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British Journal of Social Work
H-index 13

British Journal of Social Work

0045-3102

Published by: Oxford University Press

https://academic.oup.com/bjsw

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Social Sciences and Humanities 315 41 76 12

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 78
Documents by Best Scientists*: 113
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 2
SCIMAGO H-index: 98
SCIMAGO SJR: 0.742
Impact Factor: 1.5

Overview

Top Research Topics at British Journal of Social Work?

The primary areas of discussion in the journal are Social work, Public relations, Social psychology, Social Welfare and Media studies. The journal focuses on Social work but the discussions also offer insight into other areas such as Context (language use), Pedagogy, Nursing, Social change and Gender studies. As a part of the journal, discussions in Social change involve topics like Social philosophy and Social position.

Social psychology research discussed connects with the study of Child protection. The study on Social Welfare presented in it intersects with the topics under Welfare.

  • Social work (58.29%)
  • Public relations (16.38%)
  • Social psychology (15.38%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Resilience across Cultures (988 citations)
  • Some considerations on the validity of evidence-based practice in social work (494 citations)
  • Street-Level bureaucracy, social work and the (exaggerated) death of discretion (483 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at British Journal of Social Work:

Social work, Public relations, Social psychology, Social Welfare and Social change are the main subjects of interest in the journal papers. Social policy, Pedagogy, Child protection, Welfare and Social science are some topics wherein Social work research discussed in the journal publications has an impact. The studies on Social psychology discussed at the most cited articles can also contribute to research in the domains of Developmental psychology and Applied psychology.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Law
  • World War II
  • Social psychology

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The topics of Social work, Public relations, Gender studies, Mental health and Nursing are the focal point of discussions in the journal. Topics in Social work explored in the journal were investigated in conjunction with research in Developmental psychology, Context (language use), Social Welfare and Social psychology. The field of Psychiatry is the anchor for the Mental health studies presented in British Journal of Social Work.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • The end of social work (9 citations)
  • Racial Microaggressions at Work: Reflections from Black African Professionals in Australia (6 citations)
  • Social Worker Well-being: A Large Mixed-Methods Study (5 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in British Journal of Social Work (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Jill Manthorpe (60 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
  • Margaret Holloway (33 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition, 5 less than at the previous edition,
  • Michael Sheppard (30 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Malcolm Golightley (27 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition, 5 less than at the previous edition,
  • Ian Paylor (26 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in British Journal of Social Work (based on the number of publications) are:

  • University of Manchester (82 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 less than at the previous edition,
  • University of York (80 papers) published 6 papers at the last edition, 2 more than at the previous edition,
  • Queen's University Belfast (79 papers) published 9 papers at the last edition, 3 more than at the previous edition,
  • Cardiff University (79 papers) published 4 papers at the last edition, 2 less than at the previous edition,
  • Lancaster University (78 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition, 2 less than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 7.95% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 11.87% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 9.35% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 19.42% of all publications and 59.35% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Career Potential in Social Work

Given the extensive scope of potential research topics in social work mentioned throughout this article, it's evident that the field poses substantial opportunities for academic and professional growth. More specifically, engaging with specialized areas of research like substance abuse counselling can lead to career advancement in the field. For example, thorough understanding and research contributions in this area can provide a stepping stone towards becoming a licensed practitioner, dealing with the pressing issue of substance abuse in society. If you're inspired by the breadth of discussion in the British Journal of Social Work and wish to assist those grappling with these issues, the first step is getting the right training and accreditation. Becoming a licensed substance abuse counselor is a fulfilling career option that provides a direct, positive influence on affected individuals, promoting their well-being and integration back into society. How to become a licensed substance abuse counselor in North Carolina provides step-by-step guidance on how to start your journey in this rewarding career field, underscoring the skills, training, and certification necessary to make a positive difference in your community. The dedication to producing meaningful research within the social work sector, as illustrated by this journal, indicates the depth and importance of this career path for those keen on helping address societal challenges.

Top Publications

  • The Political Economy of Peer Research: Mapping the Possibilities and Precarities of Paying People for Lived Experience

    (2021)
    55 Citations
  • Mental wellbeing and quality of working life in UK social workers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A propensity score matching study

    Paula McFadden;Ruth D Neill;John Mallett;Jill Manthorpe

    (2021)
    27 Citations
  • Australian and New Zealand social workers adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic

    Margaret Alston;Kelly Irons;Carole Adamson;Jenny Boddy

    (2021)
    17 Citations
  • Improving Professional Decision Making in Situations of Risk and Uncertainty: A Pilot Intervention

    Cheryl Regehr;Jane Paterson;Karen Sewell;Arija Birze

    (2021)
    16 Citations
  • What do service users want from mental health social work? : A best-worst scaling analysis

    Mark Robson Wilberforce;Michele Abendstern;Saqba Batool;Jennifer Boland

    (2020)
    16 Citations
  • Introduction—When Social Work Meets Disaster: Challenges and Opportunities

    Margaret Alston;Amy Y M Chow

    (2021)
    15 Citations
  • Social Work Practice with Adults under the Rising Second Wave of Covid-19 in England: Frontline Experiences and the Use of Professional Judgement

    Jill Manthorpe;Jess Harris;Stan Burridge;James Fuller

    (2021)
    15 Citations
  • #socialwork: An International Study Examining Social Workers’ Use of Information and Communication Technology

    Faye Mishna;Jane E Sanders;Joanne Daciuk;Elizabeth Milne

    (2021)
    15 Citations
  • The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on UK Older People’s Social Workers: A Mixed-Methods Study

    (2023)
    14 Citations
  • Keeping Work and Family Separate: A Serial Mediation Analysis of Social Workers’ Work–Family Segmentation, Work–Family Enrichment and Job Performance in Australia

    Parveen Kalliath;Xi Wen Chan;Thomas Kalliath

    (2020)
    14 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For those interested in studying Psychology in the USA, there are several related online degree options and career pathways that complement this field. One popular route is pursuing an online human services degree, which offers a swift entry into helping professions focused on community and social support.

Many individuals consider career shifts within the realm of communication and mental health. For example, the transition from teacher to speech-language pathologist is gaining momentum due to growing demand in educational and clinical settings. Guidance on this change can be found by exploring the teacher to slp pathway.

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For those without an SLP background, speech pathology bridge programs online offer an excellent option to pivot into this field. These programs accommodate candidates from related disciplines seeking to earn certification in speech-language pathology.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal

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