SW 321: Social Work Research 

Overview Sources acquaint you with your topic, clarify unfamiliar terms or ideas, and usually provide a bibliography of important sources. They can also suggest an array of topics from which to pick.

1. Overview sources are written by experts in the field.
2. Overview sources usually include a bibliography or some type of recommended sources to explain where the author or editor located the information included.

They can be from comprehensive print reference sources or from credible online resources (if purchased and provided by a library, credibility is much more assured), but overview sources are encyclopedic in nature. They take a broad look at a topic and can be used as a starting point to launch questions that narrow your focus.

Contemporary World Issues is a series where each reference book covers a "hot topic" in the recent news. Each book is written by a specialist, and the contents include background, problems and solutions, worldwide perspective, chronology, biographical sketches, documents, related organizations, and resources.

They are similar to CQ Researcher reports but fill an entire book instead of a 20+ page report.

It is possible to search for the 165+ books in this series in the library's online catalog. Simple type: contemporary world issues into the "Title" box.

Annual Reviews has provided researchers with a definitive academic resource in 37 scientific disciplines, including psychology, clinical psychology, public health, sociology, etc. since 1932.

They synthesize the vast amount of primary research literature and identify the principal contributions in included fields. Editorial committees comprised of the most distinguished scholars in the discipline select all topics for review, and the articles are written by authors who are recognized experts in the field.

The summaries include keywords, an abstract, an introduction to the topic addressed, and include extensive lists of cited literature.

All of the books highlighted here are included on the sample overview sources list in the box below.

These references are of special interest as they pertain specifically to the discipline of Social Work. The rest of the overview sources on the list cover related issues like poverty, homelessness, domestic abuse or violence, mental health issues, disabilities, and much more.

These suggested overview sources can be accessed via the Complete A to Z Listing of Resources found on the orange Databases tab on the library home page.

• CQ Researcher: These award-winning reports provide an in-depth, introductory overview on current topics in health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Reports are published weekly online 44 times a year by CQ Press.
• Credo Reference: Numerous reference books from reputable publishers are available in this online and award-winning product which integrates print into the digital environment.
• Access Science: The online version of McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology.

Here are more examples of some newer reference encyclopedias that might be useful:

World At Risk: A Global Issues Sourcebook; Ref. 300 W893 2010

Encyclopedia of Environment and Society; Ref. 304.2 En192 2007  (5 volumes) 

• "Quality of Life", pp. 1454-1455
• "Statistics and Sampling" pp. 1160-1161

Encyclopedia of Race & Racism; Ref. 305.800973 En195 2008  (3 volumes)

Encyclopedia of Social Problems; Ref. 361.1 En19 2008  (2 volumes)

Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior; Ref. 362.29 En19 2009  (4 volumes)

Encyclopedia of Disability; Ref. 362.4 En19 2006  (5 volumes)

Poverty and the Government in America: A Historical Encyclopedia; Ref. 362.5561 P869 2009  (2 volumes)

Encyclopedia of Race and Crime; Ref. 364.973089 En19 2009  (2 volumes)

Encyclopedia of Health & Aging; Ref. 613.0438 En19 2007

Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition; Ref. 613.2 En19 2005  (4 volumes)

Encyclopedia of Health Services Research; Ref. 614.07 En19 2009  (2 volumes)

Encyclopedia of Behavior Modification & Cognitive Behavior Therapy; Ref. 616.89142 En19 2005  (3 volumes)