Catherine FunnellSheppard Library Middlesex University

c.funnell@mdx.ac.uk28 October 2011

LLM LIBRARY RESEARCH SKILLSSESSION #2

USING ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

Recap& Session Objectives

Last week we looked at navigating our way around UniHub and My Study /My Library to use the Library Catalogue and to locate generic library information

This week we will look at the subscription electronic resources to aid the research process

Journals and Databases

If you must use GOOGLE rather than these databases remember to use the Advanced Search option which allows for a more structured and specific search

Start With EJournals

We’ll start by looking at locating journals electronically

We’ll access it from the EResources page and then the Library Catalogue

My UniHub>My Study>My Library

Modern Law Review-We’ll Use it as an Example

You can either type in the title of the journal or choose from the alphabetical list

Choose a Database Link

When choosing a database link ensure you check the dates that are indexed in the database. This is referred to as COVERAGE. We’ll choose HEINONLINE as we’re looking 2005

HEINONLINEClick on year 2005

Some of the databases place EMBARGOS on their title for CURRENT years.In most instances we will have those dates available in PRINT

Scroll Down to Find the Article Click on the Page Number

Full TextSubject Keyword Searching

To search by Subject Keywords click on Advanced Search

Subject Keyword SearchingAdvanced Search

Choose your Subject Keywords carefully. You can then refine the search by adding LIMITERS, such as date, subject area

ResultsScroll Down to see Relevant Articles

Subject Keywords in Context

By clicking on View Matching Text Pages you can see the context in which your chosen Subject Keywords are being used

View Full TextClick on the Article Title

Searching Ejournals from the Catalogue

Choose Journal Keyword from the drop down options and type in the title

Bibliographic InformationDate Coverage

For this title we have some dates available electronically and some in print. Choose according to the date you need.

Click on the KLUWER Link for the Electronic version

If you know the date you need click on it-we’ll choose 2009

Choose the Issue you NeedWe’ll Click on Issue 3

Scroll Down to Find the Article

Click on the title “Public Procurement....”

Full Text Article

Try Another!

Find Theodor Meron, “The Meaning and Reach of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racist Discrimination”, 79 American Journal of International Law(1985), p.283

Step#1

Step#2

Step#3

Choose Heinonline for the Database

Step#4Scroll Down to 1985

CLICK!!

Scroll Down to the Page Referred to in Your Citation

RecapHeinonline Heinonline is essentially used to locate

journal articles. It does NOT provide information on Cases(Modern) or legislation(Acts/Statutes)

You can access it from the Databases Link on the My Library portlet OR if you know the journal titles from the Library Catalogue

It also provides access to a series called “The English Reports” which gives you access to cases pre 1865

Database List-Look for Westlaw

CLICK HERE

WESTLAW-Main Search Page

You

You can search either using the TABS across the top of the page or the Boxes/Text below

You can use Westlaw to find Acts,Cases Current Awareness and Journal articles

Curent Awareness

Useful if you are tracking a particular case/bill. Can check to see what stage it is at

Current AwarenessBy Subject

Searching for Immigration Cases/Legislation

Cases/Press Releases/Legislation

Summary of Text

WESTLAW-CasesWhen searching for Cases you can use

either the BROWSE feature-which is useful if you know the name of the Law Report series in which the case has been reported-or the SEARCH window

It may be easier to search by using the SEARCH window which allows you to search by PARTY NAMES, CITATION or FREE TEXT

We’’ll start with a CITATION search

Recap-Reading a Citation! Individual cases are arranged collectively in series of Law

Reports. To locate a case you need to be able to understand the citation. Here is a sample Citation: Fisher v Bell [1960] 3 W.L.R. 919 The different parts of the Citation are explained below.

  Parties contesting the case    Fisher v Bell Year the case was reported    1960 Volume of the law reports in which the case was reported  3   W.L.R. is the abbreviation for the law report series in which

the case can be found. The full title is Weekly Law Reports. You will need to know the full title as the law report series are arranged alphabetically by title in the law library.

  Page on which the case can be found 919

Westlaw-Citation Search

Result

Westlaw indexes specific Full Text Law Reports series (those published by the ICLR)and Lexis indexes others.The series available in Westlaw will be underlined

Full Text of CaseStatus Icons PDF

Status IconsCases that have been judicially considered

elsewhere will have a status icon next to the title of the case indicating the nature of the consideration. A case which has received positive or neutral judicial consideration will be indicated by[C in green] whilst a case which has received mixed or mildly negative judicial consideration will be indicated by[! In yellow] A case in which at least one point of law has been overruled or reversed on appeal will be indicated by [- In red]. A[A In gold] indicates that an appeal is outstanding to the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) or Supreme Court, or an application for permission to appeal is outstanding to the Supreme Court. (see Westlaw Help for more information)

PDF FormatFacsimile of the Print Version WLR

Case Analysis-For SummaryQuick Reference

Westlaw-Subject Searching CasesThere are different ways of searching for

cases on a specific subject

We’ll do a general search first and then refine it-make it more specific-narrow our search!

We’ll use the PHRASE defence of necessity as our search term-FREE TEXT

Cases-Free Text Search

Results

Look at Result#4 From This List

Search keywords are highlighted for you to see context/usefulness

Proximity SearchingNarrowing the Search

Here we are asking the database to search for the phrase within the SAME paragraph as the word Trident

Results-Just 1Click on Show Terms in Context

Terms in Context-Usefulness

Recap-Now Try This

Name the parties involved in the following CASE

[1914] 3 KB 259

Answer

The King(R) v Clerk of the Peace for Middlesex

Journal ArticlesFull Text and Abstracts

If you want to see what JOURNALS are available in Full Text you can search using this option

Subject/Author Search

Useful if you want to see what articles an author/lecturer has written on a particular subject

Results

Some articles are only available as abstracts-try Lexis or Heinonline

Journals-Subject

Use proximity search

Results

Other Subject Keywords to use

Logout to go to Lexis Library

Click on Return to My Athens

Scroll Down to Lexis Library

Lexis-Journals

See Journal Titles Available

Click on More Sources to see what titles are available

Legal JournalsClick on that

Let’s Look at Industrial Law Journal

Click on the BROWSE Link

Choose the Date You Need

Full Text

Search-Using Subject Keywords

Type in subject keywords enclosed in quote marks “

Results-A lot!

Title of article, date of artcle and source-journal title is displayed in this list

From Result ListSelect #4

Narrow the SearchSearch two Phrases in the Same Paragraph

Results-FewerSearch Efficiently

When you add another word or phrase you are asking the database to search more specifically and hence refining the search

Search Other JurisdictionsJournal Articles

We’ll Use Australia

Select Filter by CountryFilter by

Country

Select One Australian Source to Search

We’re searching Australian

Compare Subject Across Jurisdictions

Results

Select #4

SUMMON

Click on the Link

Choose Advanced SearchMoreOptions for Searching Efficiently

Search Screen

ResultsClick on Upper Right for Preview

Full Text ArticleClick on Full Text Online

Article Appears in Heinonline

This May Prove UsefulFormative Assessment Two

Poole, T., ‘The Royal Prerogative’ International Journal of Constitutional Law (2010) 146

Find this citation

Library Catalogue

Next Step

Westlaw-International Journal of Constitutional Law

Author

Full Text

Finally.........

I will put this presentation on my Law and Legal Research Subject Guide-the Subject Specialisms Page

See Library Subject Guides> My Sudy>My Library