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Researching Law School Papers

This guide will help you find your topic, perform a preemption check, and research your topic using Mabie Law Library and UC Davis main library databases.

Research strategy

Listed below are several strategies for finding articles and other materials on your topic. You will use multiple strategies in your research process. Keep in mind:

  • Stay organized - Keep a research log, with a key word list, the search terms you have used, and databases searched. A research log will help you avoid repeating the same searches over and over again. 
  • Ask for help - Speak to a faculty member or make an appointment with a reference librarian for help with any stage of the process
  • Access from off campus - You may access HeinOnline and other Mabie Law Library databases with your UC Davis Law School logon ID and Kerberos password. For UC Davis main library databases, you will need to download the UC Davis main library VPN.

 

Keyword searching

Come up with search terms for your topic:

  • Write out your topic sentence
  • Select the key terms from your topic sentence
  • Come up with alternate phrasings and word forms
  • Brainstorm synonyms for key terms
  • As you perform searches, continue to note key terms used in the articles you find

Use Boolean searching (available in most databases):

  • Combine concepts with "AND"
    • Example: "artificial wombs" AND regulation
  • Combine synonyms with "OR"
    • Example: "artificial wombs" OR ectogenesis OR "reproductive technologies"
  • Use quotation marks to search for exact phrases
  • Create "order of operations" with parentheses
    • Example: ("artificial wombs" OR ectogenesis OR "reproductive technologies") AND regulation
  • Too many results?
    • Tighten search with proximity connectors - /p, /s, /#
      • Example: artificial /3 womb
    • Filter results or search within results
  • Too few or no relevant results?
    • Go back to your synonyms and add terms with "OR"
    • Add truncators (! in Westlaw and Lexis, * in HeinOnline)
      • Example (HeinOnline): artificial /s womb*
      • Example (Lexis or Westlaw): artificial /s womb!

Tip: the Advanced Search page usually has a search help feature with Boolean operators for that database. HeinOnline operators are similar to Lexis and Westlaw, except for the truncator "*" instead of "!"

Search the following databases for legal articles, using your key terms:

  • HeinOnline Law Journal Library - The most comprehensive database for searching law journals. Includes secondary and tertiary journals not available in Westlaw or Lexis Advance.
    • Used "Advanced search" for keyword searching.
    • Search for key terms in title or in full text​
      • Title searches will be more likely to return articles that are mainly about your topic. However, you will receive fewer results. Be sure you have come up with the right key terms or use synonyms with title searching.
      • Text searches will return more results, but your topic may be a subtopic, or only mentioned in footnotes. 
  • Westlaw  - Under "Content types," select "Secondary Sources," then "Law Reviews & Journals."
  • Lexis Advance - Under "Content Type," select "Law Reviews & Journals" under "Secondary Materials."
  • SSRN Legal Scholarship Network - Includes scholarly working papers, as well as papers accepted for publication but not net published.

Note: For foreign or international topics, check the general law databases. HeinOnline, for example, includes foreign and international law journals, as well as journals in related topic areas such as international business/economics, international relations, human rights, and law of individual countries.

A legal index compiles articles published in legal journals by topic. An index does not include the full text of articles. Once you find a citation, use the A-J Journal Finder to locate the full text of the article. 

Note: For foreign or international topics, check the "Current Index to Legal Periodicals" as well as the "Foreign Index to Legal Periodicals." The current index is divided by category, and there are subject areas that cover foreign/international materials, such as human rights.

Search relevant non-legal databases for topics that are interdisciplinary. UC Davis main library databases will require download of the UC Davis main library VPN for access from off-campus.

  • Google Scholar - Scholarly literature from online sources. 
  • Academic Search Complete - Multidisciplinary database
  • JSTOR - Provides access to articles in 75 disciplines
    • Current issues of many journals may not be available 
  • Business Source Complete - Covers business, marketing, management, accounting, banking, finance
  • For other disciplines, see UC Davis main library subject guides
    • Subject guides are curated by subject experts
    • Guides include links to commercial databases and other online sources

Use an article to find more

If you have a relevant article, you can do the equivalent of Shepardizing your article to find additional articles as well as current materials on your topic.

 

Some databases have tools that allow you to find related or similar articles

Law review articles and scholarly articles from other disciplines are well researched and often include footnoted and other materials that can give you a head start in your research. 

  • Look at the footnotes in your article to find other relevant articles, including seminal articles
  • Look at the references listed at the end of the article
  • Use the A-J Journals tool to find the articles you have identified

Find an article when you have a citation

When you have a citation for a legal journal article

  • HeinOnline
    • Click the citation tab
    • Enter the citation in the search box

 

When you have a citation for a non-legal article:

  • A-Z Journal Finder - this tool contains all of the journals available through UC Davis libraries
    • Enter the title of the journal
    • Select "online access" to locate an online copy 
    • Once you locate the journal, enter the article title in the search box

Finding books

The Mabie Law Library has a large collection of books spanning a wide range of legal subjects

Search by key word

  1. Go to the Mabie Law Library catalog. The catalog can also be found on our web page ("Library Search")
  2. Enter key terms
  3. Click on a book to view the book record. The record will show you the call number and whether the book is available to check out

Search by subject

  1. ​​Find a "good fit" book: After performing a key word search, click on a title that is a promising one for your topic to view the book record.
  2. Scroll down to "Subject": Library of Congress subject headings assigned to your title will be listed here. Click on a heading that matches your topic to find more books on the same subject.

 

 

Browse the "shelf" to look for other similar books

  1. Use the call # to find other books on the same topic - Use the "good fit" book's call number to browse other books on the shelf with the same call number.
  2. Browse virtual shelf - Browsing can also be done virtually. Scroll to the bottom of book's record to "Virtual Browse."