Research Guides: SCWK 350 Social Work Programs & Policies: Finding journal articles

Finding journal articles

Databases help researchers scan thousands of journals to see what has been published on the topic they have in mind. Like Google, databases help you locate information you need. Unlike Google, the contents of databases are made up of articles with information you can trust. The material you find here has been checked to ensure it is unbiased and accurate.

BVU's A-to-Z Database list

Databases useful for social work research

Social Work Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Covers the core social work and human services literature, providing indexing and abstracts for >450 journals. The database is updated rather slowly.
SSRN This link opens in a new window
Social Science Research Network (SSRN) is devoted to the rapid worldwide dissemination of research. From its initial focus on the social sciences in 1994, SSRN has grown to become the most interdisciplinary service of its kind, representing disciplines across the full research spectrum, including the applied sciences, health sciences, humanities, life sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences.

Other useful databases

PTSDpubs This link opens in a new window
Includes citations to all literature on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental-health sequelae of traumatic events, without disciplinary, linguistic, or geographical limitations, and to offer both current and retrospective coverage.
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Academic Search Complete is an enormous collection of the most valuable peer-reviewed full text journals with a multidisciplinary focus. Over 3,000 journals are available with full-text. Abstracts without full-text are offered for articles published in over 8,000 journals.
Criminology (Sage) This link opens in a new window
Criminology includes the contents of 24 journals and covers such subjects as criminal justice, juvenile delinquency, juvenile justice, corrections, penology, policing, forensic psychology, and family and domestic violence. Every bibliographic record in the database links to the appropriate full-text in PDF format.
PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
Indexes journal articles, book chapters, books, and dissertations in psychology and related fields going back to 1887.
HeinOnline Academic This link opens in a new window
We classify this as a "legal" database, but it can be useful for finding essential government documents, international resources, case law, and articles about crime and criminology and social justice issues.

Class Assignment

Complete the following assignment by your next class period.

Social work research