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In recent years, an argument has developed in social work research between supporters of the "heuristic paradigm" and the defenders of the traditional positivistic model. The authors believe that this is the wrong argument, and that supporters of the heuristic paradigm are really opposed to a kind of naive inductionism rather than science in general. The authors argue that the whole notion of paradigm shift obscures more than it clarifies and that the argument can be resolved by using an approach to science based on ideas advanced by Popper and Ravetz that avoids naive inductionism.

Social work practitioners decide when and how to use evidence in their practice. There remains, however, little evidence to date about social workers' perspectives about and implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP). This survey of a national sample of social workers adds to our knowledge about how social workers locate information, how they determine the usefulness of the information, what barriers exist for the use of an EBP process, and whether their workplaces are oriented toward EBP. Findings suggest that barriers may be more complex than previously reported, but that social workers find evidence, read the professional literature, and consult with peers and mentors, often despite poor workplace support. Suggestions for dissemination of information are made, and a model of evidence use in practice is proposed.

Complexity theory, better known as chaos theory, has much to offer social work as a frame of reference for dealing with the uncertainty that characterizes many social work practice issues. To encourage social workers to think in terms of chaos theory, we discuss the origins of the theory and a variety of ways in which it has been used in other fields. We suggest how chaos theory can provide a useful alternative way of thinking about social work practice and research.