Researchers disseminate their findings formally through a variety of methods. The most common include professional papers, conference sessions, publication in professional, peer-reviewed journals.
Researchers can also disseminate their findings informally by networking with colleagues. Both formal and informal methods can create opportunities for practice improvement and social change.
In this final Discussion, you share your research informally by identifying a key idea or piece of information from your research proposal. You also connect your study to social work practice, and identify any limitations that might exist.
To Prepare:
Review your research proposal. While doing so, consider one thing you learned that would be helpful to your social work colleagues.
This could relate to the literature you read on your topic, how you approached the research proposal, or a concept or process you found particularly enlightening.
Think critically about your proposed research and how, if the study were conducted, it might inform social work practice. Consider any limitations.
Share a key takeaway from your research proposal with your colleagues. Then, explain how your proposed research would inform social work practice.
Finally, identify what you perceive as the potential limitations of your proposed study and how you might address those if you were to conduct the study.
Support your response with external sources (i.e., cite and reference).