On this page:

• Starting Law
• Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
• Introduction to Law
• How to Read Case Citations
• Legal Problem Solving
• Guides for Referencing
• Legal Forms & Precedents
• Essential Textbooks

Starting Law

The following notes provide essential information to assist you in your Law studies. They are intended as a quick guide only. To read further use the Essential Textbooks.

• Law Basics (PDF 14kb)
• Citations (PDF 18kb)
• Is it good law? (PDF 15kb)
• Case Law & Law Reports (PDF 25kb)
• Legislation (PDF 19kb)

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Find definitions and other background information.

• Dictionary of Law (through Oxford Reference Online)
• Oxford Companion to American Law (through Oxford Reference Online)
• Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States  (through Oxford Reference Online)
• Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions  (through Oxford Reference Online)
• Oxford Reference Online (collections of dictionaries & encyclopedias.  Choose subject area of interest)
• Search in the Library catalogue to find print dictionaries. Select Subject search, key in "Law Dictionaries"

Introduction to Law

Find an introduction to an area of Law (related case illustrations and Legislation)

• Legal Online - Select 'Research' folder - Laws of Australia folder
• LexisNexis AU - Select Halsbury's Laws of Australia

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How to Read Case Citations

Example of a case citation:

Mabo v Queensland [No.2] 1992 175 CLR 1
- Name of the parties
- Date that decision of the court was delivered (handed down)
- Volume number of the Law report series (where reported)
- Abbreviation of that report series
- First page of the report

To read case citations, find abbreviations

Australian case citator / Law Book Company. Cumulative 1825/1959- @ KH51.A78

• Index to legal citations and abbreviations /by Donald Raistrick
• Australian Case Citator abbreviations (PDF 368kb)

Legal Problem Solving

UC Law School Subject guides have a section "Materials on problem-solving techniques".

Methods in textbooks: 

• Laying down the law / Catriona Cook ... [et al.] - Chapter on "Legal Problems"
• Legal problem solving : a guide for law students / Patrick Keyzer

Guides for Referencing 

• Canberra Law Review Style Guide (PDF 23kb) - UC Law School
• Cover page for Law assignments (Word 24kb)
• Referencing Guides - under Research Help
• Other forms of citation styles (APA, MLA etc.)
• Australian legal citation : a guide / Colin Fong
• Australian guide to legal citation / Melbourne University Law Review Association Online edition
• Australian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation / Pearl Rozenburg  
• Legal referencing / Anita Stuhmcke  

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Legal Forms & Precedents

• LexisNexis AU - Select Australian Encyclopaedia of Forms & Precedents. Browse or search with keywords

Essential Textbooks

• Concise legal research / Robert Watt
• Effective legal research / Irene Nemes and Graeme Coss
• Laying down the law / Catriona Cook ... [et al.]
• Legal skills : a practical guide for students / Bobette Wolski with David Field and John Bahrij
• Legal Technique E-Workbook/Christopher Enright
• Mastering law studies and law exam techniques / Richard Krever
• Researching and writing in law / Terry Hutchinson
• Students' Guide to Legal Writing & Law Exams/ Enid Campbell and Richard Fox

Other pages in this guide:

• Primary Materials
• Secondary Materials
• Professional Associations
• Subject Gateways

Ask a Librarian

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Content Responsibility: Edwina.Hyman@canberra.edu.au