Library

SSW

Librarian: Gianna Gifford, gianna.gifford@simmons.edu 617.521.2777

Below are suggested resources to use when researching a SSW topic. For research strategies and techniques, visit the resources linked from the menu at the left.

Getting Started | Finding Articles | Getting Fulltext | Demographics | Tests and Measures

Getting Started

Before jumping in and looking for research, it is a good idea to have a refined topic and to know a little about it. Start with broad resources like encyclopedias, bibliographies, and handbooks to start to get a sense of what is available on your topic in the universe of information.

Finding Articles

Search the following indexes to find articles on the topic of SSW. See individual Resources by Subject guides for more specific indexes covering topics within the broader field of SSW.

Getting Fulltext

Because not all indexes are fulltext--or 100% fulltext--you may have to elsewhere to find an article for which you have a citation. Consult the resources below to find out how to get access to the articles you need.

Library Online Catalog - to see what Simmons owns in print or electronically
Fulltext Journal Locator (Serials Solutions) just for e-journals, indicates which database covers which years of full-text journals
Interlibary Loan - if Simmons does not have an article electronically or in print

Demographics and Statistics

Statistics and demographics are important to many research projects, but they can be hard to find. Try some of the resources below when looking for statistics. If you still cannot find what you need, contact a librarian.

Statistical Abstract of the United States
HA202 .U5 and http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-us.html

Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov

Federal Statistics
http://www.fedstats.gov
An easy-to-use guide for finding statistics. Choose to view them by state or by agency.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://stats.bls.gov
Contains federal data including but not limited to employment, unemployment, wages and demographics, along with state and local information on labor.

Tests and Measures

APA's FAQs on Finding Information on Psychological Tests
http://www.apa.org/science/faq-findtests.html

Finding information on Specific Research Topics

For more information on more specific topics within the discipline, contact a librarian.

Research

Information for Practice
http://www.nyu.edu/socialwork/ip/about.html
Prof. Gary Holden developed this site "to help social service professionals throughout the world conveniently maintain an awareness of news regarding the profession and emerging scholarship." Updated every day!

Government Departments

First Gov
http://www.firstgov.gov
The US Government's Official Web Portal. Use this site to find federal, state, and local agencies. It contains a link to a reference center that supplies data on everything from common federal acronyms to how to research specific topics.

Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov

Library of Congress
http://loc.gov

United States House of Representatives
http://www.house.gov

United States Senate
http:// www.senate.gov

Social Security Administration
http://www.ssa.gov

US Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.os.dhhs.gov
Find current information regarding the health of Americans on a variety of topoics, including but not limited to aging, preventative child abuse, domestic violence, and Medicare.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
http://www.samhsa.gov
A division of the US Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA has 3 centers that contain current data and statistics: Mental Health Service, Substance Abuse Prevention, and Substance Abuse Treatment.

The White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov

US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov
Provides information on welfare, child care, child support, etc., at the state and local organizational levels.

The State of Massachusetts' official homepage
http://www.mass.gov

Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the State of Massachusetts
http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/eohhs/agencies/index.htm
Includes resources on MassHealth, child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, elder abuse, transitional aid, disability services, etc.

Social Policy Organization Sites

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
http://www.cbpp.org
Up-to-date information regarding proposed budget and tax policies, specifically how they affect low-income families.

Child Welfare
http://www.childwelfare.com
Contains current information on all aspects of child welfare and adoption at the national level.

Electronic Policy Network
http://www.movingideas.org
"The leading source for progressive public policy on the net." Includes news releases which can be browsed by subject.

National Library of Medicine
http://medlineplus.gov
Contains access to health databases, authoritative public health information, medical dictionaries, prescription drug information, etc.

National Organization of Women
http://now.org
Find current issues regarding equality for women.

National Poverty Center
http://www.npc.umich.edu
Research on causes, consequences, and policy issues regarding poverty in the United States, including poverty facts and related links.

Partnerships Against Violence Network
http://www.pavnet.org
Use the "research database" to search for federally funded research by state or topic.

Urban Institute
http://www.urban.org
"A nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization." Provides research reports on topics such as crime, economy, housing, healthcare, welfare, etc.

RSS Feeds For New Books

The Simmons College Library RSS feeds are a great way to keep track of the latest additions to the library collection in your area of interest. To subscribe to the new SSW book RSS feed, just click on the next to the feed. More info

New School of Social Work Books

MySimmons

Simmons College Intranet for Current Students, Faculty and Staff

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