Gender Pronouns, Classroom Respect, & Living Syllabus
Course Description & Overview 
Course Competency Outcomes
Course Objectives
Course Expectations
Clourse Assignments & Basis for Grading
Grading

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Gender Pronouns: There is a long history of dialogue and activism around how we address one another, with respect to both names and pronouns. Students and instructors should be referred to by the name they prefer, and with the proper pronunciation, by all members of the classroom community. I will gladly honor your request to address you by the name you prefer and gender pronouns that correspond to your gender identity. Please advise me of your name’s proper pronunciation, and any name or pronouns not reflected by CUNYFirst. Students are expected to use the appropriate names and pronouns of their classmates and professor.

• My gender pronouns are fluid and contextual. In this space, I prefer to go by they/theirs, he/him, or my name.

Classroom Respect: We will be reading material that addresses the “wicked” problems of social work which will hopefully facilitate critical debate. Feelings of anger, frustration, and hurt may arise. We are all encouraged to help create an environment that promotes learning, dignity, care, and mutual respect for everyone. Individuals who disrupt such an environment with, for example, abusive or disrespectful comments, will not be tolerated. Breaches of classroom civility will reflect poorly on your grade. Under extreme circumstances you will be asked to drop the class.

Living Syllabus: I believe that learning is best when facilitated by students and instructors, and I encourage you to share ideas/readings/videos/resources to enhance our learning. This syllabus will likely evolve as the semester develops. If there are changes, I will make the class aware of the modifications, post a revised syllabus, and provide the new material.

SSW 751 is the first part of a two-semester course in practice-based research methods. In this course students learn basic research techniques that can be used to build knowledge, assess the effectiveness of social work and other program interventions, improve practice at all levels, and empower communities, organizations, groups, as well as individual workers and clients.

Major concepts within the realm of empirical research are examined, including problem identification and formulation, literature review, research design, sampling, definitions and measurement of variables, and instrument construction. Emphasis is placed on the use of empirical research to inform practice as well as on the development of knowledge for and from practice. The major goal is to enhance the student’s capacity to identify problems and reach empirical conclusions about their practice through research. Quantitative and qualitative research approaches are emphasized equally as strategies for evaluating one’s practice.

Discussions of issues concerning ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, and concerns of subjugated populations are essential features of this course. Attention to these issues is integrated throughout all stages of the research process, including problem identification, research design, sampling, measurement, data analysis, and interpretation of findings. Ethical issues regarding human subjects as well as federally mandated procedures for protection of human subjects including the institutional review board are also discussed.

This substantial scope will be achieved through use of real world political, contextual, research, and evaluation challenges faced by organizations and communities. Throughout the two-semester sequence, each student will complete an individual or group research project. The research may be based in student field placements or agencies of employment and will consist of original research or secondary analysis of publicly available data on a topic pertinent to the student’s career goals.

During the semester students will:

1. Conduct a comprehensive review of the academic and grey literature, and critically evaluate this information as it pertains to a specified research or evaluation project.
2. Identify, conceptualize, and formulate a research or evaluation problem from their own practice on which to conduct an empirical study.
3. State clear and precise research questions or hypotheses (if appropriate) for research or evaluation projects.
4. Identify appropriate study design and methods for quantitative and qualitative research or evaluation projects.
5. Discern appropriate sampling approaches for research or evaluation projects.
6. Choose appropriate data collection method(s) for research or evaluation projects.
7. Demonstrate sensitivity to issues of power, positionality, and potential biases in conducting research with culturally diverse populations (including race, ethnicity, language, country of origin or citizenship, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, physical or intellectual disabilities, etc.)
8. Obtain certification of online training from the Hunter College Human Research Protection Program (HRPP)
9. Demonstrate ability to incorporate ongoing feedback (constructive critique) to ensure continuous improvement in social work practice at the micro, meso, and macro levels.

1. Be familiar with the history of social welfare research and appreciate its contribution to knowledge, theory building, and the development of an empirical base for practice in the various methods and fields of practice
2. Understand basic concepts of the scientific method as it relates to social work
3. Acquire basic skills in research methodology relevant to problem identification; formulation of research questions through review of the literature; hypothesis formulation; research design; sampling procedures, measurement; data collection; data analysis; and interpretation of findings
4. Gain the basic methodological and analytical skills required for evaluating practice by conducting a literature review
5. Develop the skills and knowledge necessary to critically evaluate published research and utilize research findings in social work practice
6. Understand the ethical dilemmas inherent in the process of conducting social work research and have knowledge of the current practices and standards for protecting the rights of human subjects
7. Understand the potential biases inherent in research including operationalization of variables such as ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, and cultural diversity, and bias towards desired outcomes at all stages of the research process
8. Develop an appreciation of the role of the social worker in using available research knowledge to inform practice and develop knowledge from their practice
9. Demonstrate ability to incorporate ongoing feedback (constructive critique) to ensure continuous improvement in social work practice at the micro, meso, and macro levels.

Course Format & Requirements

Modes of instruction will include weekly in-person class seminars along with asynchronous work on the course site, written and/or digital assignments, and student presentations. Individual and group in-class activities will be used to provide application of content, theories, and concepts.

 Course Policies

Any alternative arrangements such as deadline extensions will be permitted at the discretion of the instructorin the case of an emergency. If there are extenuating circumstances, the instructor must be informed prior tothe date/time of the due date of the assignment. Any assignments or exams that are not completed asscheduled will be recorded as a “0”.

• Please note: Professor will return all emails within 48 hours and will reply to emails sent on Saturday or Sunday on Monday’s by 5pm. 
• Course site discussion feedback requested on Wednesday are always due by Friday of the same week, unless otherwise instructed.
• Professor will write a feedback summary (not individual responses) to the course website conversations by Tuesday prior to class, unless otherwise stated.

Course Conduct

Professional conduct: As a professional school, standards of appropriate ethical conduct are always expected of students including in the classroom (both virtual and in-person).

• Students should refrain from texting and from answering or making cell phone calls in class, or from browsing the internet (for content unrelated to class) on any portable electronic devices while in class.
• Students are expected to comply with the College’s policies and regulations outlined in the Campus Code of Conduct and Student Handbook.

In accordance with the emphasis on ethical conduct in the social work profession, students are expected to incorporate the highest ethical standards in every element of their work and to conduct themselves in ways that manifest the maturity and emotional stability necessary to function as professionals.

Examples of poor academic performance and misconduct that will subject the student to disciplinary action or dismissal from the program includes the following:

1. Violations of the College policy on Academic Integrity (e.g., plagiarism).
2. Behavior determined to be a violation of College or School policies or regulations.
3. Behavior determined to be a violation of the profession’s ethics (e.g., the NASW Code of Ethics).
4. Behaviors that do not meet professional expectations and standards, which include generally accepted standards of professional conduct, personal integrity, or emotional stability.
5. Behaviors determined to be unprofessional conduct towards colleagues, faculty, or staff.

Plagiarism: All forms of dishonesty violate the Hunter Policy on Academic Integrity. This includes cheating on exams, failing to give credit for the ideas or words belonging to another person, submitting work that has previously earned credit as your own, submitting work from another student as your own, or submitting work bought or work that was downloaded from the Internet. Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses that can result in your failing the course, and will be immediately reported to the Dean. University’s policy on academic integrity and the consequences for plagiarism: “Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty.” The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Academic Integrity Procedures.

Deadlines and Extensions: All assignments are due on the date specified in the syllabus regardless of absence. Extensions may be granted in extenuating circumstances, and at the discretion of the instructor. Students who fail to submit the assignment on the new due date will receive an F for that assignment.

• Clear writing that is edited and in APA formatting is a must. If you’d like support to strengthen your writing contact Christopher Hartley, Director: ch552@hunter.cuny.edu, of the Silberman writing program.
• Naming of files: Last name _ Submission Date. Example: Oswald_MonthDayYear

 Late Registration: Students who enroll in class during the late registration period or add/drop period are responsible for making up any missed class work or assignments.

Attendance & Participation

1. Make an effort to participate in class discussions, both in small groups, large-class discussions, and on the course site.
2. On-time class attendance is required (no more than three absences, excused or unexcused).
3. Lateness and unexcused absence will reduce your participation grade.
4. Please inform professor via email if you will not be in class and make plans to make up missed work if necessary.
5. Classes missed for religious reasons are excused. Please inform the professor in advance so that a plan can be made to make up the missed work if necessary. 

 Hunter College School of Social Work Attendance Policy

Class attendance is a requirement of the program. Excessive absence will affect course grades. Students should discuss any unavoidable absence with instructors and clarify the potential impact of absences on the grade for the course.

Hunter College Catalogue: Pages 71 & 72

Class Attendance: All students must report to classes during the first week of classes. Students will losetheir place in some classes if they do not attend the first class meeting. (See, for example, the “Notes” forbiology and chemistry in the Schedule of Classes.) The instructor has the right to set attendancerequirements for the course, to keep attendance records, and to consider attendance in the calculation offinal grades. Such attendance policies will be listed in the course syllabus. Students may not use absencefrom class as an excuse for not fulfilling all course requirements.

Religious holiday policy: Any student who is unable, because of his/her religious beliefs, to attend classeson a particular day or days shall, because of such absence, be excused. It is necessary to inform theprofessor in advance so that a plan can be made to make up the work missed as a result of the absence(s).

The rationale for the above language is from an excerpt from the School of Social Work’s catalogue on our web site:

Student Rights Concerning Religious Observances

Education Law Section 224-a, stating the rights and privileges of students unable to attend classes oncertain days because of religious beliefs, appears below, as mandated by State law:

• Noperson shall be expelled from or refused admission as a student for the reason that he/she is unable, because of religious beliefs, to attend classes or participate in any examination, study or work requirements on a particular day or 
• Any student who is unable, because of his/her religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence, be excused from any examination or any study or work
• It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and the administrative officials to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his/her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirement which may have been missed because of such absence on any particular day or No fees of any kind shall be charged for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
• In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials to exercise the fullest measure of good No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student who avails himself/herself of the provisions of this section.
• Studentswho are aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administration officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which the institution is located for the enforcement of their rights under this

HUNTER COLLEGE/SSSW POLICIES

“HUNTER COLLEGE POLICY ON SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

In compliance with the CUNY Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Hunter College reaffirms the prohibition of any sexual misconduct, which includes sexual violence, sexual harassment, and gender-based harassment retaliation against students, employees, or visitors, as well as certain intimate relationships. Students who have experienced any form of sexual violence on or off campus (including CUNY-sponsored trips and events) are entitled to the rights outlined in the Bill of Rights for Hunter College.

1. Sexual Violence: Students are strongly encouraged to immediately report the incident by calling 911, contacting NYPD Special Victims Division Hotline (646-610-7272) or their local police precinct, or contacting the College’s Public Safety Office (212-772-4444).

2. All Other Forms of Sexual Misconduct: Students are also encouraged to contact the College’s Title IX Campus Coordinator, Dean John Rose (jtrose@hunter.cuny.eduor 212-650-3262) or Colleen Barry (colleen.barry@hunter.cuny.edu or 212-772-4534) and seek complimentary services through the Counseling and Wellness Services Office, Hunter East 1123.

CUNY Policy on Sexual Misconduct Link: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/diversityandcompliance/repository/files/cuny-policy-on-sexual-misconduct.pdf

ACCOMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

The Office of AccessABILITY provides accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The students who are eligible for reasonable accommodations during classroom, testing, and or internships include those with any psychiatric, physical, learning, medical or temporary conditions that limits their overall academic functioning. All information is kept confidential and only released with the student’s written permission. 

If you have any of the conditions listed above, or you are not sure if you qualify for accommodations, please contact the office for further information and a meeting with a counselor. Please note, in order to receive an accommodation, you must provide current and appropriate documentation.  Registering early in the semester with the Office of AccessABILITY will ensure your accommodations in a timely manner so your condition won’t affect your academic progress. The office is located in room East 1214 of Hunter College at 68^th Street, phone: (212) 772-4857.  fax: (212) 650-3449. VP: (646-755-3129).

 Hunter College Academic Integrity/Dishonesty

Academic integrity is a guiding principle of the Hunter College learning community because all students should have the opportunity to learn and perform on a level playing field.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, obtaining an unfair advantage, and falsifying records or documents (see examples) whether intentional or not.

Hunter College upholds the right to promote academic integrity on its campus as an educational institution of the City University of New York. The College has the responsibility to review all charges of academic dishonesty and implement sanctions, including, but not limited to, failing the course, official transcript notation, suspension or expulsion from the College when it has been determined that academic dishonesty did occur. Please click here to see a full list of disciplinary sanctions. For more information on Hunter College’s Academic Integrity Policy, please click here.

Professional Code of Conduct

Students are expected to comply with the College’s policies and regulations outlined in the Campus Code of Conduct.

In accordance with the emphasis on ethical conduct in the social work profession, students are expected to incorporate the highest ethical standards in every element of their work and to conduct themselves in ways that manifest the maturity and emotional stability necessary to function as professionals. Examples of poor academic performance and misconduct that will subject the student to disciplinary action or dismissal from the program include the following:

1. Violations of the College policy on Academic Integrity (e.g., plagiarism).
2. Behavior determined to be a violation of College or School policies or regulations.
3. Behavior determined to be a violation of the profession’s ethics (e.g., the NASW Code of Ethics).
4. Behaviors that do not meet professional expectations and standards, which include generally accepted standards of professional conduct, personal integrity, or emotional stability.
5. Behaviors determined to be unprofessional conduct towards colleagues, faculty, or staff.

Participation Grade: (20 pts)

Each class that you attend on-time with active participation: 1 point. Expectation is that class is that everyone will arrive to the class meeting space by 11:00AM. Class will begin at 11:05AM and end at 12:50PM. Participation grade also includes completion of all asynchronous work due on the course site, like blog posts.

Group Facilitated Discussion: (10pts)

Working in small groups and with your instructor, you will each student will facilitate a class discussion/learning activity based on the readings for that specific week. Come prepared with questions to stimulate our thinking about the topic, a learning activity, and/or a related video, image, or news article to deepen our understanding of the topic.

Online CITI training for Human Research Protection Program 
Due Oct 6 (10pts)

This online training is required of all student and faculty researchers alike.

Please follow the steps outlined below to complete your training:

1. Log-in (or register if you are a first-time user) at https://www.citiprogram.org/Default.asp

**If you are registering for a new account, click on “create an account” and search for CUNY as your institution.

2. Click on “Add a Course” under “Learner Tools for City University of New York (CUNY)”
3. Select the curriculum which you need to complete:

• Take the “Human Subjects Basic Course”
• Take “HSR for Social & Behavioral Faculty, Graduate Students & Postdoctoral Scholars”

4. Complete the required modules
5. Save your certificate so that you can submit it electronically to the instructor (or if necessary, to the Institutional Review Board).

Completion of the CITI human subjects protection training will be documented by uploading the certificate to the course site.

Research Article Summary/Critique

Due Oct 27 (20pts)

Select a peer reviewed article summarizing an empirical study on a topic of interest to you. Describe and critique the article using the points below and submit a written critique of the article in 3-5 pages (double spaced, APA format). Submit a copy of the peer reviewed article along with your summary/critique. The assignment must address the following guiding points/questions:

1. Author and title of the article (citation and full APA reference), including any information on how the study was funded.
2. What was the primary aim of the study, and what was the study design?
3. What was the primary research question? Was a hypothesis presented in the article? Why or why not?
4. Briefly describe (and critique where necessary) the study methods (sampling, data collection strategies, and instruments).
5. What were the results of the study?
6. Strengths/limitations of the article, including ethical implications.
7. Thoughts regarding next steps and implications for research, policy, and/or practice?

Problem Statement and Literature Review Term Paper or Website

Draft due November 24 Final due December 8 (40pts)

This is a two-part assignment that can be completed either as a written paper or multi-modal website. The final product must cover both a statement of the problem that your research will address, and the relevant literature related to that topic.

1. The purpose of a statement is to describe the topic for your literature review (final assignment) by providing a rationale for why this issue you choose is important to study. Please address the following items in your problem statement within 2-3 pages (double spaced, APA format).
2. Define and describe the problem/issue in terms of prevalence and implications to social work practice, policy, and research. 
3. Discuss why this issue is important to you and/or the communities you are working with.
4. Provide a very brief description of the current state of research (citing your sources) related to this social problem/issue, OR point out the lack of existing research on the issue.
5. Describe the stakeholders who are affected by the social issue.
6. A comprehensive review of the relevant literature on the research problem locates your topic within the context of an existing body of knowledge and lays a foundation for any next steps you and your constituents plan to take with your research or advocacy efforts. The literature may include the following: scholarly literature in peer-reviewed journals, grey literature, including reputable internet sourced materials such as research reports, policy reports. The literature review should include at least 10 research articles which can (in problem focus, design, instrumentation and/or findings) inform your study. Your paper (problem formulation and literature review) must be in APA format and 10-12 pages in length. Websites will cover the same information using the same number of references but through a multi-modal web design inclusive of text, images, videos, etc. References may include published and grey literature, documents from your own organization such as reports, procedures, data from other organizations or flow charts that are important for understanding the social issue and its context.

The last two week of the semester are dedicated to individual presentations of your research paper and/or website. Presentations should be between 7 and 10 minutes.

The grading system is Credit, No Credit and Honors (for truly superlative work). All aspects of performance must be creditable for a student to receive a grade of Credit.  See Assignments for more details.

The following is a summary of grading criteria:

• Honors
  This grade is given only for consistent, outstanding achievement in understanding, originality, and advanced performance in the subject matter and applied skills taught in the courses.  Honors are considered above a grade of A.  Evidence for this level of work will come from written assignments, class participation and presentations, online participation, and individual conferences.
• Credit
  This grade is given on the basis of written assignments, class participation and presentations, oline participation and individual conferences demonstrating mastery of skills, and evidence of a grasp of the subject matter content.
• No Credit
  This grade is given on evidence of written assignments, class participation and examinations that demonstrating absence of mastery of basic course content course content. (See the Hunter College School of Social Work Student Handbook for additional regarding repeating required courses, prerequisites and elective courses).

 Letter Grade

Requests for letter grades in lieu of these categories must be submitted to the instructor in writing (i.e., the School’s form for letter grade requests) no later than the end of the second week of the semester.  The form must be signed and then filed with the School.  Once a letter grade is requested, no change to credit/no credit will be permitted.

A grade of “B-” (B minus) is a failing grade at the graduate level.