Book excerpt: During the 21st Century, social workers will increasingly use evidence-based knowledge to plan, implement, and evaluate the quality of their own professional activities. This book explores the skills needed for evidence-based social work (EBSW). This book emphasizes the importance of applied practice, critical thinking, and self-directed lifelong learning. Readers will learn the fundamentals of the EBSW skills, practice them to establish beginning proficiency, and then apply them to a target client group of their choosing. Social workers and anyone interested in practicing evidence-based social work.