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Legal Research
Legal resources are often categorised into primary and secondary sources of law. Primary sources are the decisions of courts (case law) and the Acts of Parliament (legislation). Secondary sources of law comprise the indexes, digests and commentaries on the law, including texts, encyclopaedias, government reports and journals.
Legal Citations and Style Guides
| Australia | Other countries |
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The University of Adelaide Law School has adopted the Australian
Guide to Legal Citation, 2nd ed published by Melbourne University Law
Review Association as the citation standard for
all written submissions within the Law School. The Guide aims to provide a uniform
standard of legal citation.
Print copies are also available at: Law Reserve K114 A935g.2
Other sources:
Anita Stuhmcke, Legal Referencing, 3rd ed. (2005), Law Library Reference K114 S33l.3
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Canada
Canadian guide to uniform legal citation, 5th ed. (2002)
Law Library Reference K114 C212.5
International law
American Journal of International Law Style Guide
United Kingdom
The Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) produced by the Oxford Law Faculty.
United States
The Bluebook : a uniform system of citation, 18th ed.(2005) Law Library Reference K114 U5.18
ALWD Citation Manual: A Professional System of Citation. 2d ed. (2003) Law Library Reference K114 A849c.2
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Legal Abbreviations
For definitions of legal abbreviations (abbreviations of law journals, reports and treatises), the following guides are available.
| Australian | Other Countries |
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Encyclopaedic Australian Legal Dictionary – Refer to Table of Abbreviations
- Click Dictionaries Indexes and Tables
- Click Bowse
- Choose Legal dictionary -Tables and appendices
- then Table of Abbreviations
- OR Table of Law Reports
Monash University Library, Abbreviations of legal publications
A print copy is located at the Desk, and on the lower ground floor by the PC catalogue.
LexisNexis AU and Legal Online ( formerly LawBook Online). Both these platforms provide lists of abbreviations. Just check under the Help button on either platform.
Or, some simple print methods include checking:
- your law dictionary for a table of common legal abbreviations
- Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 2nd ed. – Appendix (held in Law Reserve)
- Butterworths Concise Australian Legal Dictionary, 3rd ed. (held in Law Reserve)
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Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations
Currently over 7,000 abbreviations for legal publications from the British Isles and the Commonwealth. United States publications, and international and comparative law material still to be added. Search by abbreviation or title.
Kavass, Igor. World dictionary of legal abbreviations (updated).
Law Library Reference K112 K21w
Prince, M. Dictionary of legal citations, 7th ed.(2006)
Law Library Reference K114 B586c.7
Raistrick, D. Index to legal citations and abbreviations (1993)
Law Library Reference K112 R159.2
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