Library Research for Community Social Service Workers
Resources Library catalogue Electronic databases CINAHL Plus with Full Text PsycINFO/PsycARTICLES Academic Search Premier CBCA (Canadian publications) Websites of government agencies Websites of special interest and non-profit associations
Library Catalogue Academic books Handbooks or manuals for professionals Diagnosis, treatment, intervention, prevention… Community services Government reports Community research Statistics Public policies Videos/DVDs on case studies, documentaries…
Electronic Resources Article Indexes and Databases CINAHL – for scholarly articles from health literature PsycINFO/PsycARTICLES – for finding scholarly articles from psychology literature Academic Search Premier and Expanded Academic ASAP –for finding scholarly journal articles CBCA – Canadian content in journals and magazines Canadian Newstand –for finding information on current issues, latest statistics, opinions, trends
Scholarly Publications Journals Written by scholars or researchers in the discipline Cited sources in bibliography Include research by other scholars May include original research of author(s) Have graphs and charts to illustrate concepts May be “peer-reviewed” Popular Publications Magazines, newspapers Written by journalists Rarely cite sources of information Provide general information to a wide interested audience Approve by editors but do not need to be reviewed by other scholars Contain advertisement
Examples of Relevant CSSW Journals Social Service Review Psychiatric Services Rehab and Community Care Medicine Canadian Social Work Families in Society Journal of Social Work Practice Social Forces Contemporary Drug Problems
Tips on Reading Scholarly Articles Sources or evidence that the author(s) used Follow up on sources cited in the bibliography Look for original studies Analysis of community programs Observations or surveys of participants Statistics Scope of an original study Strength & weaknesses. Be aware of the limitations of a study Questions not answered? If Canadian content cannot be found, look for alternatives in American or other sources. Find a variety of articles for different perspectives
Websites of Government & Non-profit organizations Public policies on social issues Statistics In-depth research publications Educational and advocacy tools Links to community resources and services
More Questions? Visit a librarian at our New Westminster or David Lam Campus Libraries Telephone us at or us at AskAway to chat with a librarian