Monthly Monitor: July/August 2024
Guest Editor: Leah Munroe (She/her)
Featured in this newsletter are practical tips and resources that will equip you to navigate the complex intersection of social justice, data management, and current political issues.
This newsletter includes
Editorial: Social work at the intersection of justice, data, and politics by Leah Munroe (She/her)
Qualtrics How To by Alauna Adams (She/her) and Nari Yoo (She/her)
As Social Workers, We Must Speak Up About Palestine by Umaira Khan (She/her)
Beyond the Classroom: Being a Social Work PhD Student in an Election Year by Julisa Tindall (She/her)
Editorial: Social work at the intersection of justice, data, and politics.
Leah Munroe (She/her)
We are students, we are social workers, and we are people.
When we enter the classroom, we leave some of our components behind. It is rare that we talk about race, politics, or religion at social gatherings; we preserve old etiquette to avoid potential disagreements or hard conversations. The rules of graceful social gatherings are meant to allow people to coexist peacefully; however, as the political landscape becomes increasingly tumultuous, it begins to feel as though these social graces have allowed us to diverge silently without exposure to opposing ideas. This newsletter will break these norms, and alongside our articles on data management, we will also discuss our role in speaking up in the face of genocide and political challenges, emphasizing the need for our involvement and commitment in these crucial discussions.
Featured in this newsletter are practical tips and resources that will equip you to navigate the complex intersection of social justice, data management, and current political issues.
Qualtrics: How To – Alauna & Nari
This article provides practical tips for utilizing Qualtrics for all your survey needs. Additionally, the authors explore various features and steps for getting support and exporting data, ensuring you have the tools and knowledge to manage your data effectively.
Why Social Workers Should Speak Up About Palestine – Umaira Khan
This article urges students and social workers to speak out about the crisis in Palestine. With the International Court of Justice condemning Israel's actions as potentially genocidal and unlawful, it's crucial to dissent against these injustices. This author urges readers to educate themselves and others, advocate for Palestinian rights, support Palestinian voices and organizations, and follow Palestinian journalists documenting the situation.
Beyond the Classroom: Being a Social Work PhD Student in an Election Year – Julisa Tindall
This piece explores the intricacies of maintaining professionalism while also upholding the pillars of social work ethics during an election. This article highlights the importance of our civic duties and role as individuals as well as social work students. By engaging in the electoral process, we can advance social justice and fulfill our professional responsibilities.
Qualtrics How To
Alauna Adams (She/her) and Nari Yoo (She/her)
A Brief Qualtrics “How-To” Guide
Qualtrics is a survey platform that allows you to create, distribute, and analyze academic surveys. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of creating a survey in Qualtrics, along with some extra features that may be useful.
Institutional Access
Many universities have institutional licenses for Qualtrics. Here's how to approach this:
Check with your IT department or library services about Qualtrics access.
You'll typically use your institutional email to sign up or log in if available.
Institutional access often comes with additional features and support that are unavailable for personal accounts.
Some institutional licenses may also have restrictions, such as how many surveys you can have active at once. Be sure to check with your institutions for clarification.
Creating Your First Survey
Log in to your Qualtrics account.
Click "Create a new project" on your dashboard.
Name your project and choose a starting point (blank survey, template, etc.).
In the survey editor, use the left panel to add questions and the right panel to edit them.
Pro Tip: Start with a template related to your field. Qualtrics offers pre-designed surveys for various industries and research types, saving you time in setup. You can watch this video Qualtrics For Beginners (UA Libraries RDS Workshop) for Qualtrics for Beginners.
Features of Qualtrics
1) Advanced Logic and Piping
Qualtrics excels in creating complex survey flows:
Use "Survey Flow" to develop advanced branching logic.
Implement display logic to show or hide questions based on previous responses.
Use piping to insert previous answers into later questions for a personalized experience.
Pro Tip: Test your logic thoroughly. Use the "Preview" function and try different response paths to ensure your survey works as intended.
2) Integrations
Qualtrics offers numerous integrations, setting it apart from many competitors:
Google Sheets Integration:
Export data directly to Google Sheets to share with research collaborators.
Set up in "Workflow" > "Create a Workflow" > “Start with Template” > “Create a row in Google Sheets for each survey response”
Pro Tip: Leverage these integrations to streamline your workflow. For instance, use the Google Sheets integration to create live dashboards that update as responses come in if you use it for research participant recruitment.
3) Export Data
Once your data are collected, there are different ways to read and use your data, including downloading it into another software or database like Excel or SPSS
Go to the Data Analysis tab and click “Data”.
Choose “Export & Import” and then click “Export data”
A pop-up will appear, allowing you to choose which format you would like to export your data file to, including CSV andExcel.
You can choose to export all data fields by checking the box below the different data table options
If this option is not selected, it will only download fields chosen in the data tab in Qualtrics.
Choose whether you want your data downloaded using numeric values or choice text and click download.
4) Getting Support
Qualtrics offers multiple support channels:
Knowledge Base: Accessible via the "Help" button in your account. It's comprehensive and regularly updated.
Qualtrics Community: A forum where users share tips and troubleshoot issues. Great for practical advice.
Support Tickets: Submit a ticket through your account for more complex issues.
5) Practical Tips for Survey Design
Mobile Optimization: Always preview your survey on mobile devices. Qualtrics offers a mobile preview feature.
Question Types: Experiment with different question types. Qualtrics offers unique options like heat maps, matrix tables, text with graphics, and card sorts.
Customization: Brand your survey using the "Look & Feel" editor to brand your survey; this is especially important for customer-facing surveys.
Data Quality: Utilize feature like attention checks, captchas, and speed checks to ensure high-quality responses, circumventing issues with bots filling out your survey and saturating your data with fake responses. There are lots of bot responses these days!
6) Creating Multilingual Surveys
One of Qualtrics' standout features is its support for multilingual surveys. This capability is crucial for research with diverse linguistic populations.
In your survey, go to "Survey" in the top menu, then select "Translations."
Click "Add Language" and select the languages you want to include.
You'll see a table with your original questions and space for translations.
Qualtrics offers several ways to translate your survey:
Manual Translation: Enter translations directly into the provided fields.
Import/Export: Export your survey text, translate it externally, then import the translations.
Automatic Translation: Qualtrics offers machine translation (Google Translate) for quick drafts, but you must always review these for accuracy.
Pro Tip: Export your content as an XML file for complex surveys to allow easier translation management in external tools, especially for large-scale projects.
We hope this is a helpful start for those who want to gain experience with Qualtrics. This is not a comprehensive guide for all that Qualtrics can do. For more information regarding tutorials, guides, and more, please visit https://www.qualtrics.com/support/getting-started-qualtrics/learn-the-xm-platform/
Here is also a list of other options for survey platforms, if you do not want to use Qualtrics. This list is not exhaustive, just other suggestions:
Alchemy: https://www.alchemer.com/
Google Forms: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/
RedCap: https://www.project-redcap.org/
Survey Planet: https://surveyplanet.com/
SurveyMonkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/
Typeform: http://www.typeform.com/
As Social Workers, We Must Speak Up About Palestine
Umaira Khan (She/her)
As social workers and students of the discipline, our sociopolitical contexts are inextricably tied to our practice. Our field is rooted in advancing social justice for oppressed and marginalized populations, and in this heavy historical moment, we cannot remain silent about Palestine.
Glaring social injustices in Gaza and other areas of Palestine are unfolding before us, funded by U.S. financial and military support. While Palestinians have faced systemic oppression for decades, oppressive conditions have worsened since October 7th. Palestinian people are undergoing collective punishment- which is prohibited under international law- through mass killings, forced displacement, military occupation, and a blockade of humanitarian aid that has resulted in severe starvation and total deterioration of health conditions. The United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s acts to be genocidal violence, and more recently, the ICJ found Israel’s occupation of Palestinian people and land to be unlawful. The International Federation of Social Workers has joined numerous professional organizations in condemning the gruesome destruction of human life in Palestine.
We are situated in a uniquely powerful position: as occupants of the global North, as social work researchers, students, and humans who bear witness to this historically pivotal juncture. As we study and research in educational institutions across the nations, there are no universities left in Gaza. We are complicit in the occupation and genocide of Palestinians as occupants and taxpayers of the United States, a nation that provides billions of dollars to the Israeli government each year. It is our responsibility to dissent and make it known that we do not stand for a legacy of wartime destruction.
Here are some ways that we can incorporate the Palestinian struggle into our personal and professional practice:
Education and awareness
Educate ourselves and others about the history and current realities of the Palestinian people. Examine how the occupation of Palestine and the current destruction of Gaza are related to broader geopolitical dynamics. Examine how the Palestinian struggle relates to the history of Indigenous peoples in the US, Black Americans in the US, and other colonized peoples across time and space. Access and read Haymarket’s Free Books for a Free Palestine.
Advocacy.
Find avenues to advocate for Palestinian rights. Advocacy could involve writing emails to Congress supporting a ceasefire or participating in campaigns that support marginalized communities, globally or locally.
Center Palestinian voices
Center the voices of Palestinian activists, scholars, and community members. Support Palestinian-led initiatives and organizations for relief, such as Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights.
Follow Palestinian journalists on social media
Palestinian journalists risk their lives to document and share the realities of living through a genocide. These are the Instagram handles of some Palestinian journalists who remain in Gaza documenting conditions, and some that have fled but continue to raise awareness: @hindkhoudary; @wizard_bisan1; @motaz_azaiza, @waeleldahdou; @plestia.alaqad; @wissamgaza; @alijadallah66; @hossam_shbat
Beyond the Classroom: Being a Social Work PhD Student in an Election Year
Julisa Tindall (She/her)
As social work doctoral students, we stand at the intersection of academia, advocacy, and social justice.
Our work often challenges structural inequalities, amplifies historically marginalized voices, and pushes for systemic change. In an election year, these responsibilities take on an even greater significance. As both scholars and practitioners, we have a unique role in understanding the sociopolitical landscape and actively participating in shaping it.
The Role of Social Workers in an Election Year
Social workers have a long history of advocating for policies that promote social justice, equity, and the well-being of all communities. In an election year, our advocacy extends beyond our research and into the voting booth. We become tasked with educating ourselves and our communities about the policies, candidates, and issues that will directly impact the populations we serve. Moreover, we must recognize our power as informed voters to influence the direction of these policies.
As PhD students, our role is twofold. First, we are researchers, generating knowledge that can inform policy and practice. Our research often highlights the needs of vulnerable populations and can be a powerful tool in advocating for change. We are responsible for ensuring that our research is rigorous and accessible to those who can use it to advocate for policy changes. Second, we are educators and mentors within our communities and academic institutions. We have the opportunity to encourage our peers, students, and the broader community.. Social workers are able to engage in the electoral process through several avenues, including voting, campaigning, voter registration drives, and public education on key issues, facilitating discussions on the implications of various policies, and using our research to inform public debate.
Furthermore, balancing social work practice and politics requires a careful approach, especially in therapeutic settings. As social workers, we must create a safe space where clients can express their views without judgment while adhering to our ethical commitment to social justice. This means fostering discussions that empower clients through civic engagement without imposing specific political ideologies, making sure that our practice remains supportive and ethically grounded during an election year.
By leveraging our knowledge and skills and taking an active role in the electoral process, we can help ensure that the voices of those we serve are heard. It is imperative that historically marginalized communities, where voter suppression and disengagement are often more prevalent, are represented. Our expertise in social work allows us to bridge gaps, providing education and resources to empower these communities.
Why It’s Important to Vote
Voting is one of the most direct ways to influence the policies that affect the lives of the people we work with as social workers. Elections determine who makes decisions about healthcare, education, social services, and justice—areas where social workers are deeply involved. By voting, we contribute to selecting leaders who will shape these critical areas.
The stakes in this election are particularly high, with significant implications for civil rights, public health, social safety net, and much more. Social work doctoral students have a unique perspective, as our research often highlights the vulnerabilities and challenges faced by the communities we study. This firsthand knowledge underscores the importance of voting for candidates and policies that support equitable access to resources and justice. Moreover, the outcomes of this election will set the tone for policy development over the next several years, impacting the very frameworks within which we work and conduct research. As such, it is crucial that we not only vote ourselves but also advocate for the importance of civic engagement within our circles of influence.
Furthermore, as social work doctoral students, we understand the importance of representation. Many of the issues we study and work on—such as health disparities, economic inequality, and racial justice—are profoundly impacted by election outcomes. Voting is a way to ensure that the leaders elected are those who understand and are committed to addressing these issues.
The Power of Collective Action
In addition to voting, we can mobilize others in our communities to do the same. Social workers are often leaders in community organizing, and this election year provides a prime opportunity to harness this power. Whether it’s through hosting informational sessions, engaging in dialogues about the importance of voting, or helping to organize transportation to the polls, our efforts can help increase voter turnout and ensure that all voices are heard.
Collective action amplifies our impact. When we come together as social work doctoral students, we bring a wealth of knowledge, resources, and strategies that can significantly influence voter engagement. We can collaborate across institutions, share best practices for voter mobilization, and leverage our networks to reach a wider audience. This collaborative effort can increase voter turnout and strengthen our community’s commitment to social justice. By engaging in collective action, we demonstrate the power of solidarity and show how coordinated efforts can lead to meaningful change. In an election year, the decisions made at the polls have far-reaching consequences for the populations we serve. By engaging in the electoral process, we fulfill our ethical obligation to advocate for policies that align with the core values of social work: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, the importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence.
Conclusion
Being a social work doctoral student in an election year is both a privilege and a responsibility. It is an opportunity to engage deeply with the issues that matter most to our profession and to use our voices—and our votes—to advocate for change. As we continue our journey in academia and practice, we must remember that our role extends beyond the classroom and research. We are part of a larger movement for social justice, and in this election year, our actions can help shape the future of this movement. Let us vote, advocate, and lead by example, ensuring that our commitment to social justice is reflected not just in our work but in the policies that govern our society.
Doctoral Student Spotlight
Recent Social Work PhD Graduates
Congratulations Dr. Angie Smith!
Dr. Angie Smith recently graduated from the University of Alabama School of Social Work with her PhD. Her dissertation focused on Encounters of Police Violence and Illuminating the Voices of Black College Students affected by this.
Dr. Smith will be continuing her endeavors as a tenured track professor at Auburn University at Montgomery, where she will teach aspiring Social Work students and continue her research, with her research interests being police brutality, racism, advocacy, mental and public health.
Here are some of Angie’s recent publications:
Wilson, B. L., Tindall, J., Walker, D., & Smith, A. M. (2023). “Ain’t I a woman?”: a historical and contemporary analysis of state-sanctioned violence against Black Women in the United States. Journal of Gender Studies, 33(1), 84–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2023.2236953
Smith, N. L., Smith, A. M., Mott, A., & Smith, B. D. (2023). Enhancing Supports for Novice Workers in Child Welfare: A Study of Coaching for Child Welfare Interns. Families in Society, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10443894231185373
Congratulations Dr. Jenny Tanis!
Dr. Jenny Tanis recently graduated from Michigan State University’s School of Social work with her PhD. Jenny’s dissertation focused on exploring how state paid family leave act policies affect infant maltreatment rates. Jenny’s research interests include child maltreatment prevention, maternal and child health, maternal mental health, and reproductive justice.
Since graduating, Dr. Tanis has received an Assistant Professor position at Hope College’s Department of Sociology and Social Work.
Dr. Tanis’ recent publication in Child Abuse and Neglect has been featured in NPR and Futurity.
Recent Social Work Doctoral Student Publications
Mabrouk, F. A., Connaught, G. K., Allen, C. A., & Israel, K. (2024). Implicit Biases and Racial Microaggressions: Examining the Impact on Black Social Work Students’ Well-Being. Social Work in Public Health, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2024.2373428
Fatima Mabrouk and Khadija Israel are social work doctoral students at NYU’s Silver School of Social Work, and Chelsea Allen is a doctoral student at Columbia’s School of Social Work.
Boyke, H. (2024). Exploring Immigration Detention at the Intersection of Federal Grant Funding, Sanctuary, and Political Majorities in 2015. Critical Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10612-024-09794-0
Hannah Boyke is a PhD candidate at Michigan State University’s School of Social Work
DSC Call for Nominations: Doctoral Student Achievements
Submit Nominations for Doctoral Student Achievements!
Celebrate doctoral students’ accomplishments in research, practice, and/or degree milestones!
SSWR DSC Communications Subcommittee has an ongoing call for nominations to showcase social work doctoral student achievements.Nominate a colleague (or yourself) to have their recent accomplishments featured on SSWR DSC social media and in a future DSC newsletter.
The nomination form asks for your name, pronouns, program, a description of the accomplishment(s), information about your research, and brief bio information. If you want, you can also upload a photo of the nominee for us to share and tell us your social media handles to mention in the posts. Student achievements will be posted to social media and the SSWR DSC website as they are received. Achievements will also be featured on the SSWR DSC Newsletter.
View past students showcased for their achievements here.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE A COLLEAGUE (OR YOURSELF) TO BE FEATURED
Social Work Snippets
Resources for PhD Students
Research on support in doctoral in programs (Krings et al., 2023)
“Sharing a resource that might be of interest to the DSC and its members. We wrote it with the goal of finding useful and actionable ways to better support doc students” — Amy Krings
Full Citation: Krings, A., Mora, A. S., Bechara, S., Sánchez, C. N., Gutiérrez, L. M., Hawkins, J., & Austic, E. (2023). How Early Social Work Faculty Experienced Support in Their Doctoral Programs. Journal of Social Work Education, 60(2), 206–224. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2023.2279789
Job Opportunities and Funding
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Research on Social Determinants of Health & Prevention Science— Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work (Deadline: Ongoing)
The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Scholars Program (Deadline Friday 9/20/2024)
NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship (Deadline 10/3/2024)
Do you need help navigating the academic job market? Check out Dr. Kess Ballentine’s playlist and free workbook to guide you through every step of landing an academic job. Subscribe to her YouTube channel for tips and tricks for MSW & PhD Students and early career researchers!
Call for Papers
Deadline: 9/30/2024
Deadline: October 1, 2024
Abolitionist Perspectives in Social Work
Deadline: Ongoing
Call for Submissions
Innovation Incubator Call for Proposals – SSWR 2025 Annual Conference
Deadline: October 1, 2024
The database spreadsheet BIPOC-Authored Social Work Papers
Deadline: Ongoing
Additional Resources
RESOURCES FOR NEWER CONFERENCE PRESENTERS AND ATTTENDEES
How to Give a Scientific Talk: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07780-5
Video on How to Confidently Present your Research at Conferences: https://asiaedit.com/webinar/how-to-confidently-present-your-research-at-conferences-in-person-and-online
Not following “SWRnet”?
Formerly known as the IASWR Listserv, SWRnet (Social Work Research Network) was launched in October 2009 to continue serving the social work research community by providing regular updates on funding opportunities, calls for papers, conference deadlines and newly published research. SWRnet is administered by the Boston University School of Social Work.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Disclaimer: This newsletter is created as free service by SSWR Doctoral Student Committee Communications Subcommittee members:
Alauna Reckley (She/Her)
Hannah Boyke (They/Them)
Priyanjali Chakraborty (She/Her)
Julisa Tindall (She/Her)
Shawn McNally (He/Him)
Katie Maureen McCoog (She/Her)
Shani Saxon (She/Her)
Saira Afzal (She/Her)
Leah Munroe (She/Her)
Umaira Khan (She/Her)
Nari Yoo (She/Her)
Emily Joan Lamunu (She/Her)
Dwane James (He/Him)
Seon Kyeong (She/Her)
The opinions expressed in this newsletter are the opinions of the individuals listed above alone and do not claim to represent the opinions of SSWR or the SSWR Doctoral Student Committee