"Why do I have to take research, anyway?" (Virtual Sample Class)

"Why do I have to take research, anyway?" An introduction to research methods and critical thinking.

Why do future educators, counselors, and social workers need to understand research? In this interactive session, students will experience the research process firsthand while learning how questions become studies-and how results aren't always as straightforward as they seem. Students will explore the basic steps of the research process, practice thinking critically, and discover why knowing how to understand and question research matters in the helping professions.

This session will be hosted by Britney (Pitts) Carter, Ph.D., who works at the School of Social Work. Her teaching centers on antiracism and social justice to support individual, family, and community well-being.

Before to joining Syracuse University, Carter taught human behavior courses, advanced clinical practice courses, and generalist field instruction at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). She supervised M.S.W. and bachelor of social work (B.S.W.) interns and received the 2023 Liaison of the Year Award at VCU. She also taught research courses at Iona University.

Carter has many years of practice experience serving local and virtual school communities, assisting social work students in making tangible connections between the social work profession’s code of ethics, competency-based education, and real-world application.

The recipient of several awards and honors—including the Robin M. McKinney Dissertation Honor Fund and VCU School of Social Work Service and Leadership Award—Carter received her Ph.D. in social work from VCU, an M.S.W. from the University of Maryland, and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from VCU.