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Theory Informed Direct Practice: SSWG 5101 and SSWG 5102

Recommended library resources for theory-informed social work direct practice with individuals and families

Database Language

Platform-wide thesaurus and subjects

The ProQuest and EBSCOhost interface or platforms (multi-disciplinary database aggregators) provide full-text access, each has a platform-wide thesaurus that applies to ALL of its databases.

Gale has platform-wide subjects (located top right). There is also Topic Finder.  Its multi-subjects database is Academic OneFile.

Specialized thesaurus

These thesauri are useful for Social Work and may be viewed on the website or platform.  Temple AccessNet ID is required to access ProQuest databases.

Multi-disciplinary Databases - Full text

Cited Reference Searching

Subject Indexing Databases

Databases for Specific Populations

Ten Finding Tips

In addition to Library Search and talking with Subject Librarians, use the library research guides (or LibGuides) and databases and resources listed on this page to search and identify journal articles, books, book chapters and other publications in Social Work and related fields.

  1. Use all relevant terms or keywords and, if available, the database controlled vocabulary or indexing and cataloging terms ( thesaurus, subject headings, descriptors) in advanced search. Subject dictionaries, thesauri, and Credo Reference can help identify concepts and words for searching.  These guides maybe useful:
  1. Search one concept at a time and then combine them using "AND" or "OR".  Parentheses can be used to specify the search order for operators in a search string.  If not, for example, in ProQuest, the order is PRE, NEAR, AND, OR, NOT.
     
  2. Use database fields and filters, such as Date, Peer-Reviewed, Source Type, and Methodology  to focus and narrow your search.
    Geographic location:  For library catalogs, use location field and the geographic subject headings.  For APA PsycINGO search in geographic location field. 
    Use the How to apply methodology filters and Find Empirical and Evidence-Base Articles guides.
     
  3. Use database guides, tutorials, search tips, tools, and help to efficiently search, filter, save/download, cite and more.
  1. Follow linkages, such as subject, keyword, author, title or series, organization links and links to Similar Titles, Citations or Cited By, References, and More Like This.
  1. Register/Create account and login to save your search history and create alerts.
     
  2. Select the Find Full Text links to get the entire source for non-full text indexing databases.
    Link Google Scholar to Temple libraries to get full text within our collections.
     
  3. To save time, search the entire ProQuest Social Sciences Premium collection
  • Some database specific advanced filtering capability and thesaurus terms may not be available.
  • For the broadest ProQuest platform wide search, use ProQuest Central (nearly all disciplines/subjects)
  1. Use Browzine to browse and read scholarly articles in Social Work journals.
    To create an account with the Browzine App, select Temple University and login with your TU AccesNet ID.
     
  2. Target Core Journals in Social Work and search all relevant databases.