LibGuides: Social Work Research Guide: Key Databases

Research Databases & Other Resources

Since social work is an interdisciplinary field, searching various databases is advisable. This is a selected list of databases available at the UA Libraries. For a comprehensive list of database, visit the A-Z List of Databases.

Social Work Abstracts This link opens in a new window
A core resource covering all aspects of the social work field, including theory and practice, therapy, education, human services, addictions, child and family welfare, mental health, civil and legal rights, and more. EBSCOHost Tutorial

Social Care Online (SCIE)
The UK's largest online database of information on all aspects of social work and social care. Includes legislation, government documents, practice and guidance, systematic reviews, research briefings, UK grey literature, reports, and journal articles. Updated daily and contains over 160,000 records from the 1980s onwards.

PsycNET This link opens in a new window
Searchable interface to select APA databases and publications (PsycARTICLES, PsycBOOKS, PsycEXTRA, & PsycTESTS). PsycNET Tutorial
APA PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
Key resource for scholarly journal articles, book chapters, books, and dissertations in the behavioral sciences and mental health. EBSCOHost Tutorial
Sociological Collection This link opens in a new window
Provides comprehensive coverage in all areas of sociology, including social behavior, human tendencies, interaction, relationships, community development, culture and social structure. EBSCOHost Tutorial
SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Provides comprehensive coverage of sociology and related areas of study. EBSCOHost Tutorial
CINAHL Plus with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive source for full text nursing and allied health journal literature. EBSCOHost Tutorial
Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Provides indexing and substantial abstracts for books, book chapters, scholarly journal articles, government reports, and dissertations related to the field of criminal justice. EBSCOHost Tutorial

NARIC (National Rehabilitation Information Center)
NARIC (National Rehabilitation Information Center) is a library and dissemination center funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). NARIC’s three databases (REHABDATA, Program Database, Knowledgebase) contain more than 339,000 records in total. This includes the literature index, the database of NIDILRR-funded research projects, and the general Knowledgebase of disability and rehabilitation information resources. This collection includes annual and final reports, guides, manuals, conference and state of the science proceedings, dissertations, and more. Many of the items in this collection are unavailable elsewhere.

PTSDpubs Database This link opens in a new window
This database, formerly called PILOTS, is produced by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD. The database provides citations and abstracts to the worldwide literature on PTSD and other psychological effects of trauma.
Education Research Complete This link opens in a new window
Bibliographic and full text database covering scholarly research and information relating to all areas of education. Good resource to begin research in education. EBSCOHost Tutorial
ERIC This link opens in a new window
Access to scholarly journals, education reports, and theses and dissertations on education topics. Good resource to supplement education research. EBSCOHost Tutorial

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Multi-disciplinary source for scholarly, popular, professional, and news publications. This is a good place to start many searches or to gather material from various disciplines at once. EBSCOHost Tutorial
JSTOR: The Scholarly Journal Archive This link opens in a new window
Complete digitized back runs of core scholarly journals. JSTOR Tutorial
Web of Science This link opens in a new window
A rich collection of citation indexes representing the citation connections between scholarly research articles found in the most globally significant journals, books, and proceedings in the sciences, social sciences and art & humanities. Web of Science Tutorial

ScienceDirect

Cochrane Library Online This link opens in a new window
Leading resource for systematic reviews in health care. Cochrane Library Tutorial

Indian Health Service, Best & Promising Practices
The IHS database, Best Practices, Promising Practices, and Local Efforts (BP/PP/LE), is an inventory of Best (i.e., Evidence-Based) Practices, Promising Practices, Local Efforts, Resources, and Policies occurring among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, schools, work sites, health centers/clinics, and hospitals.
SAMHSA's EBP Resource Center
"provides communities, clinicians, policy-makers and others with the information and tools to incorporate evidence-based practices into their communities or clinical settings."
The Campbell Collaboration
The Campbell Collaboration is an international research network that produces systematic reviews of the effects of social interventions in Crime & Justice, Education, International Development, and Social Welfare.

Gender Studies Database This link opens in a new window
Covers the full spectrum of sexual diversity issues and gender-engaged scholarship inside and outside academia. Source documents include professional journals, conference papers, books, book chapters, government reports, discussion and working papers, theses & dissertations and other sources. EBSCOHost Tutorial
Chicano Database This link opens in a new window
Identifies materials on Mexican-American topics and about Chicanos; it also includes the broader Latino experience, including Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, Central American immigrants. Includes or has links to full text. EBSCOHost Tutorial
LGBTQ+ Source This link opens in a new window
Coverage of the world's literature regarding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues. Disciplines covered include civil liberties, culture, employment, family, history, politics, psychology, religion, sociology and more. EBSCOHost Tutorial
Women's Studies International This link opens in a new window
Covers the core disciplines in Women's Studies to the latest scholarship in feminist research. This database supports curriculum development in the areas of sociology, history, political science & economy, public policy, international relations, arts & humanities, business and education. EBSCOHost Tutorial

PubMed@UA This link opens in a new window
Government website of medical literature citations and links to full text journals from participating publishers. PubMed Tutorial
Ovid Nursing & Health Profession Journals This link opens in a new window
Includes access to Emcare database. Premium nursing and allied health database ideal for practice, research, or education.

Public Affairs Index This link opens in a new window
This index is useful for discovering articles relating to public policy issues, including public health, the environment, housing, human and civil rights, international conflict, and natural disasters. The content indexed includes scholarly journals, conference papers, and government documents. EBSCOHost Tutorial
ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window
Includes full-text resources and indexing for the U.S. Congress. Access Congressional hearings, committee reports, witness testimony, and other publications. Content also includes the Congressional Record and its predecessors, documents from the Congressional Research Service, and information about current and historic members of Congress.
ProQuest Legislative Insight This link opens in a new window
Provides comprehensive legislative histories for federal laws. Each legislative history links to full text content that may include Congressional hearings, committee prints, and research reports related to legislative topics.

Ohio Legislature
Congress.gov
The official, authoritative source for federal legislative information.
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
NCSL is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that has lots of research information on state legislation, by topic.

CQ Weekly This link opens in a new window
Good starting point for information about current events and issues facing the U.S. Congress. This resource also presents political and commercial news.
HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
Provides full-text primary and secondary sources for legal and government information. Collections include scholarly journals, judicial and Congressional publications, and legal reference materials, with a substantial focus on historical resources.

NOTE: Dissertations and theses are not peer-reviewed publications.

For Unique and Timely Topics, Search for Dissertations/Theses

For a comprehensive/exhaustive literature review:
See what has been done recently--find and review dissertations or theses on your topic to get ideas for future research.

TIP: when reviewing these works, read the bibliography, literature review, style, methodology, or surveys (often includes full-text of instruments/questionnaires).

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center (OhioLINK) This link opens in a new window
Masters and doctoral theses and dissertations from participating OhioLINK member institutions.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses This link opens in a new window
This database is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world.

UA Library Catalog (to find printed theses and dissertation, mostly pre-2005)
PQDT Open - full text
Provides full text of thousands of open access dissertations and theses published through ProQuest's Open Access publishing model and freely accessible online.

Other Evidence-based Practice Resources

Child Welfare Information Gateway (Children’s Bureau)
This site serves as a comprehensive gateway to publications regarding all aspects of children's well-being.
Arnold Ventures
"Arnold Ventures’ core mission is to invest in evidence-based solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice."
Social Programs that Work
Maintained by the Arnold Ventures’ Evidence-Based Policy team.
The Community Guide
Resource for evidence based public health interventions produced by the The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) with the support of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Evidence Based Behavioral Practice Free Database/Resource
From the Council for Training in Evidence-Based Behavioral Practice. Funded by the National Library of Medicine.
Model Program Guide Free Database/Resource
From the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Evidenced-based Practices from National Institute of Corrections (NIC)
Free Database/Resource
Evidenced-based practice resources related to corrections and law enforcement from the National Institute of Corrections (NIC)