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SOCW 5395 Integrative Seminar: Social Policy

Policy Resources

For this assignment, you'll want to think back and maybe revisit some of your background sources from the last assignment. Is there a policy mentioned in any of the encyclopedia or textbook entries that you read about your population? It's easiest to look up a policy if you already know what you're looking for. 

Use the resources in the left column to find the text of policies. Use the center column to find resources analyzing policies. The right column contains textbooks and other resources on social work approaches to policy.

Finding Policies

Find more government information

Useful Links on Citing Legislation and Laws

Citing Laws & Bills

Federal Statute

APA citation style for statutes is constructed with the following elements:

  • Name of Statute
  • Title Number
  • Source (e.g. United States Code or U.S.C. for short)
  • Section Number(s)
  • Year

Example: Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. §§ 2601–2654 (2006).

For more information, please review Writing References for Federal Statutes from the APA blog. 

State Statute

Example of a state law citation from the Purdue OWL websiteMental Care and Treatment Act, 4 Kan. Stat. Ann.§§ 59-2901-2941 (1983 & Supp. 1992).

Explanation: This Kansas act can be found in codified version between sections 2901 and 2941 in Chapter 59 of volume 4 of the 1983 edition of Kansas Statutes Annotated. Two amendments to the act and additional references are provided in the 1992 supplement for the Kansas Statutes Annotated.

Federal or State Bills

For unenacted bills, gather the following information:

  • Name of Bill
  • Senate or House bill number. Use S. for Senate, H. for House
  • Congressional session number
  • Year
  • URL of page you found the bill

Oil Pollution Prevention and Response Act of 2009, S. 684, 111th Cong. (2009). Retrieved from http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.684

Resources for Finding Information on Policies

Policy Searching Tutorial

Citing Government Reports & Websites

Government Webpage

List as much of the following information as possible--you might need to look closely at the website:

Government Agency. (Date of publication). Title of webpage. Retrieved from http://Web address

Example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). School-associated violent death study. Retrieved from: 
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/schoolviolence

Government Report

Citing a government report is similar to citing a book. Often the author will be the government agency. If there is a specific report number available reference, include it in parentheses after the title. 

Example: National Institute of Mental Health. (1990). Clinical training in serious mental illness (DHHS Publication No. ADM 90-1679). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Macro Practice

The Macro Practice course in Social Work examines generalist community and administrative practice roles and includes the perspectives of historical inequities and social injustice and the impact on communities and diverse groups, strengths, empowerment, evidence-based practice, and global practice along with the values of social justice, diversity, and participation. Specific attention is given to assessing community assets and needs.

The guide created by UTA Librarians for Social Work Macro Practice is linked here: Social Work: Macro Practice

Here is the textbook required for Macro Practice:

Micro Practice

Social Work Micro Practice  introduces graduate students to both theory and methods for social work practice with diverse individuals, families, and small groups. It emphasizes a generalist perspective, beginning interviewing and relationship skills, problem assessment, goal setting, and contracting. Special attention is given to the common roles assumed by social workers (e.g. facilitator, broker, advocate) as well as development of self-reflection skills in relationship to the dynamics of intersectionality of those served.

The guide created by UTA Librarians for Social Work Micro Practice is linked here: Social Work: Micro Practice

Here are the required Reading resources for Micro Practice: