Synopses & Reviews
Research is often an intimidating topic in a counselor training program-but it doesn't have to be. This text helps to alleviate readers' concerns while helping them learn what they need to know. It presents the most essential components of research and illustrates them with meaningful examples, enabling users to master each component. Recognizing that the profession of counseling has entered the age of accountability, Erford developed RESEARCH AND EVALUATION IN COUNSELING to help educate counselors and future counselors about research and evaluation procedures so that their treatment of clients can be more effective and efficient. Organized into three topical sections, the second edition addresses the curricular requirements of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), providing the latest information on research, statistics, and evaluation procedures.
Review
"I have recommended the text as one of the best research texts available for counselor educators. There are few textbooks that have been developed with counselor specific examples. The textbook offers a solid blend of research designs and statistical methods. [It has] excellent chapters on needs assessment and program evaluation."
Review
"The manuscript is probably the best I have seen for research in counseling. The examples in each chapter are relevant for school counseling students, community counseling, and Ph.D. level students."
About the Author
Bradley T. Erford, PhD, is a professor in the Educational Specialties Department at Loyola College in Maryland. He is a fellow of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and a recipient of the ACA Research Award, ACA Professional Development Award, and ACA Carl Perkins Government Relations Award. His research specialization lies primarily in the development and technical analysis of psychoeducational tests and has resulted in the publication of numerous books, journal articles, book chapters, and psychoeducational materials.
Table of Contents
Part I: FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION. 1. The Nature of Research and Inquiry. 2. Characteristics of a Research Study. 3. Locating, Reviewing, and Writing Research. 4. Outcomes Research in Counseling. Part II: METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION. 5. Qualitative Approaches to Research. 6. Qualitative Research Designs. 7. Quantitative Research Design in Counseling. 8. Practical Counseling Research Approaches: Using Action Research and Single-Subject Research Designs. 9. Needs Assessment. 10. Program Evaluation and Accountability. Part III: COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DATA IN COUNSELING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION. 11. Collecting Data. 12. Describing Data. 13. Deriving Standardized Scores. 14. Statistical Hypothesis Testing. 15. Using SPSS for Introductory Statistical Analyses. 16. Univariate Inferential Statistics. 17. Correlation and Regression. 18. Nonparametric Test of Statistical Inference. 19. An Overview of Multivariate Statistical Analysis.