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Finding Research

• About evidence-based practice
• Finding research
• Assessing the evidence
• Implementing evidence-based practice

To implement evidence-based practice, practitioners must first identify practices and programs that have been shown to be effective through research.

Ask a specific question

Research questions help you focus your search on practices that will achieve specific outcomes. Generating a good question can be difficult. Often the first attempt at framing a question is too broad.

Effective questions will speak to a specific problem or issue. They will also include criteria that can be used to measure successful practice.

Examples:

• What practices have been shown to reduce incidence of maltreatment among young, single mothers?
• What approaches have improved educational outcomes for older youth in out-of-home care?

Gather evidence

The Child Welfare Information Gateway Library offers a number of resources to help you search promising practices, including:

• Search evidence-based practice resources
• Archives of Children's Bureau Express
• Gateway Library search

You can also search for documents through:

• Community or university libraries
• Internet search engines
• Online databases (e.g., PsychINFO, Social Services Abstracts, ERIC, etc.)
• Professional associations
• State and national organizations
• Government agencies

Use specific search terms. Or search using several keywords, and use the word "and" (to narrow your search) or "or" (to broaden the results).

	Selected Resources Finding Out "What Works": A Guide to Finding the Evidence for "Evidence-Based Intervention" (PDF - 456 KB) New Jersey Health Initiatives (2005) Finding, assessing, and implementing information about evidence-based practice on the web.

Updated on November 19, 2008