Abstract
In my role as editor-in-chief of Families in Society, I have the privilege of seeing firsthand the breadth of scholarship being produced across our field. I also see the collective effort required to sustain it. Behind every published article is a network of scholars—authors, reviewers, mentors, and editors—all who contribute their time and expertise to advancing the social work knowledge base. This shared commitment underscores an important truth: The future of social work scholarship depends not only on the research we conduct but also on the scholars we mentor.
Mentorship has long been a cornerstone of our profession. Yet in the increasingly complex and fast-paced landscape of higher education, it is easy to overlook the responsibility we hold in preparing the next generation of researchers, educators, and thought leaders. Mentorship extends beyond guiding research projects or dissertations. It includes helping emerging scholars understand the broader responsibilities of academic life: publishing, reviewing manuscripts, engaging with scholarly communities, and contributing to the intellectual life of the discipline.
Graduate students and early-career scholars often enter academia with a strong commitment to addressing pressing social issues. However, the less visible aspects of scholarly work, such as participating in peer review or contributing to the editorial processes of journals, are not always emphasized in formal training. These activities, while often unseen, are essential to maintaining the integrity and vitality of the social work knowledge base.
Peer review is one of the crucial engines that drives academic scholarship, with scholars who are willing to invest their time and expertise to strengthen the work of others. Thoughtful reviews help authors refine their ideas, improve the rigor of their research, and ensure that the scholarship disseminated to the field meets high standards of quality and relevance.
When mentoring doctoral students and early-career scholars, I often share a simple guideline: aim to review at least twice the number of manuscripts as the articles you submit for publication. The principle is straightforward: If we expect others to dedicate time and care to reviewing our work, we should be willing to do the same for the scholarly community. Engaging in peer review also offers an important professional benefit. Reviewing manuscripts allows scholars to keep a pulse on emerging ideas, methods, and conversations that are shaping the field.
Mentorship also involves helping emerging scholars understand the importance of contributing to the social work literature itself. In an era when impact factors and citation metrics often dominate discussions of academic productivity, it can be easy to lose sight of the broader purpose of scholarly dissemination. While these metrics are part of the academic landscape, they should not overshadow the fundamental goal of our work: contributing knowledge that informs practice, policy, and the well-being of families and communities and contain practical insights for social workers.
Journals within the social work field provide essential venues for this work. They create spaces where scholarship grounded in social work values can flourish and where research connected to practice and community impact can be shared. Publishing in these outlets should be an academic requirement as it is a contribution to collective knowledge that shapes how social workers understand and respond to complex social challenges.
At the same time, our field must be intentional about expanding opportunities for emerging scholars to engage in the processes that sustain academic publishing. Mentorship plays a key role in preparing early-career scholars to participate as authors, reviewers, and contributors to scholarly dialogue. Programs designed to support early-career engagement can help demystify the publishing process while providing valuable professional development. At Families in Society, initiatives such as the Early Career Scholars publishing track are one way we seek to create pathways for emerging scholars to learn about publishing, peer review, and the broader responsibilities of participating in the scholarly life of the profession.
Mentorship therefore requires us to help emerging scholars see their work as part of something larger than individual career advancement. Encouraging doctoral students and early-career researchers to publish in social work journals, to serve as thoughtful reviewers, and to engage actively with the field reinforces a culture of shared responsibility. Research is not only about producing knowledge—it is also about sustaining the institutions and processes that allow that knowledge to grow.
At its core, mentorship in our field is about advancing the distinctiveness of social work. The scholars we mentor today will become the reviewers, editors, and leaders who shape the field tomorrow. By investing in their entire development, not only as researchers but also as engaged members of the scholarly community, we help ensure that the art, science, and practice of social work continues to evolve in ways that remain grounded in the values and commitments of the profession.
As members of the academic community, each of us plays a role in this process. We contribute to a legacy that extends far beyond our individual publications and help ensure that the knowledge built today will meaningfully inform practice, policy, and research.