Practice research in social work: An evolving definition

2026

 

Sidsel Therese Natland, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway

Michael Austin, University of California, Berkeley, USA 

Sara Serbati, University of Padua, Italy

Lars Uggerhøj, Aalborg University, Denmark 

An Evolving Definition of Practice Research in Social Work 

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Practice research in social work is a collaborative, participative and systematic way of studying and assisting developments in social work practice to improve how support and care are provided in people’s everyday lives. Through negotiation, shared dialogue, valuing both professional, experiential and theoretical knowledge, the research brings together practitioners, service users, and researchers to create useful, actionable and context-sensitive knowledge, and to bridge the gaps between research and practice. Practice research in social work also adheres to such social work values as inclusion, social justice, and respect for local and indigenous knowledge in order to promote fairer and more inclusive ways of understanding the world.

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Unfolding the definition

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What kind of knowledge?

 

To its end, all research has its foundation in meta-theoretical (epistemological) questions such as “What do we know?” or “How can we create more knowledge about this?”. For practice research in social work, knowledge development is related to meta-theories as pragmatism and social constructivism. These meta-theories highlight context, co-creation, reflection, learning and communicative processes that inform how knowledge is produced. The knowledge is situated by focusing on practice as well as the values and power relations in different social situations.

 

Rather than developing hypotheses based on existing theory, practice research features real situations in their natural context. Its major elements include:

 

• Getting close to reality: studying phenomena in their natural setting, often using in-depth case studies.

• Emphasizing "little things": Small, concrete details can reveal insights of great significance.

• Context-dependent knowledge: The methodology is tied to specific contexts and situations.

• Focus on practice: Emphasizes the study of practical, everyday activities and knowledge.

• Integration of agency and structure: Features the actions of individual actors (agency) and the broader structural forces that influence them.

• Dialogical approach: With an emphasis on dialogue that includes the subjects being studied, other researchers, policymakers, and the public by seeking to promote an environment "where no single voice claims ultimate authority” (Flyvbjerg, 2001).

 

Practice research in social work underscores the importance of studying human beings and their interactions in their everyday lives. The scientific interest in everyday life is grounded in three goals: to uncover, to develop theory, and to develop critiques of society’s structures (Eliasson-Lappalainen & Szebehely, 2008). By paying attention to the details of daily life, researchers and participants involved in the research may uncover insights that might be overlooked. The knowledge that emerges reflects specific times, places, and relationships.

 

Practice research in social work is a phronetic science (doing the right thing in the right way at the right time) focused on practical wisdom (Eikeland, 2006). In order to understand ourselves and the context of which we are a part, practical knowledge is needed where knowledge is generated from concrete actions (Putnam, 1978). This knowledge is based on the actors representing the field of practice as employees in an organization, professionals, patients, or service users.  This form of knowledge is based upon judgement and ethically wise actions related to social problems and the understanding of values and power relations. Practice research in social work is engaged, problem-oriented, and invested in contributing to positive social change.

 

This approach to knowledge production acknowledges that engaging in practice research for some stakeholders is a new and unfamiliar process of learning and sharing. The participants may possess different understandings of what counts as science and how the knowledge development process should be conducted. Therefore, in order to define the research as practice research, the processes of participation, collaboration and co-construction need to be negotiated and facilitated as a part of the research process.  

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Why should we develop practice research knowledge?

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The rationale of practice research in social work is its potential for improving and strengthening the impact of social work practice over time, and for bridging multiple gaps between a) research and practice, b) theory and practice, and c) the diverse perspectives held by practice research collaborators (Fisher et al., 2016). Impact can be identified on different levels; service users (tailored care, empowerment, improved outcomes), practitioners (professionality, critical thinking and research-mindedness), the societal level (legitimacy of the profession) (Barber et al., 2011; Pain, 2011; Power et al., 2023) as well as the development of scientific methods, analytical skills and interventions suited for investigating and solving challenges within social work (Andersen et al., 2017).

 

A major rationale for addressing the gap between theory and practice in social work is to make practice more responsive to people's needs and the resolution of social problems. Addressing the theory-practice gap involves the co-creation of knowledge through thinking processes, expertise, and the experiences of collaborators during practice research processes. 

 

Given the complexities of social work practice that involves multiple levels (social, economic, educational, health, cultural, political, etc.), practice research focuses on the collective needs of service users and service providers related to analyzing issues by giving voice to those affected and by identifying how theories can inform practice and how practice can inform theoretical and methodological development (Dewey, 1933). To this end, practice research in social work promotes evidence-informed practice (McLaughlin & Teater, 2017) which integrates three interdependent sources of knowledge: research evidence, professional experience, and the lived experience of service users or other partners.

 

Context and diversity as methodological values

 

Practice research in social work is a methodological approach and as such not restricted to one specific research method, neither is it a method of its own. On the contrary, in order to produce situational, co-constructed and evidence-informed knowledge, practice research reflects a diversity in the choice of methods and research designs. Practice research in social work makes use of different research methods and techniques (surveys, interviews, literature review, etc.) as well as quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods, depending upon the topic and research questions of the co-creation process. The research may be conducted both from “bottom-up” and from “top-down” (Schram, 2017). However, the research design and chosen methods need to be designed strategically to capture the realities of the practice field and to secure participation, collaboration and co-construction of knowledge. This process values conversation among many voices, from service users and practitioners to policymakers and researchers. No single voice is treated as the ultimate authority. Different perspectives are recognized and balanced while openly exploring issues of power and values, as the research should reach goals of testimonial, epistemic justice (Fricker, 2007).

 

Practice research in social work depends on context. Knowledge does not exist in a vacuum as it is shaped by the people who create it and the environment in which it emerges. Diversity is also important as it should recognize and bridge gaps between global and local knowledge; between universal theories and concepts that are meaningful across the world and local knowledge that is meaningful within a specific community. In social work, respecting diversity is also a matter of human rights as well as demonstrating cultural sensitivity (Houston, 2002). Research methods need to be adapted to suit local settings (e.g. service agencies or community groups), giving special attention to such factors as age, gender, culture, and language. Everyday experience, belief systems, and values are treated as vital forms of knowledge that inform the entire research process. Diversity is therefore not a challenge to overcome but a strength to be embraced. The widest range of perspectives can lead to richer insights and more effective solutions.

 

In this context of methodological values, practice research in social work acknowledges research methods that question traditional Western paradigms of knowledge production by calling for the integration of postcolonial, relational, emergent and indigenous methodologies. This important value recognizes that research methods have the potential to develop and strengthen as a result of the continuous interaction between research and practice (Fouché, 2015).

 

Collaboration, dialogue, and reflective thinking

 

The practice research process is characterized by its co-creative, dialogic, and negotiating nature. Its main partners are service users, practitioners, and researchers, each bringing expertise from their own standpoint in order to negotiate roles, share decision-making, and build knowledge together. Communication in practice research takes the form of dialogical communication, a process of genuine exchange among equals (Natland, 2015). Participants enter the dialogue with their own experiences and perspectives but also with a willingness to listen, question, and justify their positions. Through this process, the goal is not to eliminate differences but to gradually build a shared understanding based on the collective wisdom that emerges from discussion. Dialogue strengthens mutual respect and helps participants transform their individual viewpoints into shared knowledge that can guide collective action. 

 

Collaboration is the cornerstone of practice research and is guided by three habits of mind: curiosity, critical reflection, and critical thinking. Curiosity encourages participants to ask questions and seek new understanding. Critical reflection upon one’s own experiences helps to uncover hidden assumptions and learn from experience. Critical thinking involves evaluating evidence, comparing viewpoints, and reaching sound conclusions. This is a deliberate process of examining beliefs, questioning evidence, and drawing thoughtful conclusions. Reflective thinking is essential for genuine learning (Dewey, 1933; Serbati, 2025). In practice research, reflection is not an individual act but a shared one. Everyone involved brings unique experience and insight. Together, they form a collective way of thinking that helps identify, analyze, and address real-world problems. It encourages researchers, practitioners, and service users to identify problems, explore alternative solutions, and connect facts in ways that deepen understanding.

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The stakeholders: Participation, involvement, leadership

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To secure the co-construction of knowledge, practice research in social work emphasizes the importance of participation throughout the research process. The participative methodological approach ensures that the resulting insights reflect the diverse interests and perspectives present within the practice field. Participation should reflect a democratizing process.

 

The levels and degrees of participation can vary across methods and in different phases of the research. Participation may simply be attendance as measured by the frequency of attending and/or the range or diversity of activities. Participation should also be about involvement; that is the experience of participation while attending. Involvement may include elements of engagement, motivation, persistence, social connection and level of affect (Stanley, 2015). Stakeholders often represent different mandates, perceptions and knowledge, which means that negotiation becomes central to reach agreement on the collaborative and participative research process.  The negotiating processes are significant for increased understanding of positionalities, diverse standpoints and different forms of knowledge. All stakeholders need to reach agreement on where, when and to what extent the participation takes place. It is also important to note who is participating, who is not, and why some people might choose not to take part. Participation and inclusion are not a one-time decision but an ongoing commitment.

 

The leadership needed for engaging in the practice research can take different forms including

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• Social work researcher leadership where research questions, research design, data-collection, analysis and dissemination are led, directed and carried out by researchers in collaboration with social work practitioners and service users who participate as consultants with regard to transforming an issue into research questions, providing access to relevant data, interpreting and applying findings to practice.

• Social work practitioner leadership demonstrated as part of current job expectations where research questions emerge from practice designed to inform practice and carried out in collaboration with researchers and service users as consultants. This form of leadership emerges out of interest in evaluating the impact of services and/or assessing the impact of different forms of intervention.

• User-led research with researchers and practitioners as consultants envisions service users in the primary leadership role (sometimes referred to as survivor research).

• Shared leadership where practice research is conducted jointly by researchers, practitioners and service users throughout the process that includes negotiations about research questions, research methods, data collection, data analysis and dissemination.

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Research ethics and reflexivity

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Participation, collaboration, and inclusion in social work practice research reflect more than instrumental research strategies. The concepts also reflect values and foundational principles of social work. Practice research in social work seeks to maintain ethical reflexivity throughout all phases of the research, guiding the involvement of stakeholders and shaping the outcomes. The research has a commitment to producing knowledge that is grounded in democratic values and reflective of addressing ethical challenges. The examination of the impact of one’s own assumptions, values, and motivations in research processes is a central feature of such ethical and reflexive processes. 

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Practice research in social work may involve stakeholders representing different backgrounds and positions as regards professional, educational, socio-economic, ethnicity, gender, and age. Issues of power and roles are important topics for ethical reflection needed to secure real participation. The participation and involvement of stakeholders and the underscoring of diversity as significant for defining practice research in social work, should be approached as a special ethical position: Sustaining diversity is regarded as an ethical position in its own right.

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Conclusion

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Practice research in social work is a disciplined, systematic inquiry that co-produces context-sensitive, applicable knowledge to improve and have impact on practice across diverse settings and bridge the research–practice gap. It is grounded in participatory, collaborative, and inclusive research processes that engage practitioners, service users, and academics while advocating social work values of social justice, inclusion, equity, empowerment, and recognition of local knowledge.

In essence, the conduct of practice research in social work represents a developmental process influenced by local communities as well as by local definitions of social work practice. It has evolved out of a social science research tradition to become a far more collaborative process featuring the co-production of knowledge among various stakeholders – to do research “with” and not “on” or “about”. To this end, practice research offers not only a research approach, but also a mindset that turns everyday experiences into an opportunity for shared learning and meaningful change.
 

References

 

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