Social work: Databases

Recommended databases

Database search tips

Word cloud of search-related terms

Split your topic into keywords: To find better and fewer results, think about your keywords. Make sure they accurately describe what you are looking for, and add more keywords to make your search more specific.

Think of alternative keywords: For example, 'elderly' could also be referred to as 'geriatric' or 'aged'. Or, think of the bigger picture. For example, instead of searching for 'boys' or 'girls', try searching for 'gender'.

Search for phrases in "double quotation marks": For example, "child protection". This will search for the phrase as a whole, instead of the individual words.

Select a data range: For example, you may only want literature published since 2010. Most databases have the option to select dates.

For more help see our Finding resources guide, or contact your Librarian.