Longhofer and Floersch argue for more expansive thinking about the modes of social science research predominant in contemporary social work science. This commentary concurs with aspects of their article that we see as compatible both with social work aims and with current trends and imperatives in research and practice, including mixed methods and participatory studies, translational research, the scholarship of engagement, and rapidly emerging interest in collective impact. At the same time, it encourages the authors to extend their analyses by grounding them more thoroughly in the specifics of contemporary social work research, encouraging collective dialogue about the implications of their proposals, and recognizing that contemporary transdisciplinary and translational research endeavors are typically more fully aligned with these proposals than this article allows.