BECAUSE THE SUCCESS OF INTERVENTION DEPENDS UPON THE VALIDITY OF THE PROPOSITIONS EMPLOYED, AND BECAUSE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ASSURES VALIDITY BY PROVIDING THE MOST SYSTEMATIC AND RIGOROUS ATTENTION TO PROBLEMS, THE UTILIZATION OF RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT TO SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE. SEVERAL FACTORS LIMIT ITS USE--(1) ALTHOUGH CONCEPTS ARE CLEARLY DEFINED IN RESEARCH, IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE THEY ARE OFTEN VAGUE AND GENERAL, (2) RESEARCH MAY NOT YET HAVE DEALT WITH PROBLEMS OF PRIMARY SIGNIFICANCE TO THE PRACTICE SITUATION, (3) SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDE MAY BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE CAPACITY TO FORM EFFECTIVE PRACTICE RELATIONSHIPS, AND (4) THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS OF SOCIAL WORK TENDS TO PERPETUATE THE SITUATION. SUGGESTIONS FOR ENCOURAGING RESEARCH AND ITS UTILIZATION ARE--(1) A TEACHER'S ACADEMY, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE TRAINING IN RESEARCH-ORIENTED TEACHING, (2) A NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE CODIFICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF RELEVANT RESEARCH FINDINGS, (3) A PROBLEM CENTERED APPROACH TO LEARNING WITHIN UNIVERSITIES, (4) INTRADEPARTMENTAL AND INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM TEACHING, AND (5) DEFINITION OF CRITICAL ISSUES, SUGGESTED RESOURCES, AND MEANS FOR DISCUSSION PROVIDED BY TEACHERS TO STUDENTS. SOME OF THESE SUGGESTIONS SHOULD BE PROMOTED THROUGH THE COUNCIL ON SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION. (PR)