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• Introduction
  
  
• 1.1 Legal Journals & Periodicals
  
  
• 1.2 Why Search for Periodical Literature?
  
  
• 1.3 Locating Periodical Literature
  
  
• 1.4 Selecting a Periodical Index
  
  
• 1.5 The Two-Step Approach
  
  
• 1.6 Using an Electronic Periodical Database
  
  
• 1.7 Navigating the Library's e-Journal Collection
  
  
• 1.8 Tips & Tricks for Periodical Research
  
  
• Review and Conclusion
  
  

Journals and Periodicals – Selecting a Periodical Index or Database

The first step to locating relevant legal literature involves choosing a periodical index.

• Many periodical indexes are organized and published by jurisdiction or geographical region.
• Other databases have a particular temporal focus.

  EXAMPLE 1: The Index to Canadian Legal Literature (ICLL) only includes articles from Canadian periodicals, whereas the Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals indexes articles emanating from around the globe (though, since it is an American product, this includes Canadian materials).

  EXAMPLE 2: The Index to Legal Periodicals Retrospective only indexes articles from journals published between 1918 and 1981.

Ask yourself what kind of content and coverage you need and select a periodical index accordingly.

• When in doubt, it is always best to start with a broad and expansive periodical index to avoid limiting your results too early.

The following are some of the more commonly used periodical indexes:

Index to Canadian Legal Literature (ICLL)

• A component of the Canadian Abridgment, which you will study in class later this semester, this is a bilingual index of English and French legal literature published in Canada that includes:
  • journal articles;
  • monographs (books);
  • government publications;
  • audio-visual materials;
  • case comments and annotations.
• It is the most comprehensive index to Canadian legal literature.
• The printed volumes are available at FTX REF KE 173 .C33 and it is also accessible electronically via Westlaw Canada and LexisNexis/Quicklaw.

Index to Legal Periodicals and Books (ILPB)

• This index includes approximately 1000 legal journals, bar association periodicals, university publications and law reviews, and government publications from the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
• It is available online here.
• The electronic version of the ILPB is an excellent source for full-text articles and books.

Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals

• This index provides access to all kinds of foreign (non-Anglo-American) legal literature.
• It includes materials on:
  • comparative law and legal systems (i.e. common law, civil law, socialist law, Sharia law, etc.);
  • public and private international law; and
  • transnational commercial law.
• It provides coverage in English and French, among other languages.

LegalTrac

• Drawing on a wide variety of highly regarded legal publications, LegalTrac indexes approximately 875 titles including major law reviews, legal newspapers, bar association journals and international legal journals.