Research Guides: Foundations of Social Work Research: SSW 5003: Find Articles

Databases with a Methodology Filter

Several library databases have a way to filter search results for empirical methodologies. Try the techniques in bold in the following databases, in combination with other search terms for the topic you are researching.

It is also useful to search for the controlled vocabulary in the thesaurus or subject headings of the databases and use those terms and variants in searching. Look up a research method or search using terms like empirical, qualitative, quantitative, evaluation, correlation, intervention, or observation or browse by available categories. The Cochrane Library also has suggested Search strategies to identify observational studies in MEDLINE and Embase that can be used for other sources as well.

For databases and search engines without a methodology filter, such as Web of Science and Google Scholar, try (1) copying and pasting one or more of the types of studies listed for the Sociological Abstracts database or enter "study" to be broad with your search terms; and (2) include the operator AND (e.g. ("domestic violence" OR "intimate partner violence") AND study).

APA PsycInfo This link opens in a new window
APA PsycInfo [via EBSCOhost] contains citations and summaries of journal articles, book chapters, books and technical reports, as well as citations to dissertations, all in the field of psychology and psychological aspects of related disciplines, such as medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education, pharmacology, physiology, linguistics, anthropology, business and law. Filter on the search form or from the results page: (1) On the search form, select the methodology at the lower right of the filter check boxes; OR (2) On the results page, within the refine results area, click Methodology and then select Empirical Study to limit to empirical research articles or a specific type (e.g. qualitative study).View Using the Methodology Limiter in APA PsycInfo video.
Another option is to include, with other search terms, the thesaurus term Empirical Methods (login to view) to search scientific methodology based on experimentation, systematic observation, or measurement. View or download definitions of the fields and different Methodology field values. EBSCOhost search tips for APA PsycInfo

Left image: Methodology filter on the search form Right image: Methodology filter within Refine Results

CINAHL [via EBSCOhost] This link opens in a new window
CINAHL Provides indexing for nursing and health journals. The database contains records dating back to 1982. In addition, the database offers access to health care books, nursing dissertations, and selected conference proceedings. Search for the CINAHL subject headings: Clinical Trials, Empirical Research, Experimental Studies, Nonexperimental Studies, Qualitative Studies, Quantitative Studies, or Quasi-Experimental Studies to limit to empirical research.
ERIC [via ProQuest] This link opens in a new window
ERIC [via ProQuest, or via EBSCOhost] provides access to education-related literature. ERIC provides coverage of journal articles, conferences, meetings, government documents, theses, dissertations, reports, audiovisual media, bibliographies, directories, books and monographs. In the Advanced Search, filter for Document Type= Reports: Research to limit to empirical research.
If using ERIC.ed.gov, under Publication Type, select "Reports-Research." Additional identifier filters for contents that specify it are available under "Assessments and Surveys." How to use identifier video
PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed comprises more than 30 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites. On search results pages, Select a type under Article Type (e.g. Clinical Trial) or click Additional Filters and select Article Type for more options. Use "Study Characteristics"[Publication Type] for all types of studies or check the study types of interest, such as "Evaluation Study" or Observational Study, to limit to empirical research. Description of Publication (article) Type.
Another approach is to search for a Medical Subject Heading (MesH) and include it with other MeSH terms or keywords. For example, include "Empirical Research"[mesh] to search for "study, based on direct observation, use of statistical records, interviews, or experimental methods, of actual practices or the actual impact of practices or policies."
Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Sociological Abstracts provides coverage of the world's literature on sociology and applied aspects of sociology. In the Advanced Search, search for Subject Headings such as: Action Research, Archival Research, Case Studies, Content Analysis, Discourse Analysis, Empirical Methods, Ethnography, Experiments, Fieldwork, Grounded Theory, Interviews, Longitudinal Studies, Models, Observation, Qualitative Methods, Quantitative Methods, Research, Surveys, Empirical Research, Qualitative Research, Questionnaires, Research, Surveys, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Studies, Statistical Surveys, Telephone Surveys, Use Studies, to limit to empirical research. This approach may also work with for the ProQuest Social Science Premium Collection, which includes the Sociological Abstracts.

Embase This link opens in a new window
EMBASE contains references to journal articles in biomedicine. The references consist of authors, title, journal data, abstract and keywords. EMBASE contains European literature, and coverage in the field of drug research, pharmacology and pharmaceutics. The database can be searched back to 1974.

Embase also has MEDLINE records.
In the results filters, look at Study types, and check the ones you want, such as controlled study, case report, retrospective study, cohort analysis, cross sectional study, systematic review, comparative study, prospective study, interview, longitudinal study, randomized controlled trial, observational study, meta analysis, qualitative research, semi structured interview, pilot study. Read also about General Study Types Hedges

Evidence-Based Practice Resources

Evidence-Based Social Work books & media and journals

SAGE Handbook of Social Work (E-book)
Publication Date: 2012
Part XV Evidence Based Practice. Chapters are on EBP and these topics:
Developing Well-structured Questions for EBP; Locating Credible Studies; Critically Appraising Studie; Randomized Controlled Trials; Meta-analysis; Systematic Reviews; Qualitative Research and Evidence-based Practice; Integrating Information from Diverse Sources; and Social Work Education
Grand challenges for society : evidence-based social work practice
Publication Date: 2019. Print
The Evidence-Based Social Work Skills Book by Barry R. Cournoyer.
Publication Date: 2004. Print.
This book explores the skills needed for evidence-based social work (EBSW). Readers will learn the fundamentals of the EBSW skills and practice them. Read free online at Internet Archive

More EBP Social Work Books & Media results in Library Search.
Evidence-based Social Work (LCSH) was entered as a subject field in the advanced Library Search.

Databases and Websites with Evidence-Based Resources

California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
The mission of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC) is to advance the effective implementation of evidence-based practices for children and families involved with the child welfare system.
Campbell Collaboration Online Library
Contains Campbell Systematic Reviews, a collection of peer-reviewed online monographs summarizing international research evidence on the effects of interventions in crime and justice, education, international development, and social welfare.

Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
The Cochrane Library contains high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. It includes reliable evidence from Cochrane and other systematic reviews, clinical trials, and more.

DARE (Database of Abstract of Reviews of Effect)
Full-text database containing structured abstracts of systematic reviews from a variety of medical journals. DARE is produced by the National Health Services' Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (NHS CRD) at the University of York. DARE records cover topics such as diagnosis, prevention, rehabilitation, screening, and treatment.
Heath Evidence
Health Evidence helps the public health workforce and policy makers search for, interpret, and apply research evidence to their local context. We began with the launch of the healthevidence.org registry of reviews in March 2005 and in 2007 expanded to include training and consultation services.
NREPP (SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) promotes the adoption of scientifically established behavioral health interventions. It is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.
Social Work Policy Institute's Evidence-Based Practice resource page
Provides tools that can be used to identify EBPs. Links to resources like CDC: The Community Guide, Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, EBP Substance Abuse Database, Social Programs That Work, and many others.
TRIP (Turning Research Into Practice)
TRIP simultaneously searches evidence-based sources of systematic reviews, practice guidelines, and critically appraised topics and articles, and searches across other content types including images, videos, patient information leaflets, educational courses and news.
What Works in Reentry Clearinghouse
Scores specific reentry programs and practices for beneficial <–> harmful evidence.

Other Databases

Social Services Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Social Services Abstracts provides bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community development.
Criminal Justice Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Criminal Justice Abstracts contains journal articles, books and reports on all aspects of criminology and criminal justice, including crime prevention, juvenile delinquency, police, courts and punishment.
ProQuest Social Science Premium Collection This link opens in a new window
Social Science Premium Collection contains international literature in social sciences, including politics, public policy, sociology, social work, anthropology, criminology, linguistics, library science, and education.

More Social Work Databases

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.

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:

Social Work topics keywords prepared by a Washington University librarian.
Examples: Abuse/Domestic Violence; Addiction; Ages; Barriers; Diversity; Homeless; Housing;; Police Violence; Poverty; Social Determinants of Health;
Topics in APA PsycInfo of Relevance to Social Work
APAPsycInfo uses the APA Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms. APA Publishing Training video.
PubMed has Automatic Term Mapping, matching user terms to the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Topic-Specific PubMed Queries provide useful MeSH and keywords for select topics, including healthcare disparities, and population health, electronic health records.
Web of Science has "Social Work" as a subject category and micro topics such as Homeless and Intimate Partner Violence. Browse its meso and micro subjects. Download the 2023 schema
Subject Headings for Social Work or search the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
External library guide to subject headings with links to the PDF of LCSH by letter.
Science.gov Topic Pages (Science.gov searches over 60 databases and over 2,200 scientific websites)

Search one concept at a time and then combine them using "AND" or "OR". Most databases automatically add "AND" between terms so AND may not be needed.

Parentheses can be used to specify the search order for operators in a search string. If not, for example, in ProQuest and Web of Science, the order is PRE, NEAR, AND, OR, NOT.
Watch Build Better Searches in Web of Science (5 min), to know how to use truncation, operators, parentheses (to set order for operators) and proximity. These functions are similar for other databases.
Be aware that Google operators work differently than those in library databases.

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 PsycINFO search in geographic location field. For ERIC, there are location, laws, polices and programs and assessment and surveys identifiers.
Use the How to apply methodology filters and Find Empirical and Evidence-Base Articles guides.
Use database guides, tutorials, search tips, tools, and help to efficiently search, filter, save/download, cite and more.

Main database platform guides: ProQuest, EBSCOhost, CINAHL(EBSCO), Embase, Web of Science, Web of science Help documentation, Web of Science AI enabled topic and keywords search, Gale, ERIC, GovInfo,
PubMed, PubMed publication types; How PubMed Works; Searching when MeSH changes
- The EBSCOhost libguide covers the upcoming new platform. For the existing platform, view the 4 minute video, but note that the default shown is the basic search, whereas the default at Temple is the advanced search.
JSTOR Text Analyzer uses the text of your document to suggest more articles.
For Temple Libraries tutorials and upcoming workshops: Enter the database name or other search term in Library Search and look at results under Library Website.
Use library research guides for courses and subjects to identify relevant databases and resources.
Google Search Tips: List of Operators and Google Search help
This library guide from McGill University has operators and searching tips for many databases
https://libraryguides.mcgill.ca/knowledge-syntheses/search-tips

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.

Use tools like Google Scholar and Web of Science Cited Reference Search
Learn more with our Chasing Citation guide

Register/Create account and login to save your search history and create alerts.
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.
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 Academic One , which includes ProQuest Central (nearly all disciplines/subjects and different media types)

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.
Target Core Journals in Social Work and search all relevant databases.