Social Work 360: Library Research Workshop

MSUM Library Web Site: http://www.mnstate.edu/library/

Library Instruction Web Site:  http://www.mnstate.edu/library/instruct

I. Finding Books:

Online Catalog WebPALS--found on Library HomePage

II. Finding Journals-- Electronic Databases

Social Services Abstracts: CSA Social Services Abstracts provide bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community development, and is updated monthly. Major areas of subject coverage include: Community development; Crisis intervention; Evaluation research; The family and social welfare; Gerontology; Policy, planning, forecasting; Poverty and homelessness; Professional issues in social work; Social development; Social work education; Support groups/networks; Violence, abuse, neglect; and Welfare services. Covers the dates of 1980 - current.

Sociological Abstracts
CSA Sociological Abstracts is a primary resource for accessing the latest research sponsored in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. The database draws information from an international selection of over 2,600 journals and other serials publications, plus conference papers, books, and dissertations. Major areas of subject coverage include: Community development; Culture and social structure; Demography and human biology; Environmental interactions; Evaluation research; Family and social welfare; History and theory of sociology; Management and complex organizations; Mass phenomena and political interactions; Methodology and research technology; Policy, planning, forecast and speculation; Radical sociology; Rural and urban sociology; Economic development; Social development; Social differentiation; Social psychology and group interaction; Sociology of the arts, business, education; Health and medicine and law; Religion and science; Studies in violence and power; Welfare services; and Women's studies. Published by Sociological Abstracts, a division of Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, and covering the dates of 1963 - current.

PsycINFO
From the American Psychological Association, contains citations and summaries of articles from 1500 journals, plus books, chapters,
dissertations, and technical reports in psychology and related fields, published worldwide from 1887-present. 

Science Direct
Includes full-text access to journals, including Child Abuse and Neglect; The History of the Family; Journal of Aging Studies; Journal of Rural Studies; Journal of School Psychology; Journal of Socio-Economics; Research in Developmental Disabilities; Social Networks; Social Science and Medicine; and Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

Professional Collection.     Part of the Gale/IAC databases suite, the Professional Collection is a custom selection of more than 300 full-text journals for educators that is updated daily and provides 24-hour access from school or home. It offers balanced coverage for any professional educator in the following areas: arts and humanities; child and adolescent psychology and development; drug and alcohol abuse; health/nutrition/fitness; learning disabilities; literature; school law; science and technology; social sciences; and sports/athletic training. 

JSTOR Full-Text Journals:
JSTOR is an electronic database of full-text back issues of 117 academic journals in the subject areas of African-American Studies, Anthropology, Asian Studies, Ecology, Economics, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Population/Demography, Education, Finance, History, Literature, Sociology, and Statistics.

EBSCO - Academic Search Premier
This resource contains full text for nearly 3,400 scholarly publications. This collection provides full text journal coverage for nearly all academic areas of study - including social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, language and linguistics, arts & literature, medical sciences, and ethnic studies.

EBSCO - MasterFILE Premier
Provides full text for 1,830 periodicals covering nearly all subjects including general reference, business, health, and a wide variety of general interest topics.

Wilson OmniFile Full Text, Mega

A multi-disciplinary database providing the complete content - indexing, abstracts, and full text - from six of Wilson's full-text databases: Standard Catalogs Education Full Text, General Science Full Text, Humanities Full Text, Readers' Guide Full Text, Social Sciences Full Text, and Wilson Business Full Text

III. Government Publications and Tracking Legislation

MSUM's Government Documents web site:  found on Library HomePage:
Access state, federal, and international government documents and related web sites.

THOMAS - Library of Congress site for federal legislation progress and bill status -  -- Access current and past legislation and status. Keyword-searchable. http://thomas.loc.gov/  Also found on Library HomePage within the Government Documents section.

Minnesota State Legislature site. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/  (Also within Government Documents section on Library HomePage.)

North Dakota State Legislature site. http://www.state.nd.us/lr/ (Also within Government Documents section on Library HomePage.)

 

IV. Reference Sources in Social Work

Encyclopedia of Social Work 3 vols. [Ref/HV/35/.S6] Broad overview and essays on all aspects of social work.

Social Work Almanac [Ref/HV/90/G53] Companion to Encyclopedia of Social Work, gives statistical and basic demographic data other on population, crime, education, health, mortality, mental health, and social work as a profession.

The Social Work Dictionary [Ref/HV/12/.B37/1999].

Social Work Laws and Board Regulations: A Comparison Guide.  [Ref/KF/3721/.A4/ S6 /1998]

Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Psychology [Ref/HM/251/.B476/1995]

VI. Citing Sources

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA Manual). [Ref/BF/76.7/.P823/2001]--ask for at reference desk.  Also see library handout.

 

Updated January 17, 2005: Evon J. Dewald

dewald@mnstate.edu; 218-477-2358