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LAW Finding Law Journal Articles

This guide is intended to help researchers find journal articles, blogs and other periodicals.

Use of Indexes

Periodical indexes provide citations to various types of legal literature including journal articles, books, conference proceedings, collections of essays and book reviews. Law journal articles can be found using online legal databases and print indexes.

  • Indexes provide article citations, consisting of author, title, year, volume number, journal title abbreviation and page number. Example: J. Stick, "Can Nihilism be Pragmatic?" (1986) 100 Harv. l. Rev. 332
  • Some online indexes link directly to the full-text article.

Once you have located a relevant citation, take the following steps to find the article:

  1. Determine the full title of the journal. Indexes have abbreviation lists. Also, legal abbreviation guides are available in the Reference area at KF245 and 246 or electronically i.e., Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations
  2. Search the online catalogue. The catalogue record will indicate if there is internet access or, for print journals, provide the call number and location.
  3. For other full-text database access, check journal databases on Westlaw Canada, HeinOnline and Quicklaw. The Bora Laskin Law Libary maintains a list of online law journals and locations.
  4. If the article is not available in print or electronic format at the library, University of Calgary staff and students can obtain it at no charge through the interlibrary loan service. Use the webform at: https://library.ucalgary.ca/interlibrary/ . Please fill the form out as completely as possible to ensure the fastest possible delivery.

Electronic Indexes

Print Indexes

With the increasing availability of computerized indexes, it is important not to overlook the print tools still available in the law library.