Social Service Research

Abstract

This article and each of the articles in this journal discuss general social service research applications with different populations at risk. While sharing much in common with respect to many of the technical characteristics of the research process, each of these articles was selected through a peer-review process because of its applicability to the field. Understanding phenomena requires an openness and exposure to a complex array of methods designed to address the identified problem, the client's or the system's reaction, the social service provider's handling of the situation, and identification of the expected surrounding circumstances and outcome(s). A brief review of the state-of-the-art for social service research is provided along with suggestions for facilitating future research endeavors.

Key Words:

• Evidence-based research
• practice-based research
• social service research
• state-of-the art-research