SWM5112 Research for social work practice
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
SWM5112 Research for social work practice is a level 5, 12-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Caulfield. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 2 units.
- Credit points
- 12
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 1, Semester 2
- Caulfield
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before SWM5112
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
- SWM5105Social work practice and research
After SWM5112
2 units list SWM5112 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Enrolment rules
Must be enrolled in postgraduate course.
Overview
In all fields of contemporary social work, practitioners need the skills to effectively understand, generate and integrate research knowledge, including valuing knowledge from other sources. In this unit you will develop your knowledge and understanding of research and the role it plays in the delivery of evidence-informed practice (EIP).
You will learn to formulate practice-relevant research questions, and to find and critique relevant research. You will also learn to integrate the best available evidence with the social work context or setting, client culture, preferences, needs and circumstances, in order to inform social work decisions and responses. The unit will explore study design and ethical research methods, and you will also begin to develop your knowledge and skills around how to be a critically minded producer of research. You will learn the language and terminology of research, within a critical thinking framework.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Caulfield | Bld blk |
| First semester (extended) | Caulfield | On campus |
| Second semester (extended) | Caulfield | Bld blk |
| Second semester (extended) | Caulfield | On campus |
Assessment
- Literature search and evidence summary (2,000 words)Written30%
- Literature review and critical appraisal (2.500 words)Written40%
- Research proposal (6 min oral presentation)Presentation30%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Create practical and applied research questions related to social work, using a range of sources of knowledge.
- 2
Prepare and implement appropriate literature search strategies to locate relevant evidence.
- 3
Appraise the quality and applicability of evidence in response to a research question.
- 4
Synthesise, interpret and critique evidence to provide guidance for evidence-informed decision making.
- 5
Distinguish between a range of study designs, data collection and analytic methods that are aligned to a research question and social work issue.
- 6
Design a research project that is methodologically rigorous, feasible and ethical.
- 7
Identify the ethical issues relevant to the conduct of research, and outline strategies to manage ethical risks.
- 8
Effectively communicate research approaches and findings to peers and relevant professionals.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Workshops35 hours
- Tutorials24 hours
- 24 hours of tutorials - 3 hours per week for 8 weeks
- 12 hours of lectures (recorded); 45mins x 2 per week
- On-campus workshops for Flex-Blk students only (5 days)
Attendance requirement for off-campus students:
5 days of on-campus workshops
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Rebecca Featherston
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Catherine Flynn
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for SWM5112?
SWM5112 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
What can I take after SWM5112?
SWM5112 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 2 units, including SWM5170 and SWM5171.
When is SWM5112 offered?
In 2025, SWM5112 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Caulfield.
Does SWM5112 have an exam?
No. SWM5112 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.