Resources
• Article: America’s Progress in Achieving the Legalization of Same-Gender Adoption: Analysis of Public Opinion, 1994 to 2012
Optional Resource:
• Website: Legal Information Institute
Background Information
How do you know whether or not a policy is effective or how it is impacting you or your clients? Sometimes you will notice or observe directly the impact a policy is having; other times, it requires careful analysis and your own research to determine the effects a policy is having on social work practice and the people it purports to be helping. In this assignment, you will have the opportunity to dig deeper into a social policy that relates to same-sex adoptions, including a state policy on same-sex adoption. Your understanding of research will enable you to better understand whether or not others’ research on a policy has used sound principles and rigorous methods.
Instructions
2. Write a paper, addressing the following:
1. Review the methods and results of the article “America’s Progress in Achieving the Legalization of Same-Gender Adoption: Analysis of Public Opinion, 1994 to 2012” and answer the following:
How would you go about doing a research study on the topic of same-sex adoption?
What methods would you use and why?
How would you go about measuring the variables that you would want to study?
2. Locate at least one state law or policy regarding same-sex adoption (you can use the Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute to find laws or policies for each state in US) at https://www.law.cornell.edu/states/listing or you can often find laws by doing a general Internet search. Answer the following:
What did you discover about the law or policy?
How do you think researching that policy might inform social work practice?