LibGuides: Social Work: A Guide to Library Research: Evidence Based Practice

Evidence Based Practice Resources

Evidence based practice (EBP) is "the attempt to establish what works and what doesn't through a systematic examination of the most current research in that field" (Sage Research Methods Online). EBP often takes the form of systematic reviews, randomized control trials, and rigorous research methods.

The following resources are good places to search for EBP on a variety of topics.

PsycInfo & PsycArticles
To search for EBP use Advanced Search: Methodology = “-Systematic Review” or “META ANALYSIS”
Social Services Abstracts
To search for EBP use Advanced Search: Document type = Evidence Based Healthcare
Social Services Abstracts provides bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare and social policy. The database abstracts and indexes over 1,300 serial publications, and includes journal articles, dissertations and book reviews. Searches link to Community of Scholars: Social Sciences. Coverage includes community & mental health services, crisis intervention, family & social welfare, gerontology, poverty, homelessness, professional issues, policy, addiction, social work education & practice, violence, abuse, neglect, welfare services.
Campbell Library of Systematic Reviews
Policy-related plain language summaries and policy briefs in the social sectors.
Includes briefs in these areas:
- Research methods
- Business and Management
- Crime and Justice
- Disability
- Education
- International Development
- Knowledge Translation and Implementation
- Nutrition and Food Security
- Social Welfare
Cochrane Library
Collection of databases that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making.
Includes these components:

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) is the leading resource for systematic reviews in health care. Each Cochrane Review is a peer-reviewed systematic review that has been prepared and supervised by a Cochrane Review Group (editorial team) in The Cochrane Collaboration according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions or Cochrane Handbook for Diagnostic Test Accuracy Reviews. Currently there are over 5,000 Cochrane Reviews including nearly 2,000 protocols providing an explicit description of the research methods and objectives for Cochrane Reviews in progress. Existing Reviews are updated as new information becomes available.

The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) includes details of published articles taken from bibliographic databases (notably MEDLINE and EMBASE), and other published and unpublished sources. CENTRAL records include the title of the article, information on where it was published (bibliographic details) and, in many cases, a summary of the article. They do not contain the full text of the article. About three-fifths of the records in CENTRAL are taken from MEDLINE. Also, each Cochrane Review Group maintains and updates a collection of controlled trials relevant to its own area of interest, these are called Specialized Registers. Each Cochrane Review Group may also collect items that are not relevant to its own field of interest; these are known as Handsearch Results.

Cochrane Clinical Answers (CCAs) provide a readable, digestible, clinically-focused entry point to rigorous research from Cochrane Reviews. They are designed to be actionable and to inform point-of-care decision-making. Each CCA contains a clinical question, a short answer, and data for the outcomes from the Cochrane Review deemed most relevant to practicing healthcare professionals, our target audience. The evidence is displayed in a user-friendly tabulated format that includes narratives, data, and links to graphics. Cochrane Clinical Answers were developed by Cochrane Innovations and Wiley.

The Advanced Search option lets you search specifically for PICO terms.

Research on Social Work Practice (Journal)
Research on Social Work Practice is a disciplinary journal devoted to the publication of empirical research concerning the assessment methods and outcomes of social work practice.
Aging and Disability Evidence-Based Programs and Practices
The purpose of the Aging and Disability Evidence-Based Programs and Practices initiative (ADEPP) was to help the public learn more about available evidence-based programs and practices in the areas of aging and disability and determine which of these may best meet their needs.
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From the Administration for Community Living
The Community Guide
A collection of evidence-based findings of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF). It is a resource to help you select interventions to improve health and prevent disease in your state, community, community organization, business, healthcare organization, or school.
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The CPSTF is an independent, nonfederal panel of public health and prevention experts whose members represent a broad range of research, practice, and policy expertise in community preventive services, public health, health promotion, and disease prevention.
CrimeSolutions.gov
The National Institute of Justice’s CrimeSolutions.gov is comprised of two components — a web-based clearinghouse of programs and practices and a process for identifying and rating those programs and practices.
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https://crimesolutions.gov/About.aspx
Domestic Violence Evidence Project
The Domestic Violence Evidence Project brings evidence-based practices for domestic violence advocates through research, evaluation, practice and theory to inform critical thinking and enhance the field's knowledge to better serve survivors and their families in four focus areas: Services to Adult Victims, Children's Services, Prevention, and Reducing Abusive Behavior.
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From the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
EBP Resource Center | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Contains a collection of scientifically-based resources for a broad range of audiences, including Treatment Improvement Protocols, toolkits, resource guides, clinical practice guidelines, and other science-based resources.
Evidence Based Programs | Social Programs That Work
This site seeks to identify those social programs shown in rigorous studies to produce sizable, sustained benefits to participants and/or society, so that they can be deployed to help solve social problems.
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The goal is to identify programs that, based on their careful review of the studies in consultation with outside experts, meet the criteria for “Top Tier,” “Near Top Tier,” or “Suggestive Tier.” Administered by the Arnold Ventures organization.
What Works Clearinghouse | National Center for Education and Evaluation
The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviews the existing research on different programs, products, practices, and policies in education.

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Social Work: A Guide to Library Research

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Evidence Based Practice Resources