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From Student to Professional - the importance of research literature
Students transitioning to professionals/practitioners in the field of Social Work (and no longer having a valid computer account login or Bear ID) will still want to access the research literature as they integrate research and practice.
This page provides two categories of resource links. Some links are freely accessible (open access) resources and some links are resources that identify (research literature, etc.) that you will have to further investigate for access options.
Finding Open Access Scholarly Articles (use Databases)
- OneSearch This link opens in a new windowSearch for your topic. Then use the filters on the lefthand side to refine your results:
1. activate the slide button for "Add results beyond BU Libraries"
2. select Open Access under the Availability filter
3. select Articles under the Resource Type filter - Cochrane library This link opens in a new window
Provides full-text access to Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Clinical Answers.
- Google scholar This link opens in a new windowGoogle Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations. Google Scholar helps you identify the most relevant research across the world of scholarly research.--About Google scholar.
- PubMed Central This link opens in a new window
Provides full-text to pre-prints, accepted manuscripts, and published articles on biomedical and life sciences collected at the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM).
Measures (Open Access Lists)
- List of Measures (VA's National Center for PTSD)A list of Measures authored by the National Center for PTSD (and are available for download) as well as a listing of Measures authored by other organizations (that are not available for download).
Open-Access Journals - examples
- Cochrane evidence synthesis and methodsCochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods is a fully open access journal that aims to develop the evidence base for how we produce and publish evidence syntheses. The journal welcomes different types of evidence syntheses across health and social care including scoping reviews, rapid reviews, evidence gap maps, brief reports, and methods research evaluating how we plan, produce, and disseminate evidence syntheses. The journal also welcomes research articles seeking to inform and develop evidence synthesis decisions and methods, including, priority setting, consumer involvement, and meta-research to improve research integrity.
- Patient related outcome measuresPatient Related Outcome Measures is an international, peer reviewed, open access journal for the publication of authoritative and clinically relevant research that will inform and guide practitioners, researchers and patients on issues pertaining to the quality of patient care and patients’ experiences. The journal welcomes articles on all aspects of patient care from practitioners across all disciplines as well as healthcare researchers and patient support groups.
Finding Books (Use Catalogs)
- Worldcat.orgOCLC catalog of books and other materials in libraries worldwide
- OneSearchSearch for your topic. Then use the filters on the lefthand side to refine your results:
1. activate the slide button for "Add results beyond BU Libraries"
2. select Open Access under the Availability filter
3. select Books under the Resource Type filter
Databases and Resources from Organizations and Agencies
- The Campbell CollaborationAn international research network which publishes systematic reviews of social and economic interventions around the world.
- BMJ Best PracticeFree and subscription-based content from BMJ
- BMJ Mental Healthformerly Evidence-Based Mental Health
- The Campbell Library of Systematic ReviewsBrowseable list of systematic reviews.
- Centre for Evidence and ImplementationAn organization of research, policy and practice experts based in Australia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, that works on developing methods and processes to put the evidence into practice. They trial, test and evaluate policies and programs to drive more effective decisions and deliver better outcomes.
- Centre for Evidence-Based MedicineAn organization that develops, promotes and disseminates better evidence for healthcare.
- Coalition for Evidence-Based PolicyThe Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy has been integrated into the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
- CochraneA global network of researchers, health professionals, etc., that promote evidence-informed health decision-making by producing high-quality, relevant, accessible systematic reviews and other synthesized research evidence.
- Cochrane Evidence Essentialsfree online resource offering an introduction to Evidence Based Medicine, clinical trials and Cochrane evidence. It is designed for healthcare consumers (patients, care givers, family members), policy makers and members of the healthcare team. Requires a free account to access.
- Civic Research InstituteCriminal Justice, Health, Social Services, Behavioral Health, Law
- EIPPEE NetworkWebsite states it is not up-to-date but some of the contents remain useful.
- Evidence-Based Practices DatabasesList of Databases curated by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
- The Guide to Community Preventive Services (The Community Guide)Provides a collection of evidence-based findings of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF).
- Information for Practicenews, new scholarship & more from around the world
- SAMHSA Evidence-Based Practices Resource CenterProvides evidence-based practice information, protocols, toolkits, resource guides, clinical practice guidelines, and other science-based resources. Formerly known as the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices or NREPP.
- Social Programs that Work"This site focuses on the results of well-conducted randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which are widely regarded as the strongest method of evaluating program effectiveness."
- Social Work Policy InstituteThe Social Work Policy Institute examines issues that relate to the work of social workers, including how to serve people who have multiple or complex needs and how public agencies and other structures deliver health and human services.
- SUMSearch 2Replaced SUMSearch.
