This concise, accessible, and engaging handbook offers a companion for social work students to acquire professional and competency-based writing skills. Written by experienced educators, the book builds writing proficiency by introducing a social work-based guide to academic writing and professional communication. Each chapter addresses a specific area of social work writing and development, progressing from coursework and beginning fieldwork to practice-based assessments and reports. The authors integrate a series of scaffolded activities throughout for readers to cultivate awareness and further technique; and with sections explaining contemporary communication methods and common writing challenges, readers will be prepared to use technology both to strengthen their writing and to ease the overall process.
Excellent for use in courses across the social work curriculum and as a personal guide, the Handbook for Social Work Writing provides students with on-the-spot guidance for any type of academic or professional writing assignment.
Introduction: Getting the Most Out of This Handbook for Social Work Writing 1. Writing for Social Work Courses 2. Writing for the Field: Write Like a Professional Social Worker 3. Other Forms of Communication 4. Using Technology to Make Writing Easier 5. The Basics of APA Writing Style 6. Common Writing Challenges 7. Skills in Support of Critical Writing Appendix A: Example of a Well-Written Paper Appendix B: Commonly Used Acronyms Appendix C: Sample Resume
Biography
Susan E. Mason, PhD, MSSW, is Professor of Social Work at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University in New York City. The author of over 40 peer-reviewed articles and multiple books, Dr. Mason has published extensively in the fields of schizophrenia, cultural diversity, health and hospital practice, and social work education. She has been editor-in-chief of Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, and has also served on other editorial boards throughout her career. On the faculty at Yeshiva University for over 20 years, Dr. Mason teaches courses in social work research, evidence-based practice, and mental health. Prior to her appointment at Yeshiva, she was a clinical social worker and researcher at Long Island Jewish Medical Center for eight years.
Wendy Zeitlin, PhD, MSW, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy at Montclair State University, where she teaches writing-intensive courses in diversity, research methods, and practice-based research. Dr. Zeitlin has held academic appointments at Yeshiva University and Montclair State University. Her scholarly interests focus on public health social work with an emphasis on disabilities and access to services for historically marginalized populations. She has authored over 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Zeitlin is the author of Basic Statistics for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Using R (Oxford, 2019), and the co-author of two other titles on research methods.
“Writing is an invaluable tool which constructs a pathway toward excellence. It provides an opportunity for students to express themselves around the issues which impacts their world. Moreover, writing provides a conduit for faculty to assess the knowledge base of competencies procured through instruction. I am very excited about this innovative teaching product and invite others to discern its utility as a resource for engaging students in writing across the curriculum.”
Dr. Catherine Gayle, Chair of the Department of Social Work and Associate Professor, Savannah State University
“The Handbook for Social Work Writing is a comprehensive guide for professional writing, covering everything we wish our students knew about writing...but didn't have time to teach them. It has a conversational tone: easy to read but also clearly about things students need to know. I think it will be read. This text could be used across the curriculum—a chapter in one class and a chapter in another, until students really do know everything we wish they did about writing.”
Professor Janice A. Gasker, BSW Program Director, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
"Written communication in our field is a key skill, yet we don't give it the attention it deserves. This book lifts up these skills in a hopeful and inviting way. The exercises can easily be woven into social work courses so we can support students to develop writing competence that facilitates their practice."
Catherine Lawrence, Associate Professor, University at Albany School of Social Welfare
"A much-needed resource for both BSW and MSW students. Writing assistance is often relegated to a university’s writing center. However, this book offers an accessible, easy to understand guide for student and professional alike. It is streamlined and organized, so that it works as a reference that one can go back to time and time again."
Joy Greenberg, Assistant Professor and Program Director of the Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) Program, Lehman College, CUNY
"I would like to thank and commend the authors on a professional writing guide which is much needed for social work students. The key features that will help students and those teaching are the writing exercises, the writing outlines, and the emphasis on time management with focus on what steps to take to complete a thorough timely paper. I teach a course where undergraduate students complete a literature review for a final paper. I would definitely have students purchase this guide. I really have not seen anything like it.
The features I most appreciate for students include the clarity and the way the authors break down each step. Thank you!"Daria V. Hanssen, PhD, LCSW-R, Associate Professor, Social Work Program Director, Marist College
