Library Guides: SWK 6521 Advanced Clinical Social Work: Where to Search

Evidence Based Practice

Evidence Based Practice (EBP) is a decision-making process that uses three main components:

Source: Nichols, Darlene. Evidence-Based Practice for Social Work. 2021.

Types of Best Evidence Studies

Systematic Reviews
Meta-Analyses
Randomized Controlled Trials
Cohort Studies
Case Control Studies
Case Series and Case Reports

Appraise the Information

Three questions to answer when reading the research:

What was the research question and why was the study needed?
What was the research design?
Was the research design appropriate for the question?

Learn More about Evidence Based Practice from the National Association of Social Workers

Evidence Based Practice - NASW

Selected Social Work Databases

Social Science Premium Collection This link opens in a new window
Subjects: anthropology, criminology, education, linguistics, library science, nursing, politics, public policy, social work, sociology
Content: full-text and index of journals, dissertations, ebooks, working and conference papers, etc.
Publication date: 1914 – present
This collection provides access to databases covering international literature in social sciences, including politics, public policy, sociology, social work, anthropology, criminology, linguistics, library science, and education. Featured databases include IBSS, Sociological Abstracts and Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. Together, they provide abstracts, indexing and full-text coverage of journal articles, books, book chapters, dissertations, working papers, and more.
SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Subjects: criminal justice, gender studies, latino studies, political science, psychology, social work, sociology
Content: journals, magazines, books, conference proceedings
Publication dates: 1908 – present
APA PsycArticles This link opens in a new window
APA PsycArticles is a full-text database offering access to journals published by the American Psychological Association and others. Subjects include behavioral science and related fields ranging from education, nursing, and business, with advanced search options featuring the ability to filter by methodology, population and age group.
Subjects: applied behavior analysis, criminal justice, education, psychology, social work, sociology, nursing
Content: journals
Publication dates: 1894 - present
APA PsycInfo This link opens in a new window
Subjects: business, criminal justice, education, marketing, nursing, parks and recreation, psychology, social work
Content: journals, books, dissertations
Publication dates: 1806 – present
PsycINFO is an index only database produced by the American Psychological Association and provides comprehensive abstracts of international psychological literature from the 1800s to the present. Documents indexed include journals, articles, books, dissertations, and more, with advanced search options featuring the ability to filter by methodology, population and age group.
Social Work Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Subjects: social work
Content: index of journals
Publication dates: 1977 – present
Counseling & Therapy in Video This link opens in a new window
Counseling and Therapy in Video contains more than 2,400 hours of footage from actual therapy sessions, training videos, and reenactments conducted by counseling professionals. It provides students a firsthand look at the realities of working with clients and the challenges associated with putting theoretical concepts into practice.
Subjects: applied behavioral analysis, psychology, social work
Content: streaming video
Publication dates: 1989 - 2014

Social Work Data and Statistics

There are many government agencies, educational institutions, and other organizations that publish data and statistics on the Internet. Listed here are a few to get you started.

Census Bureau Data
Use the basic search bar to search for a type of data set and place. Search for a specific town or city to see its Profile.
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Bureau of Justice Statistics
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Data Tools
Official measures of labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the U.S. economy.
National Center for Health Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
Data and Statistics About the U.S.
Data.gov

Historical Statistics of the United States This link opens in a new window
Historical Statistics of the United States is a five-volume reference work with topics ranging from migration and health to crime and the Confederate States of America. The fully searchable and downloadable electronic edition permits users to graph and create customized tables and spreadsheets.
Subjects: multidisciplinary
Content: U.S. Census bureau statistics
Publication date: 2000