The document provides guidance on accessing law resources through the VU library catalogue and databases, including finding cases, legislation, journals, and dictionaries. It also outlines how to search the library catalogue, databases like CaseBase and Westlaw, and subject guides for relevant legal information. Referencing guidelines are provided for citing sources using the Australian Guide to Legal Citation style.
Presentation made at Edinburgh Napier University Faculty of Engineering, Computing, and Creative Industries (FECCI) Research Conference, Tuesday 16 May 2014
Presentation made at Edinburgh Napier University Faculty of Engineering, Computing, and Creative Industries (FECCI) Research Conference, Tuesday 16 May 2014
This brief presentation shares information pertaining to the reference materials of a law library, which can be categorized as primary or secondary sources, and the means in which they facilitate the legal research of patrons. It also contains a section on different styles of bibliographic instruction, and a mention of two significant databases.
This brief presentation shares information pertaining to the reference materials of a law library, which can be categorized as primary or secondary sources, and the means in which they facilitate the legal research of patrons. It also contains a section on different styles of bibliographic instruction, and a mention of two significant databases.
1. FINDING
LAW RESOURCES
FOR
BLO1105
WWW.VU.EDU.AU 1
2. OBJECTIVE
To know how to access relevant Law
material via VU Library Webpage
• VU Catalogue
Searching the library catalogue for texts and title links to law material
• Finding cases.
Case citations
Links to law reports
Cases in electronic databases
• Finding legislation
• Law link in library subject guides
• Electronic Resources
Library Databases – cases, legislation and journals overview
Library subject guides overview
• To be able to Reference using AGLC
The Australian Guide to Legal Citation 2
5. Library Subject Guides -
LAW
http://w2.vu.edu.au/library/subjectguides/business/law1.htm
ONLINE SUBJECT GUIDE TO:
• Australian and International Law Web sites
• Australian government publications
• Acts, Bills, Hansard and Statutory Rules
• Case Law
• Journals and databases
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7. Looking up LEGISLATION
• Go to Library>databases>TimeBase LawOne
• Example- Trade Practices Act
• This databases will show updates (amendments) and if it has been renamed
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8. Looking up LEGISLATION
Example- Trade Practices Act
In this example, the Act has been renamed and there is a link through to
the Competition and Consumer Act 2010
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11. LEGAL DICTIONARIES
• Provide definitions of legal terms or legal concepts
• The Library holds a variety of legal dictionaries
• In print in the LAW Reference Collection and at FTS
• Online via Databases & Ejournals
• Butterworths Encyclopaedic Australian Legal Dictionary via LexisNexisAU
• Oxford Reference Online
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12. LEGAL DICTIONARIES
AUSTRALIAN LEGAL WORDS & PHRASES
• Online via LexisNexisAU
• Provides a comprehensive listing of words and phrases which have
either been defined in legislation or judicially interpreted.
• Provides details of where the word or phrase has been defined and
often the context in which the term is defined. This allows you to isolate
immediately the most relevant definition.
• For example, the term insolvent has been defined in various pieces of legislation
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13. ABBREVIATIONS - law journals and law reports.
e.g. CLR = Commonwealth Law Reports
ALJ = Australian Law Journal
LOOK THEM UP ONLINE VIA LIBRARY DATBASES:
FirstPoint – http://w2.vu.edu.au/library/databases/firstpoint.html
Click on Help then FirstPoint Table of Abbreviations
CaseBase – http://w2.vu.edu.au/library/databases/casebase.html
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15. CASES
• Example Lewis v Averay [1972] 1 QB 198
(Case name, Year, Vol, Abbrev. of law report, starting page)
Look up abbreviations list for QB = Queens Bench
For all Reports from the UK, go to
WESTLAW International through the library databases page
http://library.vu.edu.au/search/f?SEARCH=westlaw&sortdropdown=-
For Australian Cases- CASEBASE is a good start.
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16. WESTLAW International
Good for UK Cases
Example Lewis v Averay [1972] 1 QB 198
click on Westlaw UK, then type in the party names
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18. Looking up journal articles for Law
• There are many choices!
• AGIS plus Text
• Austlii Journals
• LexisNexis Journals
• CCH
• Hein online
• Oxford Journals online
• Legal Online
• For newspaper commentary on current issues, go to FACTIVA
• If you have a reference list -look up the name of the journal in the catalogue.
• If you are searching by keyword, go to the databases page. 18
22. Referencing using AGLC
• The Australian Guide to Legal Citation is similar to the Chicago Style.
• It uses the footnote system.
• You will need to add your reference as a footnote citation at the bottom of
the page, and also into your List of References at the End of your essay.
• AGLC Guide:
• http://w2.vu.edu.au/library/referencing/
The order for the list the references (cases, articles, webpage etc)
How to List different items as a footnote citation
How to List different items as a Bibliography/Reference List
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23. Inserting footnotes into WORD 2010
This text is to look at later!
• In print layout view (Print Layout view: A view of a document or other object as it will appear
when you print it. For example, items such as headers, footnotes, columns, and text boxes
appear in their actual positions.), click where you want to insert the note reference mark.
• On the Insert menu, point to Reference, and then click Footnote.
• Click Footnotes or Endnotes.
• By default, Word places footnotes at the end of each page and endnotes at the end of the
document. You can change the placement of footnotes and endnotes by making a selection in
the Footnotes or Endnotes box.
• In the Number format box, click the format you want.
• Click Insert.
• Word inserts the note number and places the insertion point next to the note number.
• Type the note text.
• Scroll to your place in the document and continue typing.
• As you insert additional footnotes or endnotes in the document, Word automatically applies the
correct number format.
• When you add, delete, or move notes that are automatically numbered, Word renumbers the
footnote and endnote reference marks (note reference mark: A number, character, or
combination of characters that indicates that additional information is contained in a footnote or
endnote.).
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24. CONTACT DETAILS
Murray Greenway - Law Librarian
City Queen Library
PHONE 9919 1834
EMAIL murray.greenway@vu.edu.au
Contact us for
Bronwyn Betts - Legal Reference Librarian
information
City Queen Library
assistance
PHONE 9919 1850
EMAIL bronwyn.betts@vu.edu.au
Lou Connell - Business & Law Librarian
Footscray Park Library
PHONE 9919 4423
EMAIL lou.connell@vu.edu.au
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