Graduate Research AssistantAt — CSUS - Institute for Social Research
ISR provides a number of services, including program and policy evaluations. MSW students will gain firsthand experience how applied research and program evaluation can be used to better understand and refine program and policy interventions. Although the work is more removed, it is not uncommon for projects to include conducting interviews or focus groups with beneficiaries of nonprofit and/or government services. In this way, ISR’s applied research may be used not only to evaluate programs, but to uplift the stories and perspectives of marginalized groups and individuals. ISR also interacts with clients in nonprofits and government agencies on a regular basis.
- Broad understanding of applied social science research and evaluation frameworks, in addition to the role that research/evaluation play in macro social work.
- Experience working directly with community members. The nature is dependent on ISR's contract; the most recent MSW intern had exposure with a focus group with public housing residents, State officials, and nonprofit program managers.
- Data collection/design, specialized to student's interest (e.g., conducting interviews or focus groups, survey design, Census data)
- Data analysis/writing, specialized to student's interest (e.g., thematic coding, survey analysis, data visualization, case study/report writing)
- Exposure to project management, contract processes, etc.
Formal Training will include:
- Evaluation/applied research overview
- Using Excel/SPSS for basic quantitative analysis
- Basic data visualization
On-the-job training will be provided for the areas above and the following:
- Report writing
- Qualitative analysis
- Culturally Responsive Evaluation
- Logic models
ISR is also happy to tailor training as needed based on student interest.
Covid safety is paramount to the field experience - student's are never required to be in-person if they do not feel comfortable due to Covid. When in-person, students currently where masks, social distance, and are required to be vaccinated.