Using Counseling Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods, counseling students are given the opportunity to learn research design, methodology, and analysis through a counseling-specific framework. While other comparable survey books on education-related research and statistics do not contain many specific examples and applications of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods from the counseling profession, this text gives counseling students the opportunity to learn research methods within their own unique discipline.

By using counseling-specific examples, students will be more able to apply their learning to other aspects of their training and professors will have a more straightforward means of making research understandable and relevant to the master’s level counseling student. Counseling Research also focuses not only on how to produce valid research, but also on how to competently read, analyze, and utilize others’ research. In addition to the requisite research materials, the textbook includes chapters on ethics in counseling research, multicultural issues in counseling research, and a practical guide to SPSS.

• An emphasis on research-based practice ties the research concepts in each chapter to applications in the counseling profession, allowing students to see how abstract concepts translate to their professional work.
• A comprehensive look at counseling research methods includes discussion and examples from each of the disciplines listed: mental health/community, school, rehabilitation, and student affairs/college counseling.
• Covers common qualitative approaches in counseling research as opposed to broad-based information about various qualitative strategies. Not including the many strategies that are not used within the counseling profession allows students to focus on only the relevant qualitative designs.
• A focus on the entry-level student assumes no prior knowledge and gives students easy-to-read examples and unpretentious writing.
• A chapter on ethics helps students recognize the ethical issues relevant to their field and understand the explicit ethical codes in their professional practice.
• A chapter on multicultural issues helps students to become culturally competent through exposure to the various cultural issues that impact the research process.
• A chapter on data analysis exposes students to how to become producers of research and gives students a hands-on guide to working with SPSS.
• A chapter on writing research reports gives students practical tips on constructing a typical research report. The chapter includes common pitfalls in writing the report such as failing to provide instrument validity and reliability data.
• A chapter on program evaluation provides a structured review of the program evaluation process and uses counseling-specific examples.

Part I -- An Introduction To Research In Counseling

Chapter 1         Contemporary Issues In Counseling Research (Carl J. Sheperis)

Chapter 2         Getting Started (Donna Sheperis And Carl Sheperis)

Chapter 3         Reviewing The Literature (Donna S. Sheperis, Tiffany Chandler, And Carl Sheperis)

Chapter 4         Methodological Issues (Susan Eaves)

Part II -- Quantitative Research Designs

Chapter 5         Experimental Designs (Rick Balkin)

Chapter 6         Predictive Designs (Joshua Watson And Laura Simpson)

Chapter 7         Survey Designs (Scott Young)

Chapter 8         Time Series Designs (Edina Renfro Michel, Kimberly Hall, And Kristin Johnson Gros)  

Part III -- Qualitative Research Designs And Program Evaluation

Chapter 9         Grounded Theory Designs (Matt Buckley)                                                       

Chapter 10       Phenomenology Designs (Terry Christensen And Kristy A. Brumfield)              

Chapter 11       Narrative Research Designs (April Bedford And Sandra Trupiano Landry)       

Chapter 12       Program Evaluation (Harry Daniels)                                                                 

Part IV -- Mixed Designs And Data Analysis

Chapter 13       Mixed Methods Designs (April Heiselt And Carl J. Sheperis)                           

Chapter 14       Using Spss To Analyze Data (Anastasia Elder And Vanessa Esparza)              

Chapter 15       Basic Statistical Concepts (Sang Min Lee)                                                       

Chapter 16       Developing A Research Report (Craig Cashwell And Kerrie Kardatzke)

Part V -- Ethics and Multicultural Issues In Research

Chapter 17       Ethics In Research (Kelly Wester)                                                                   

Chapter 18       Multicultural Issues In Research (Catherine Y. Chang, Danica G. Hays, And Geneva Gray)      

Appendix A      2005 Aca Ethical Code

Appendix B      Sample Research Manuscript

References

Author Index

Carl Sheperis is an associate professor in community counseling at Mississippi State University. He specializes in the assessment and treatment of behavioral and developmental disorders in infancy and childhood. Carl is a recipient of the Outstanding Counselor Educator Award by the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES) and the Donald Hood Research Award for the Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education (AACE). Carl has authored over 60 articles and book chapters and is co-author of The Peace Train: A School-Wide Violence Prevention Program (Educational Media, 1999).

J. Scott Young is a professor in the department of counseling and educational development at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he also serves as department chair. He is the co-editor of the book Integrating Spirituality into Counseling: A Guide to Competent Practice (American Counseling Association, 2004) and has published numerous articles on the interface of clinical practice with spirituality and religion.

M. Harry Daniels is professor and chairperson of the department of counselor education at the University of Florida at Gainesville. He is the author of numerous book chapters and articles regarding counseling and development.