SOC WEL 280: Introduction to Research

Overviews

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:51:32 -0700

Sometimes it's helpful to get an overview of a topic or field.

Annual Reviews can be a good place to start. While there isn't one specifically on Social Work/Social Welfare, there are reviews in Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Public Health, and Sociology which can provide a great starting place.

International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences is another really good starting place. Take a look at Aging, for example.

Search Tips

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:43:51 -0700

Power search features for most article databases:

Use synonyms -- there are many ways to express a concept (teenager or teenagers or adolescent)
Use truncation to get different forms of the word, for example teenage* will retrieve teenagers, teenager, teenaged, etc.
Use quotation marks when you want an "exact phrase"
Restrict by date -- most will let you find only the most current five years if you chose that limit.

PsycInfo Advanced Searches:

Use "controlled vocabulary" (also called descriptors or subject headings) if the database has them. The PsycInfo Thesaurus is a very powerful tool. It helps you identify articles that are about a topic, not just that have the word in the abstract. For example, if you are looking for the cause of a certain psychological problem, the descriptor "etiology" finds material that looks at causality.
Use the special "limits" or "fields" that the database offers. They really do help you make a more focused and powerful search. PsycInfo lets you use many helpful limits including:
- Methodology-- are you interested in literature reviews? Empirical studies? Clinical trials? Quantitative or qualitative studies?
- Population -- do you want research based on humans? Males vs. females?
- Age of subjects -- adolescents? children? old people?
- Publication type -- do you want articles? dissertations? books?

UC eLinks and Citation Linker

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:15:49 -0700

Sometimes the database you search doesn't link to the fulltext -- it only gives the citation. Click the button to see if Berkeley has it online, and if not, it will check for a print version. And if we don't have it at all, it lets you request it through Interlibrary Loan.

What if there isn't a button??? Sometimes you find an article in a bibliography, a book or a footnote -- and you want to see if we have it. The Citation Linker searches through our online databases to see if it's available fulltext. If not, it sets up a search for the paper journal in Melvyl. And if we don't have it at Berkeley, it lets you request it through Interlibrary Loan.

Find Articles

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:59:51 -0700

We have hundreds of research databases which help you find articles (and more) on a wide variety of topics. They are organized according to academic discipline, by name, or by type of database (dissertations, e-books, etc.)

Core resources for Social Welfare:

Find Dissertations

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:53:42 -0700

Full-text Access: Some fulltext UC dissertations (after 1996) can be found online by searching Dissertations & Theses @ University of California which also finds citations and abstracts for some UC dissertations prior to 1996. Berkeley dissertations prior to 1996 (in print) may be found by searching the Library catalogs. Dissertations done at other UC campuses prior to 1996 or ouside the UC system must be obtained through Interlibrary Loan or using the "Request" option in Melvyl. (NOTE: most dissertations can't be borrowed. If there is one you must have, contact your librarian about whether it's possible to buy a copy for our library.)

Find Books

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 12:27:19 -0700

UCB: Use OskiCat to find books related to your topic at UC Berkeley. Oskicat will show you where it's located, and will also show you the Library of Congress Subject Heading -- which can help you find material other relevant books.

UC: Not enough books at Berkeley? Use Melvyl to find more books at other campuses in the UC system. Clickon the REQUEST button (in the detailed view of a catalog record) to request the item through Interlibrary Loan.

World: Still want more? You can search thousands of libraries through WorldCat on FirstSearch and then request the material through UC e-links or directly via Interlibrary Loan.

Google Books: Library catalogs don't search inside of books. Google Books can help you identify the book you need, then click on "Find in a Library" to see if we have it.

This guide has been archived

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:18:44 -0800

Please note: this course guide was created during a previous semester, and is no longer being actively maintained. For a list of current course guides, please see http://lib.berkeley.edu/alacarte/course-guides.

Ask a Librarian 24/7 Chat

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:03:26 -0700

Connecting from Off Campus?

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:06:16 -0700

You can access UCB Library resources from off campus or via your laptop or other mobile device using one of two simple methods. (NOTE: Using EndNote? Use VPN, not the Proxy Server)

Proxy Server
After you make a one-time change in your web browser settings, the proxy server will ask you to log in with a CalNet ID or Library PIN when you click on the link to a licensed resource. See the setup instructions, FAQ, and Troubleshooting pages to configure your browser.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)
After you install and run the VPN "client" software on your computer, you can log in with a CalNet ID to establish a secure connection with the campus network.

Google Scholar and UC e-links

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:00:07 -0700

Set up your proxy server access by following the directions at http://proxy.lib.berkeley.edu/. When you get to a point where you are accessing resources that the Library pays for, you will be prompted for your CalNet ID and password.
Change your “Scholar Preferences.” Access these by clicking on the link next to the search box.
In search box next to "Library Links," type in University of California Berkeley and click on “Find Library”
Check box next to "University of California Berkeley - UC-eLinks
Click on "Save Preferences" at bottom of page

Forward Citation

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:25:39 -0700

If an article is a few years old, but relevant to your topic, it can be very helpful to see who has cited it. This might be to see if the original research has been expanded upon or updated, or how it has been received. There are several different ways to do this, and the results will overlap -- no single method is comprehensive.

ISI Web of Science contains the Social Science Citation Index which allows you to do a "Cited Reference" search. This shows other articles (from a prestigious list of peer reviewed journals) which have cited the target article, and it also shows the references for the the original article... both forward and backward citation.

Google Scholar also provides forward citations for some articles. It has a broader range of documents included (not just peer reviewed journals, but reports, pre-prints, etc.) and doesn't eliminate self citation or de-duplicate the results.

CSA Illumina Databases sometimes provides Cited References for articles indexed in the CSA databases such as Social Services Abstracts, ERIC, EconLit, PsycInfo, etc.

For this class, we are going to use the following citation as an example:

Stone, S. (2007). Child maltreatment, out-of-home placement and academic vulnerability: A fifteen-year review of evidence and future directions. Children and Youth Services Review, 29(2), 139-161.

Evidence Based Practice

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:29:24 -0800

Evidence Based Practice, to quote Professor Gambrill, is "a new educational and practice paradigm for closing the gaps between research and practice to maximize opportunities to help clients and avoid harm.”

The Campbell Collaboration (Motto: What helps? What harms? On what evidence?) is an international research network that produces systematic reviews of the effects of social interventions.
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare reports on programs being used or marketed in California.
The Social Work Policy Institute on Evidence-Based Practice.
The Cochrane Library indexes journal articles, reviews, and bibliographies which provide evidence-based effects of health services
Evidence Database on Aging SWLI populates the evidence database with published studies and articles that inform and advance policy discussions regarding aging care and the role of social workers.

Importing from CSA to RefWorks

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:42:06 -0700

Importing from Social Services Abstracts (or any CSA database) into RefWorks

Search CSA Social Services Abstracts.
Select the desired references by checking the box to the left of each citation.
After all the desired citations have been selected, click on RefWorks
You will be asked if you want the records added, if so click on Export to RefWorks. (If you have a pop up blocker, it will then confirm that you do want to open RefWorks.)
RefWorks then displays the last citations you added, and you can choose to add them to a specific folder . Or you can just leave them in the Last Imported folder. (If you want to create a new folder, just click on Folder and the drop down arrow will let you select make a new one.

RefWorks with Oskicat

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:42:30 -0700

Search OskiCat. Once you have records you want to export, if you are:

A. Viewing a list of results, check the box to the left of each record you wish to add to RefWorks, then click Save Selected Records, or

B. Viewing an individual record, click the Save Records button near the top of the window and then:

Click the View Saved button near the top of the window
Click Export Saved
Select EndNote/RefWorks under Format of List
Select Screen under Send List To
Click Submit
Use your browser’s Select All function, then Copy
Open another browser window and access your RefWorks Account.
Click References from the drop-down menu and select Import
In the drop-down menu next to Import Filter/Data Source, choose Innovative Interfaces (EndNote/RefWorks Format)
For Database, choose University of California, Berkeley
In Import References into Folder, choose the desired folder, if you have already created a folder into which you want these references to import. If not, make no selection here
Click Import
Select the radio button next to Import Data from the following Text.
Put your cursor in the box below Import Data from the following Text and select Edit > Paste in your browser.
By default, all newly imported references appear in the Last Imported folder. Under View / Folders, select your folder to see the citations you just imported. Note the UC-eLinks icon next to each reference.

Thanks to the Public Health Library for creating this guide!

Zotero Tips

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:04:22 -0800

If you've never used Zotero before, use the QuickStart Guide to get started.

Change your preferences if you want Zotero to

set your default citation style
search the full text of pdfs you save
Automatically attach associated PDFs and other files when saving items

To use Zotero to find specific articles in our library's databases, set up the Open URL resolver with this link: http://ucelinks.cdlib.org:8888/sfx_local?

Citation Management Tools

sedwards@library.berkeley.edu (Susan Edwards) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:42:42 -0700

Citation management tools help you manage your research, collect and cite sources, and create bibliographies in a variety of citation styles. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses, but any are easier than doing it by hand! The Library offers workshops on Endnote, Zotero, and Refworks! Or contact your librarian for individual help.

Zotero: A free plug-in that works exclusively with the Firefox browser: keeps copies of what you find on the web, permits tagging, notation, full text searching of your library of resources, works with Word, and has a free web backup service.
RefWorks - free for UC Berkeley users. It allows you to create your own database by importing references and using them for footnotes and bibliographies. Use the RefWorks New User Form to sign up.
EndNote: may be purchased from UC Berkeley's Software Central for about $80.

It's always good to double check the formatting -- sometimes the software doesn't get it quite right.