, which in turn would help students internalize these important concepts.

I like the author's addition here. Reminding students to strive for thoughtful approaches to these exercise questions/suggested activities is a great way to keep readers engaged.

Consider revising to something like "...and how these may influence or shape a study"

(I have not perused every chapter, so please take this comment with a grain of salt - I recognize that perhaps additional material is elsewhere included in the text)

This part of the paragraph about intersectionality lacks context and clarity, I think, because there aren't concrete links between fairly abstract ideas and real-world examples. Perhaps we can add a Student Example box here that gives a couple/few examples of how researchers or students may encounter issues of intersectionality in the field/in their work)

Good way to reiterate core concepts. Though this point is a repetition of an earlier-presented theme, it does not seem repetitive here and flows naturally in the chapter's progression.

May want to break this sentence up a bit to aid reader comprehension. Perhaps revise to something like:

"Perhaps we are able to engage a community advisory group in aiding our research and recruitment planning. Based on consultation with community gatekeepers, perhaps we can revise the aims of our student to better align with community needs and concerns. Maybe we can even hire community members as co-researchers on our team."

I think repetition and specifics here might be a good way to emphasize key takeaways. Perhaps revise to something like "As researchers, we need to treat research participants and their stories with respect and humility."

May want to break this sentence into 2 separate statements to emphasize this important point. Could perhaps revise to something like "Because of this, we need to take special care to treat these stories as sacred. As we go about asking for people to share their stories, we need to do so humbly."

(Not really a social work terminology issue, but rather a social work concepts/values note)

To emphasize social work commitment to diversity and inclusion, perhaps we can add to this sentence a bit. We could potentially revise to something like "...could be disempowering for this subgroup, and could limit the inclusion of valuable perspectives from your study."

This might just be a personal preference, but I stumbled a bit with the wording here. Perhaps we can revise to something like "...and this is likely to affect how the larger community is represented in your sample" or "...and this is likely to limit focus group participation, which in turn may affect how the larger community and target population are represented in your sample."

Would the term "Latinx" apply here?

While this is certainly useful information, I think the sentence/paragraph structure may be a bit too dense to allow for adequate reader concept absorption. Is there a way to break down these 3 concepts into a more reader-friendly bulleted or numbered list? For example, instead of the current format/structure, we might present these topics in the following way:

"Within this context, we need to:

(1) Assure there is a fair distribution of risks and benefits related to our research;

(2) Be conscientious in our recruitment efforts to support equitable representation; and

(3) Ensure special protections for vulnerable groups involved in research activities."

Then, perhaps we could begin a new paragraph with the sentence "As you plan your qualitative research study sampling method, make sure to consider..."

I think the above might be helpful for readers who are better able to absorb content in smaller, more visually bite-sized chunks. Anyway, just a thought!

Another good example of connecting previous chapter material to the topic at hand - I think this helps students absorb information. Repeating previously presented information in new contexts/chapters always helps me internalize important concepts.

Perhaps we can find a way to incorporate more formal research terminology in the context of this Student Example. For instance, we might revise this sentence to something like "She arrived at her research question after listening to many of the residents..." In this way, we could include a particular element of the MSW student research project (generating a formal research question) into this Student Example, thereby potentially helping students form concrete ideas about the decisions required for their own projects.

Great way to link previous chapter material, especially research paradigm topics, to a concrete definition for/explanation of qualitative research

We might want to tweak the wording a bit here. Reading the sentence "...that reflects the ideas across our participants, I stumbled a bit when I ran into the word "across." Perhaps revise to something like "...reflects the ideas common among our participants" ?

just an observation - we may want to round the estimated reading times to the nearest half-minute. I think there's some potential for confusion among readers interpreting an estimated reading time such as "6.57" - this estimate is so specific that it might not seem at first glance like an estimated reading time. Rounding that number and changing the format - i,e., "6.57" [current] to "7 mins" [suggested] - might help students clearly understand what we are trying to communicate. I do think the estimated reading times are potentially very helpful for readers, though.

This intro stands as a good example of how we can summarize previous chapter material and simultaneously aid reader understanding of the upcoming chapter's topic.