LibGuides: College of Behavioral and Health Sciences (OER Hub): SW 2110: Introduction to Social Work

OER Materials for Introduction to Social Work

Introduction to Social Work: a Look Across the Profession by James Langford; Craig Keaton; Regina T. Praetorius (Editor); Emily E. Clarke (Editor)
ISBN: 9781648160073
Publication Date: 2022
This book takes students on a journey through many but not all of the different possibilities in social work. Social work is a profession focused on helping people live their best lives by working with people individually, at the family level, in groups and communities. Help may be in the form of connecting people to resources to address challenges, providing therapy, and advocating for changes in laws that affect individuals', couples', families' and communities' well-being. Students will learn the profession's exciting history and ways we help today.

Social Work and Social Welfare: Modern Practice in a Diverse World (2nd edition) by Mick Cullen; Matthew Cullen
Publication Date: 2021
This text is intended for use in introductory social work classes at the college level. Chapter topics include the foundations and history of social work and social welfare; generalist social work; ethics and values; social policy; race & ethnicity; sex, sexism, & gender; LGBTQ+ clients; poverty and financial assistance; school social work; families and children; healthcare and disabilities; substance use; mental health; criminal justice; and older clients.

A student view of this textbook is also available.

Introduction to Social Work at Ferris State University by Jessica Gladden & MSW students
Publication Date: 2017
This book was written by MSW students as their final project for their Capstone class. Students were each assigned a chapter of the book to write to show that they had achieved competency as a Master’s level social worker. Chapters were assigned based on student interest and experience in certain areas of the field.

The 2017 MSW class was excited to be able to contribute to the learning of their peers by writing this book! The book was written to the specifications of the SCWK 110 instructors at Ferris State University in the summer of 2017.

We hope that other universities will utilize our textbook! Please feel free to edit this book for your needs, but give credit to the original authors.

How Change Happens by Duncan Green
ISBN: 9780198785392
Publication Date: 2016-12-01
Society is full of would-be 'change agents'-campaigners, government officials, enlightened business people, engaged intellectuals-set on improving public services, reforming laws and regulations, guaranteeing human rights, achieving a fairer deal for those on the sharp end, and greater recognition for any number of issues. Drawing on many first-hand examples and numerous new case studies and interviews with grassroots activists and organizations around the world, as well as Oxfam's unrivalled global experience, this important book answers the question: how does change happen and how can we-governments, organizations, businesses, leaders, campaigners, employees, and ordinary citizens-make a difference?
101 Careers in Social Work, Second Edition by Jessica A. Ritter; Halaevalu F. O. Vakalahi (Editor)
ISBN: 9780826129062
Publication Date: 2014-12-15
What do documentary filmmakers, conflict mediators, forensic social workers, researchers, mental health practitioners, human services administrators, medical social workers, and policy advocates have in common? They are all potential careers for social workers. The second edition of this popular guide to social work careers has been completely updated and expanded to reflect current trends in social work education and social work practice, including the employment outlook in various fields of practice, current accreditation standards, core competencies, and licensing requirements, along with new opportunities for social workers resulting from health care reform and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. With a focus on the interdisciplinary nature of social work, the book describes both traditional careers and those that are off the beaten path in such arenas as forensic social work, social entrepreneurship, working in political systems, international careers, and community practice.
The Altruistic Imagination: A History of Social Work and Social Policy in the United States by John Ehrenreich
ISBN: 9780801471230
Publication Date: 2014-06-19
Social work and social policy in the United States have always had a complex and troubled relationship. In The Altruistic Imagination, John H. Ehrenreich offers a critical interpretation of their intertwined histories, seeking to understand the problems that face these two vital institutions in American society.Ehrenreich demonstrates that the emphasis of social work has always vacillated between individual treatment and social reform. Tracing this ever-changing focus from the Progressive Era, through the development of the welfare state, the New Deal, and the affluent 1950s and 1960s, into the administration of Ronald Reagan, he places the evolution of social work in the context of political, cultural, and ideological trends, noting the paradoxes inherent in the attempt to provide essential services and reflect at the same time the intentions of the state.
An Introduction to Social Work Practice by Melanie Parris
ISBN: 9780335238422
Publication Date: 2012-04-01
"Melanie Parris provides an excellent introduction to social work, dealing with important aspects of social work values, basic areas of knowledge and vital key skills. Her writing is clear and student-friendly with many examples from practice and encouragement for the reader to develop understanding using active learning." Robert Adams, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, Teesside University, UK "This practice focused text clearly draws upon the many years of experience the author has of social work education ... It will be of great help to students who need to integrate theoretical understanding with practical experience and develop core skills. The structure is inclusive and the language accessible. Each chapter has clear learning objectives enabling time pressed learners to focus on particular aspects of professional practice they will encounter in placement."
Introduction to Social Work Practice: A Practical Workbook by Herschel Knapp
ISBN: 9781452245140
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Introduction to Social Work Practice orients the students to the role of the professional social worker.

Journal of Social Work
The Journal of Social Work is a forum for the publication, dissemination and debate of key ideas and research in social work. The journal aims to advance theoretical understanding, shape policy, and inform practice, and welcomes submissions from all areas of social work.

In addition to longer articles, the Journal of Social Work publishes occasional shorter 'think pieces': reports of research in progress, comments on previously published articles, and analyses of current and topical practice, policy and theory.
Social Work
Publication Date: Available from 01/01/1975.Most recent 1 year not available.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest professional membership organization in the field. Its official publication, Social Work, is just one of NASW's scholarly journals. As a general clinical social work journal, it explores groundbreaking research, practice, and theories relevant to a broad range of social work topics. The journal publishes four issues a year
Studies in Social Justice (Open Access)
Studies in Social Justice publishes articles, dispatches and creative works relating to the social, cultural, economic, environmental, political, and philosophical problems associated with struggles for social justice. Social justice is analysed in the context of processes involving nationalism, social and public policy, globalization, diasporas, culture, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, welfare, poverty, war, and other social phenomena.

Social Work Podcast
The Social Work Podcast provides information on all things social work, including direct practice (both clinical and community organizing), research, policy, education... and everything in between.
ETSU Social Work Policy Podcasts
ETSU Social Work Policy Podcasts was created by the Department of of Social Work, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences at East Tennessee State University.

Description: The video channel above (Social Work) is provided through Alexander Street and is available to students through a subscription provided by Woodward Library. It provides access to hundreds of videos on this topic with captions included. Students will need to authenticate with their library username and password when accessing these titles off-campus. A new tool from ASP called Video Interaction Functionality is now available to faculty members. This functionality promotes student engagement by allowing professors to embed assessment and pedagogical tools within the videos.

This YouTube channel from the National Association of Social Workers contains videos that will help you learn about the work that social workers do and meet some of the people in this wide-ranging profession.

Open Textbooks for Social Work Education
This is a curated list of social work textbooks available at OER repositories from October 2021. They are primarily curated for higher education in the United States
Open Access Books for Social Work
This is a list of open access books curated in October 2021. This collection is geared towards social work education in the United States. The vast majority of these books are published by commercial publishers, and the authors pay extra to share their work openly.
SAGE Edge website for Introduction to Social Work: An Advocacy-based Profession
Based on a textbook for purchase from Sage, this supplemental site features an impressive array of free tools and resources such as videos, case studies, and journal articles.
SAGE Edge website for Social Work: An Introduction
Based on a textbook for purchase from Sage, this supplemental site features an impressive array of free tools and resources such as videos, case studies, and journal articles.

Social Work Research Guide
by Nancy Gibson Last Updated Feb 21, 2025 1423 views this year

Social Work Abstracts This link opens in a new window
All aspects of the social work field
*Offers extensive coverage of more than 450 social work and human services journals (Produced by the National Association of Social Workers)

*Subject coverage includes Therapy, Education, Human Services, Addictions, Child and Family Welfare, Mental Health, Civil and Legal Rights

*Covers items published from 1965-present
SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
All sub disciplines of sociology
*Features more than 1,300,000 records with subject headings from a 15,000 term sociology-specific thesaurus

*Contains informative abstracts for more than 590 "core" coverage journals dating back to 1895

*Contains full text for 235 "core" coverage journals dating back to 1895, and 72 "priority" coverage journals

*Also includes full text for 545 books and monographs, and full text for 6,601 conference papers
Social Justice Suite (HeinOnline) This link opens in a new window
Contains the following sub-collections from Hein Online:
* Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture and Law
* Gun Regulation and Legislation in America
* Civil Rights and Social Justice
* Open Society Justice Initiative
* LGBTQ+ Rights
In October 2016, HeinOnline unveiled Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law, a unique database released free of charge on a global scale to help librarians guide their communities and create an environment for open and positive dialogue. Less than three years later, we announced another free database, Gun Regulation and Legislation in America, with the same vision. In 2020, we were proud to offer Civil Rights and Social Justice, another free research database dedicated to the fight for civil rights in America. In 2021, at a crucial moment in history, we are proud to offer the Open Society Justice Initiative, as the fourth free database within our Social Justice Suite. In 2022, LGBTQ+ Rights was the fifth database added.
LGBTQ+ Source This link opens in a new window
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender resources
LGBTQ+ Source contains all of the content available in LGBT Life as well as full text for more than 140 of the most important and historically significant LGBTQ+ journals, magazines and regional newspapers, plus full text for 150 monographs/books.

The database includes comprehensive indexing and abstract coverage as well as a specialized LGBTQ+ Thesaurus containing over 10,000 terms.

*Full text content available includes The Advocate, Gay Parent Magazine, Girlfriends, GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian & Gay Studies, James White Review, ISNA News, Ladder, Lesbian Tide, New York Blade, ONE, TANGENTS, Washington Blade, and many more