ABSTRACT
The context for best practices is fraught with conceptual confusion and controversy. Interrelated and overlapping terms such as “practice-based research,” “empirically based practice,” “evidence-based practice,” and “knowledge-based practice” contribute to the untidiness and disarray. Meanwhile, funding agencies and the general public demand that programs be accountable and produce results. An effective and systematic method for determining best practices is vital to respond to this mandate and to ensure the well being of needy and vulnerable clients. This chapter assesses the intellectual context of best practices inquiry and concludes with a blueprint for conducting of a multidimensional inquiry that integrates various types of knowledge, research, and values.
