As students and/or practicing professionals, it is our responsibility to remain informed by keeping up to date on the latest research.
Social Sciences are frequently referred to as the soft sciences because of the ever present subjective component of the human experience . Mental illness, consciousness, perception, morality, pain, motivation, brain functioning and intention are just some of the issues addressed by human service professionals that, at least in part, are comprised of subjective self reports and assessments. Despite the reality that human service professionals deal with the intangible, our field is strongly rooted in science. It is critical our profession actively pursue objective measures and scientifically based practice techniques. This is necessary to overcome the stigma faced by human service professionals and by many of the clients we serve. Without the backing of science, we may inadvertently provide ineffective treatment and be unsuccessful in gaining the financial and political backing necessary to serve our clients. By remaining as informed as possible, professionals and aspiring professionals alike will provide the most effective treatments available and contribute to the continuously developing scientific body of knowledge guiding the field.
Remaining informed can certainly be a daunting task when the day to day demands of our professional and personal pursuits leave little time for professional development. This page has been created for the sole purpose of making relevant literature and research quickly acessable to those interested in the fields of human services.