Needs Assessment/AN

SW 832 Applied Research Methods

Assignment 1: Conducting a Needs Assessment Using Secondary Data Sources

Using secondary data sources, your task is to conduct a preliminary needs assessment that documents the need for a program or issue that you will be evaluating. The goal of this assignment is for you to develop evidence of a need for services or supports in the region you choose (city, county or state). All secondary data sources are available on the internet. You will use information from at least 3 sources. One source will be data from the US Census Bureau (www.census.gov), where you should be able to obtain demographic information based on your selected geographic area.

The entire assignment is worth 15 points toward your overall course grade.

Assignment Format
Using a narrative format please create a convincing and empirically factual needs assessment of one county structuring the document as following:

a. Social Problem: Describe the social problem. Provide definitions and background information as appropriate so that your reader can have a basic foundation of knowledge of your issue and why it matters. (5%)

b. Region: General information about the region, e.g. size and number of inhabitants, industries and employment, history, whether it is rural, urban, etc. These pieces are important because they describe the greater context for your issue. (15%).

c. Demographics: Specific demographic information (e.g. income, gender, race, marital status, poverty, education) that describes the people who are most affected by your social problem. (15%).

d. Evidence of Social Issue: Evidence from the other data sources that indicate that the issue is problematic within the region (such as higher than average risk or overrepresentation of an issue in the community) leading you to believe that there is considerable risk or need for additional services. You can compare data to previous years if your issue has become more of a concern more recently, or compare other similar regions to the current time if your community is disproportionately affected when compared to other areas, statewide or national averages, etc. (15%).

e. Synthesis: Pull together all the evidence to provide a compelling argument of the existence of the concern in this geographic region. What is the best evidence you have collected that suggests that the issue exists, and why it should be addressed? (30%).

f. Summary: Summary and self-assessment of the assignment: Do you feel that you have created an empirically based case for your issue? Why or why not? Based on your readings, what information or components do you feel are missing from this needs assessment or would strengthen your argument? In a ‘real world’ situation, what other data collection activities might increase the potency of your needs assessment? (10%).

g. Format: 4-6 pages, APA style, clear and concise. Cover page, running head, and page numbers. At least three sources of secondary data (including the Census website). Appropriate literature review sources. (10%)