Abstract: | Correspondence to Ian Shaw, Cardiff University, School of Social Sciences, Glamorgan Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WT, Wales. E-mail: shawif{at}cardiff.ac.uk Summary Taking the panel report on social work submissions to the British2001 Research Assessment Exercise as a starting point, I commenton some of the central questions facing social work research.These include social work research methodology; social work'srelationship to science; the relationship between social workpractice and research; governance and research ethics; buildingresearch capacity; and establishing research quality. I outlineaction that is needed by social work academics and researchers,social work agencies and government departments. |