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Evidence-Based Practice: Counterarguments to Objections

University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire

Eileen Gambrill

University of California, Berkeley

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current bestevidence in making decisions about the care of clients. The authors describe and offer counter-argumentsto objections to EBP. These objections could result in premature dismissal of this newform of practice and education that offers potential benefits to social work and its clients. Objectionsto EBP fall into six categories: (a) arguments from ignorance about the nature of EBP, (b)misinterpreted professional standards, (c) arguments appealing to tradition, (d) ad hominemarguments, (e) arguments on ethical grounds, and (f) philosophical arguments. Reviewingobjections to EBP may help us to increase our understanding of barriers to use of practice-relatedresearch findings in the helping professions and honoring related requirements describedin our code of ethics.

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