METHODS OF SOCIAL
WORK PRACTICE III
SOW 4332
Dr. Beaulaurier
TERM PAPER INSTRUCTIONS
Please follow the directions for the term paper carefully. The term paper format for SOW 4332 has several distinct parts. Students should label each of the parts so that it is clear to the instructor where one part ends and the next begins.
This term paper requires students to analyze a human service organization of their choosing following the guidelines. These guidelines are very specific. Students are advised to read these directions carefully and start as early as possible gathering information necessary to write the paper.
Students should choose analyze the agency where they are doing their field placement. Any student who is unable to use their field placement site for this paper should contact the instructor ASAP in order to make a suitable arrangement for analyzing a different agency.
INSTRUCTIONS
Start each part of the paper on a separate sheet of paper labeled "Part 1," "Part 2," etc. The literature review (Part 1) should be approximately 2 pages long. The other parts should not exceed 2 pages.
Part 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
Review relevant literature on the major social problem or condition that your
agency seeks to change or ameliorate. This section should (a) identify the
problem clearly, and (b) discuss the prevalence and (c) the severity of the
problem as well as (d) the impacted population. A competent literature review
requires the use of at least four recent scholarly sources, at least half of
which should come from social work journals.
Parts 2 through 6 require students to discuss elements of their agencies in the context of course readings and class discussion. Course readings are especially important in these sections of the paper, and references should be made to them using APA g uidelines for in-text citations which should include page numbers. In each case you are required to support your answers by showing how your agency's practices are compatible or incompatible with practices favored in the course readings.
Part 2: Committees, work groups and boards. Discuss these task groups in your agency. Do you think that Weinbach and Homan would consider them effective? Why or why not?
Part 3: Leadership and teamwork. Discuss these processes. Are leaders and teams as effective as you think they should be in your agency? Why or why not?
Part 4: Community relations and networking. Discuss these processes. Does your organization have the kinds of networks and community relations necessary to effectively deal with the problems indicated in the literature review (part 1). Why or why not?
Part 5: Motivation and Control. Discuss the nature of these processes in your agency. Are they effective? Why or why not?
Part 6: Advocacy practice. Does anyone in your engage in advocacy? If so what kind: describe their activities. Discuss the adequacy of their case and class advocacy activities If there are no advocacy activities in your organization, why not? How might they be developed? What class and case advocacy activities would be most appropriate? Which ones would be least appropriate?
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:
This paper should conform with APA standards for references both in-text and on the final reference page. These standards are set forth in:
American Psychological
Association. (1994). Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association. (4th ed.).
Students are also strongly encouraged to purchase, read and follow the suggestions in Strunk and White's excellent little style guide. Paperback copies are available for under $10 in most bookstores. Look for:
Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (1979). The
Elements of Style. (3rd. ed.).