Professional Social Work Journals Worth Paying For
Last month I wrote an article about how to stay up-to-date with evidence-based interventions after leaving graduate school. Those resources are great if you’re searching for an intervention for a particular client population, but what about the current research that contributes to our knowledge base. There is a large amount of research being published that pertain to our profession and the students we serve.
Unfortunately, access to the most current research almost always comes with a cost. The good news is that there are some very excellent publications that are worth paying for.
There are currently two professional journals that pertain specifically to school social work (with a 3rd in development).
School Social Work Journal
The journal is published by the Illinois Association of School Social Workers. The journal is published twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. The subscription price is $30.00. If you become a member the Illinois Association of School Social Workers the journal is included in your membership dues (FREE). You can also receive a 33% discount through being a member of the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA), which brings the subscription down to $20.00.
To view the abstracts of a recent issue click here. You can purchase a subscription through Lyceum books here.
Children & Schools
Children & Schools is published quarterly by NASW. The journal publishes articles on innovations in practice, interdisciplinary efforts, research, program evaluation, policy, and planning. The individual subscription rate is $103.00 and NASW members receive a discounted price of $64.
To view the abstracts of a recent issue click here. You can purchase a subscription through Oxford Journals here.
International Journal of School Social Work (In-Progress)
The journal is currently in development and will be published by the School Social Work Association of American (SSWAA). The initial purpose of this journal is to expand the quantitative and qualitative research base supporting school social work services throughout the world. The website states that the journal will be open-access (FREE). *I know the title of this article is Professional Journals Worth PAYING For, but I couldn’t pass on sharing an upcoming free resource* More information will be added as it becomes available. You can access the journal here.
Please comment below. Do you subscribe to any Journals? How do you stay abreast of current developments and practices in our field?
You did your homework and did a good job of presenting the options. I think Children & Schools is actually $35 IF you are a NASW member. The vision for the International Journal is to make research more accessible since schools are not likely to pay for a subscription to a professional journal. Thanks for a great posting on the options!
Michelle Alvarez
Thanks for the reply. I am greatly looking forward to the publication of the International Journal. The SSWAA is doing a great service to the profession by providing an open-access journal. Is there an estimated time when me might see the first publication?