These materials are useful for basic research in Social Work. If you need more help with your research or finding resources, contact Library staff.
Searching for Books
Library Catalogue
Search for books in our library catalogue. The items you need will likely be found in the following areas:
- BF: Psychology
- BF 600's: Interpersonal communication, counseling, counseling issues, and personality development
- HN: Social issues (for example, abuse, pornography) dealt with from a sociological viewpoint
- HV: Social work and social issues as they relate to social work (for example, criminal justice issues)
- R-RA: The R section deals with social work issues from a medical or science point of view
- RC-RM: Social issues with a medical component (for example, anorexia, HIV, suicide, death and dying, drug therapy, addictions)
Browse Shelves Virtually
Did you find a good book and want to see related books nearby? Select Browse the Shelf on the book’s item details page. Use the arrow keys on either side to see what other books have been shelved in that subject and might be useful for your papers.
Articles and Databases
Databases
- SocINDEX with Full Text: Full text articles from academic journals and citations to books from sociology and related fields.
- PsycInfo & Proquest Psychology: APA psychology index of 2500 journals and full text database of 1250 journals covering clinical and social psychology, psychology of business and economics, communication, criminology, addiction, neurology, social welfare, and more.
- Academic Search Premier: Indexes journals and magazines from all subject areas, some full text available.
- PILOTS: PTSD Database: Articles from academic journals and books specializing in trauma.
- Social Services Abstracts: Articles from academic journals and citations to books relating to social services, some full text available.
- JSTOR: The Scholarly Journal Archive: Back issues of important scholarly journals. All full text.
- Canadian Reference Centre: Indexes Canadian journals, newspapers, and magazines.
- PubMed: Covers medicine.
- National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts: Content is American. This site contains full text documents related to corrections, drug and crime, crime prevention, criminal justice statistics, law enforcement, and juvenile justice.
- Theses Canada: Contains full text Canadian theses.
Journals
The following is a small sample of journals available in this field.
- Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science
- Canadian Social Work Review
- Families in Society
- First Peoples Child & Family Review
- Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work
- Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
- Journal of Social Work Education
- Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions
- Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health
- Social Problems
- Social Work: Journal of the National Association of Social Workers
- Social Work and Christianity
- Social Work Research
- Social Work with Groups
Writing and Citing
- APA Style
- How to cite Canadian Government documents: Queens University
- Writing help: Booth University College Guide
- Literature Reviews: Wilfrid Laurier University
Social Policy Resources
- Assembly of First Nations
- Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
- Canadian Council on Social Development
- Council of Canadians
- First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada
- Fraser Institute
- Frontier Centre for Public Policy
- Government of Canada
- Institute for Research on Public Policy
- Maytree (formerly Calendon)
- Social Planning Council of Winnipeg
- Statistics Canada
- Wellesley Institute
Online Resources
- Canadian Association of Social Workers: Information about social work training and practice in Canada.
- National Association for Social Workers (USA): The web site of the professional association of American social workers. This site includes a catalogue of publications, the NASW Code of Ethics, accreditation information, and links to job resources. It is also a useful tool for keeping up to date with social issues of current concern in the United States.
- Information for Practice – Web Resources for Social Workers: This site is jointly sponsored by the New York University’s Ehrenkranz School of Social Work and the Division of Social Work and Behavioral Science, Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Provides extensive links to government information world-wide, journals, professional associations, and sites related to social work practice.
- Statistics Canada: Allows you to view a list of subjects to find all the related data, analysis, and reference resources on a topic. (Ex. Immigration and ethnocultural diversity, Indigenous peoples, Health, Crime and justice, Children and youth, etc.) Some useful series/reports may include:
- Canadian Social Trends: discusses the social, economic, and demographic changes affecting the lives of Canadians
- Insights on Canadian Society: Topics include labour, income, education, social, and demographic issues that affect the lives of Canadians.
- Health Indicators: Covers health of the Canadian population and the effectiveness of the health care system.
- Public Opinion Research Reports (commissioned by HRDC): The Department of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSDC) conducts public opinion research in support of communications activities and program and policy development.
Social Issues
- Canadian Centre of Substance Abuse: This site provides excellent information about substance abuse related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Some of the main divisions of the site are statistics, cannabis issues, youth, and gambling.
- PovNet: Web site for advocates and community groups who are involved in anti-poverty work in British Columbia. Provides links to current anti-poverty issues such as welfare, housing, and panhandling
- Campaign 2000 National and Provincial Reports on Child and Family Poverty
Social Policy
- Institute for Research on Public Policy: Publishes public policy magazine Policy Options (NOT peer-reviewed)
- Canadian Council on Social Development: “The CCSD is a non-profit social policy and research organization focusing on issues such as poverty, social inclusion, disability, cultural diversity, child well-being, employment and housing”. This site contains research reports and other publications.
- Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: Addresses issues regarding social and economic justice. Lists publications browse-able by topic/issue.
- Laidlaw Foundation: “Promotes positive youth development.”
- Childcare Resource and Research Unit: Provides a list of publications and reports related to early childhood education and childcare.
Indigenous Topics
A good section to look for books related to Indigenous peoples is books with call #s starting with E 81-99
Databases
- SocINDEX with Full Text: Academic journals and books from sociology and related fields. All full text.
- Academic Search Premier: All subject areas are covered.
- Indigenous Studies Research Portal: Canadian content.
- Canadian Reference Centre: All subject areas.
Additional Resources
These include resources on surveys, questionnaires, interviewing, and focus groups.
- Surveys from start to finish by Megan Cole & Lori Long [ebook]
- The science of web surveys by Roger Tourangeau, Frederick G. Conrad, & Mick Couper – HM 538 T68 S416 2013
- Designing research questionnaires: For business and management students by Yüksel Ekinci – HD 30.4 E433 D457 2015
- Conducting education research by Bruce W. Tuckman & Brian E. Harper [ebook]
- Survey sampling by Archana Bansal [ebook]
- Survey basics by Patricia Pulliam Phillips, Jack J Phillips, & Bruce C Aaron [ebook]
- Survey & questionnaire design: Collecting primary data to answer research questions by Jane Bourke, Ann Kirby, Justin Doran
- Analysis of the cognitive interview in questionnaire design by Gordon B Willis [ebook]
- Scientific methods for the humanities by Willie van Peer, Jèmeljan Hakemulder, & Sonia Zyngier [ebook]
- Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences by Irving Seidman – H 61.28 S45 2012
- Interviewing for the helping professions: A comprehensive relational approach by Fred R McKenzie & Nicole Nicotera – HV 91 M376 I61 2018
- Qualitative interviewing by Svend Brinkmann [ebook]
- Motivational interviewing for clinical practice by Petros Levounis, Bachaar Arnaout, & Carla Marienfeld [ebook]
- Effective interviewing and information gathering: Proven tactics to improve your questioning skills by Thomas Diamante [ebook]
- Focus group discussions by Monique M Hennink – H 61.28 H45 F652 2014
- Qualitative research in social work by Anne E Fortune, William James Reid, & Robert L Miller Jr. [ebook]
- The SAGE handbook of interview research: The complexity of the craft edited by Karyn D McKinney [ebook]