`This is a practical guide to carrying out research in counselling and the helping professions generally. It covers all major aspects of research and guides the reader through the essential processes involved, from setting up and conducting a study, to analyzing data and evaluating findings′ - New Therapist This practical, informative and encouraging guide to doing research in counselling and the helping professions generally has been written with practitioners firmly in mind. The book is a comprehensive yet accessible introduction which covers all major aspects of research and guides the reader through the essential processes involved, from setting up and conducting a study, to analyzing data and evaluating findings. In addition, the author provides guidelines for accessing research information and resources. With an emphasis on the acquisition of research skills and their practical application to counselling issues, Practitioner Research in Counselling shows how research can be used in a meaningful way by all practitioners.

Practical and accessible this guide to doing research within psychotherapy and counselling has been fully revised and updated and includes new chapters on evidence-based practice and practitioner research.

In this book bestselling author John McLeod examines the multiple ways in which research can be used to inform and enhance counselling practice. The author discusses how research impacts on policy and practice, covering research knowledge, values, research awareness and skills. Further chapters cover: Using research to understand the therapy process and outcomes Using research to make sense of other lives Using client feedback to enhance practice Using research to build professional networks and effective organisations. The book can be used throughout training on counselling, psychotherapy and counselling psychology courses, to support the development of professional competencies and personal development. It will also be valuable reading for both practitioners and researchers.

The Counselor as Practitioner-Researcher: A Practical Guide to Research Methods is designed to help readers integrate a researcher's perspective and research methodology into their professional practice. Approaching practice as a practitioner-researcher not only facilitates the gathering of data and the drawing of useful conclusions, but also results in more ethical and effective practice decisions. Section I provides readers with an overview of the need and value of research in support of the counseling profession and as a basis for sound and successful practice decisions. In Section II, the fundamentals of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed designs are reviewed. Section III highlights specific designs and their value to the counselor as practitioner-researcher, including between group, within subject, action research, and case study designs. The text concludes with an extensive case illustration of counselor research and the steps necessary to developing a specific research plan. The Counselor as Practitioner-Researcher assists those in training and those in practice to not only become informed consumers of research, but also "doers" of research as it guides their practice decisions, affords measures of accountability, and supports program evaluation.

This introductory text for counselors-in-training and emerging researchers focuses on research methodology, design, measurement, and evaluation. Richard Balkin and David Kleist explain the primary research methods used in counseling while emphasizing the importance of ethics and multicultural issues, demonstrating a professional counselor identity within the framework of research, and outlining the specific approaches used to inform counseling practice. The book contains four parts: The Essence of Research in the Counseling Profession, Quantitative Research Designs, Qualitative Research Designs, and Practice-Based Research. Key features include case examples that bridge the technicalities of research and the realities of practice; strategies for designing research; guidelines for counselors considering topics for a thesis, a dissertation, or the development of an initial study; examples of current counseling research articles; and suggested activities to enhance understanding of the material in each chapter and facilitate classroom discussion. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com. *To purchase print copies, please visit the ACA website here *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]

Doing Practitioner Research focuses on helping practitioners conduct research in their own organisations, and attention is given to the best methods for doing this effectively and sensitively. The authors also attend to the theoretical, political and organisational context of doing research, as well as addressing the ethical and practical issues of undertaking research. The authors cover in detail the range of skills and techniques necessary to make a successful start to the process of becoming an effective practitioner researcher. This is an ideal text for growing number of practitioners working in health, education and social care who are undertaking research. Fox et al have provided the perfect introduction to why practitioners are in the unique position to conduct research that actually improves professional practice. This book will be essential reading for those professionals/practitioners engaged in research in their own organisation or undertaking a post-graduate qualification in Health, Social Care, or Education.

For complete beginners in social sciences research, this guides the reader from first principles through to completing a research project.