LibGuides: Social work: Databases

Recommended databases

Best bets
Recommended

APA PsycInfo This link opens in a new window
A specialist psychology literature and related topics database, APA PsycInfo contains abstracts of articles from over 2,400 journals, dissertations and books. Popular literature is excluded. This abstract only database is updated twice weekly. Abstract only means you will not always find the full text of an article within the database. However, you can use Article Linker in the article record to check for full text online sources in other Brunel databases.
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CINAHL Plus This link opens in a new window
CINAHL Plus with Full-text provides a wide scope of nursing and allied health journals, as well as a high number of records, full-text and cited references. Content includes additional allied health literature and biomedical resources. In addition, CINAHL Plus provides Evidence-Based Care Sheets and Quick Lessons which provide concise overviews of diseases and conditions and outline treatment options. Use Article Linker (AL) to check for full text online sources if none is available in CINAHL Plus.
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SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
This EBSCOhost research database provides access to full text content and abstracts from a comprehensive range of sociology journals, books, conferences and monographs.
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Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Contains full text articles from over 5,800 journals, covering many subjects, including anthropology, politics, political science, psychology, psychiatry, sociology and social work. Coverage includes 450 magazines for news, current awareness and examples of professional practice.
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OECD Health Data This link opens in a new window
OECD Health Statistics offers the most comprehensive source of comparable statistics on health and health systems across OECD countries, and includes data found in the publication Health at a Glance. It provides data on the health status of the population including obesity (overweight, obese), suicide and life expectancy, health care financing, health care resources, social protection, health care utilization, the pharmaceutical market, long-term care resources and utilization, non-medical determinants of health, expenditure on health, and demographic and economic references, with coverage being provided for OECD and selected non-OECD countries as far back as 1960.
Scopus This link opens in a new window
Scopus is the largest ever bibliographic database and indexes over 20,000 titles from science, technology, medicine and the social sciences. This abstract only database is updated daily so it is excellent for identifying the emerging research. Use Article Linker (AL - link to full text) to check for full text online sources.
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Database search tips

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.

Finding resources guide