Week 6: Design an Unobtrusive Research Strategy

Assignment Instructions

Purpose

Practice designing an unobtrusive research approach for a sensitive topic. Youll identify feasible data sources, outline procedures, anticipate strengths/limitations, and build ethical safeguards that align with social work values.

Instructions:

1. Select a sensitive topic (examples: stigma, domestic violence, substance use, homelessness, immigration status, mental health in youth).
2. Write a 2-page plan (double-spaced) that includes:
3. Potential data sources: Specify which records (e.g., agency files, public reports), documents/artifacts(e.g., social media posts, news articles, flyers), and/or observations (direct or indirect/trace) youll useand why they fit this topic.
4. Data collection procedures: Where will you access the data? How often? What inclusion/exclusion criteria? How will you store, organize, and code the data (e.g., a brief coding scheme for content analysis or an observation checklist)?
5. Strengths & limitations: Explain how unobtrusive methods reduce reactivity and participant burdenthen note constraints (e.g., missing context, selection bias, representativeness, interpretation challenges).
6. Ethical safeguards: Address privacy (public vs. private sources), de-identification, secure storage, cultural sensitivity, terms-of-service compliance, and how youll avoid harm. Include when consent, IRB review, or agency permission would be needed.
7. Submit your plan by Sunday 11:59 PM in Word or PDF.

Suggested Structure (2 pages)

• Title & Topic (12 sentences)
• Data Sources (12 page): Records, artifacts, observations (what/where/why)
• Procedures (12 page): Access, sampling/selection, frequency, organization/coding
• Strengths & Limitations (12 page)
• Ethical Safeguards (12 page)

Formatting & Citations

• 2 pages, double-spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman (or similar).
• Use APA 7 if you cite policies, instruments, or sources.

Tips for Success

• Be specific: Name concrete data sources (e.g., public eviction court dockets, 20222024), not just categories.
• Keep it feasible: Choose sources you could realistically access in an agency or community context.
• Center ethics: Clarify what is truly public, how youll de-identify data, and how youll minimize risk.
• Plan your coding: Include a simple coding approach (themes, keywords, categories) to show how analysis would work.
• Acknowledge limits: Briefly note what your plan cannot capture and how you might triangulate with other methods later.