Looking for information on the context or history of your topic? Use the resources on this page for background and general information on social work topics.
Trying to choose or refine your topic? See the Information Literacy Microcourse Module A: Forming a Research Question to learn techniques for developing a research focus and using background information to narrow and refine your topic.
(Note: Information Literacy Microcourse is available only to WMU students and employees. WMU faculty and staff will need to register here to access the Microcourse)
CQ Researcher is often the first source that librarians recommend when researchers are seeking original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. Founded in 1923 as Editorial Research Reports, CQ Researcher is noted for its award-winning in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the economy. Reports are published online 44 times a year by CQ Press, an imprint of Sage Publications.
Full-text online from over 400 encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference books. Search a topic, build a concept map, or browse information sources organized by subject. Find text, images, sound files, sortable data tables and more.
Online reference books in business, education, law, medicine, religion and social science.