This guide was created to help you navigate the complicated world of scholarly research after you have graduated. Depending on the job(s) you take after graduation, you may not have access to as many scholarly resources as you did when you were a student. This covers key resources, both in print and electronic, but is not comprehensive.
For help locating and using library resources and services use the Ask A Librarian service or contact Carin Graves (gravesc@msu.edu), the subject specialist librarian for social work.
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) put out in 2015 their Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. These standards inform the education of social workers across the nation. In the eighth competency (Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities), CSWE states:
"Social workers understand methods of identifying, analyzing and implementing evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals." (CSWE, 2015; p. 9)
The importance of evidence-based practice and reasearch naturally predates these standards. Freymond, Morgenshtern, Duffie, Hong, Bugeja-Freitas, and Eulenberg (2014) write:
"Evidence-based interventions require social workers who recognize the value of research and have the knowledge and skill to critically appraise and incorporate evidence into practice." (Freymond et al., 2014; p. 266).
Many of you will take jobs at places that do not provide access to paid databases and journals similar to Michigan State University's collection. This guide is meant to help you locate the scholarly literature after you graduate.