Use MultiSearch or the Library Catalogue to find books about the research process and methodology for social work/human service research projects.  Try the following headings:

social service research methodology

human services research methodology

social sciences research methodology

social service research

Sage Research Methods provides access to high quality books, book chapters and articles on research design and methods covering qualitative, quantitative and mixed method design. 

This is a select list of recent titles.  More books on general social science research methodology can be found at H 60-62 (level 9) or for social work research methods HV 11 (Level 8) Central Library.

General:

Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Research for social workers: An introduction to methods (4th ed.). Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Babbie, E. R. (2016). The practice of social research (14th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Campbell, A., Taylor, B., & McGlade, A. (2016). Research design in social work: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Los Angeles: Learning Matters.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Edmonds, W. A., & Kennedy, T. D. (2013). An applied reference guide to research designs: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Faulkner, S. S., & Faulkner, C. A. (2019). Research methods for social workers: A practice-based approach. Oxford University Press. 

Grinnell, R. M., & Unrau, Y. A. (2014). Social work research and evaluation: Foundations of evidence-based practice (10th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

Hilton, T., Fawson, P.R., Sullivan, T. J., & DeJong, C. R. (2020). Applied social research: A tool for the human services. New York: Springer

Krysik, J., & Finn, J. (2010). Research for effective social work practice (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

Monette, D. R., Sullivan, T. J., DeJong, C. R., & Hilton, T. (2014). Applied social research: A tool for the human services (9th ed.). Belmon, CA: Cengage Learning.

Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2014). Research methods for social work (Eighth ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2016). Essential research methods for social work (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Smith, R. S. (2009). Doing social work research. New York, NY;: McGraw-Hill.

Thyer, B. A. (2010). The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.

Tolich, M., & Davidson, C. (2018). Social science research in New Zealand. Auckland: Auckland University Press.

Qualitative

Fortune, A. E., Reid, W. J., & Miller, R. L., Jr. (2013). Qualitative research in social work (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press.

Hennink, M. M. (2014). Focus group discussions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Liamputtong, P. (2011). Focus group methodology: Principles and practices. Los Angeles: Sage.

Liamputtong, P. (2013). Qualitative research methods (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Shaw, I., & Holland, S. (2014). Doing qualitative research in social work. Los Angeles: Sage.

Woods, P., & Sikes, P. J. (2022). Successful writing for qualitative researchers. Routledge. 

Quantitative

De Vaus, D. A. (2014). Surveys in social research (6th ed.). Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. 2002 edition available online

Teater, B., Devaney, J., Forrester, D., Scourfield, J., & Carpenter, J. (2017). Quantitative research methods for social work: Making social work count. London: Macmillan.