Ensuring Standards in Social Work Research

The strength of a profession derives from its knowledge base. Researchers in medicine, engineering, and business have amassed a critical body of empirically tested knowledge that empowers their practitioners. The development of a knowledge base requires social institutions that encourage and reward research. One of the most critical institutions for the development of knowledge is a profession’s peer review journals. The journals allow the profession to accurately and fairly assess the quality and importance of research occurring within the profession. The concept of peer review ensures researchers that editorial board members who have demonstrated the knowledge and background necessary to understand the complexities of submitted work are judging their work. Pardeck and Meinert’s findings raise doubts about the adequacy of the peer-review process for the profession’s main journal, Social Work. The author argues that the problem is even wider, affecting appointments to the Encyclopedia, endowed chairs, and more.