Librarian
About this Guide
Welcome! This guide is intended to provide resources to help with your research in social work. Use this guide to:
- Understand the research process and get ideas for research topics
- Learn about databases and websites where you can get started with social work research
- Browse by topic to find specific databases, websites, and books for your project
- Find video resources, licensing information, and help for citing, writing, and literature reviews
The best starting points for your research will be listed on this page, or you can use the menu on the left-hand side of the page to navigate to topics of your choice. This guide is continuously updated, so be sure to check back for more resources or submit a Guide Feedback form for anything that you'd like to see added. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact your subject librarian for help.
The Research Process
Understanding the research process will help you create a plan and help you focus your research. The steps below are a guide to the overall process and are a starting point. For more information, visit our Getting Started With Research guide.
Remember that these steps are a guide. You may need to repeat some steps of the process as you go or complete them in a different order; for example, you may need to change or refine your topic after gathering background information, or you may need to brainstorm more keywords after evaluating your results. No matter what stage of research you are in, you can contact the library for help.
Where to Look: Best Bets
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Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new window
A multi-disciplinary database containing full-text for thousands of journals in nearly every subject area, including: computer science, engineering, physics, chemistry, language and linguistics, arts and literature, medical sciences, ethnic studies, and many more.
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APA PsycArticles This link opens in a new window
The APA's comprehensive social and behavioral sciences database which delivers full-text, peer-reviewed articles. Updates twice weekly to ensure access to cutting-edge research and includes coverage dating back to 1894.
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Encyclopedia of Social Work This link opens in a new windowHundreds of overview articles on social work topics ranging from international issues to ethical standards. Published by the National Association of Social Workers.
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Wilder Research ReportsThe Wilder Foundation produces research reports on many areas related to health and human services, including criminal justice & violence prevention, early childhood, education, health, housing & homelessness, mental health, and older adults .
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Social Services Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Provides abstracts and bibliographic citations for current research in social work, human services, and related areas such as social welfare, social policy, and community development. Does not contain full-text.
