Social Policy
Discover the best information, whether you’re a new Social Policy student starting your first assignment or delving into a research project.
Library essentials
Reading Lists
These are set up by your tutors to guide you to good quality, relevant and useful materials to help you with your studies. They are a great starting point before doing your own research.
Library Search
Did you know? The citation tool in Library Search can help you create references! Learn how to make the most of Library Search through our short, interactive guide: Use Library Search to find academic information for your assessments.
Subject specific resources
Key resources for social policy students
Databases
Databases are searchable collections of good quality, academic material, particularly journal articles. They can be small subject specific or large collections covering a wide range of subject areas. Most databases provide access to full-text items.
| Provides social work practice and legal information and learning tools in an accessible format. | |
| Useful for research on a range of subjects including national and international law, human security, social and foreign policy. | |
| Collates reports, working papers, and other information from health providers, hospital systems, foundations, patient groups, practitioner groups, governments, think tanks into a single resource. | |
| Provides access to hundreds of academic journals covering criminology, psychology, sociology, and much more. | |
| This collection provides clear and concise descriptions of key concepts in sociology. | |
| Provides access to millions of quality, peer-reviewed articles covering a wide range of topics in the sciences and humanities. | |
| Provides a range of research databases covering the full range of academic subjects. | |
| A great place to start a search on most subjects, providing access to both books and journal articles. | |
| An online collection hosting books, periodicals, and archival materials documenting LGBT political, social and cultural movements throughout the twentieth century and into the present day. | |
| Contains the resources needed to investigate both crucial global trends in mass incarceration, and the detailed prison infrastructure of specific countries. |
Newspapers
Newspapers are a valuable source of information. They provide insight into what interests and concerns people both now and in the past.
The Library gives students and researchers access to wide-range of Newspapers.
| Provides access to the full-text of more than 2,300 major world newspapers. | |
| A database of local, regional, UK national and highly prominent international newspapers, with archives back to the 1980s. |
Video
Videos offer a dynamic way to absorb information. They often present complex ideas in an easily digestible format.
| A substantial collection of videos for a wide range of subject areas including, business, counselling, film, health, history, music, and more. | |
| Provides access to a large, curated catalogue of over 30,000 educational documentaries and classic films from leading producers. |
Industry Websites
Industry websites provide information, resources, and updates related to a specific sector or type of business. They can be valuable resources for staying informed about industry trends, accessing research materials, and discovering more about organisations and industry professionals.
| A learned society and charity. Their purpose is to advance the teaching, research, and dissemination of knowledge in the field of social policy. |
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning offers more than 9,000 professionally produced online courses covering a wide range of technical, creative and professional skills.
Always use our institutional link to log in – you will need your University email address and password. The first time that you log in, you will be taken through a setup process to discover courses tailored to your interests.
Discover more in our video: Using LinkedIn Learning at Salford.
Print Books
You can borrow print books from the Library. The location details below are a guide, it is best to search Library Search for exact location of items:
| Classmark | Subject Area |
| 361.6 | Social policy |
Inclusive Collections
Expand your research with diverse voices and perspectives using our Inclusive Collections initiative. Explore school-based collections to find high-quality, inclusive resources.
Develop your skills
Finding information skills
Developing information skills saves time and gives you stronger sources for your assessments. Finding information covers everything you need to learn how to search for resources effectively.
Further support
The Skills website has eLearning to help you achieve your study goals. We cover:
- academic writing support
- referencing guidance
- help with presentation skills
- using generative AI
- time management and much more
You can also attend our academic skills workshops. Contact the Academic Skills Team to ask a question or request a one-to-one appointment.