Statistically speaking: Social work students are significant

Richard E. Basom, Elizabethtown College
David A. Iacono-Harris, Elizabethtown College
Donald B. Kraybill, Elizabethtown College

Abstract

This exploratory investigation examines some of the generally held assumptions and stereotypes about the attitudes of undergraduate social work majors toward research and about their quantitative skills. A comparison of social work majors and social science majors in a social statistics course produced results that raise serious doubts about some of these assumptions and stereotypes. Our findings showed that social work majors were not deficient in their quantitative aptitudes, did not hold negative attitudes about research, and performed better than social science majors. © 1982 Council on Social Work Education, Inc.