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Legal Research Manual

This edition of Legal Research Manual builds on many previous editions. While the manual is designed principally for use with the first year legal research classes, upper year law students will also find it a useful reference.

Secondary Sources on International Law

Secondary sources like encyclopedias, treatises, and journal articles are important starting points for your research on international law.

International Law Encyclopedias

Finding Tools for Secondary Sources on International Law

The following finding tools can help you identify relevant treatises, journal articles, and other secondary sources on specific topics in international law.

Omni

Find books and other secondary materials on topics in international law by using the Library search tool, Omni.

  • Using the advanced search function, set the subject field as "international law".
  • Narrow your results by including a relevant term in the "any" field. 

Databases

Databases and indexes can help you identify and locate secondary sources about international law.

  • Foreign & International Laws Database (HeinOnline): This database includes in-depth publications of the American Society of International Law and prominent yearbooks from around the world, including the Hague Permanent Court of International Justice series. Included are the Law Library of Congress Reports, an exclusive collections of more than 3,500 meticulously crafted reports on foreign, comparative, and international law.

Foreign Law Journal Articles - Finding Tools

Journal articles are a rich source of information on narrow legal topics. Use these resources to find legal journals and articles published around the world.

Index to Legal Periodicals
The Index to Legal Periodicals indexes over 1000 legal journals, yearbooks, institutes, bar association journals, university publications and law reviews, and government publications from the United States, Puerto Rico, Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The database also indexes approximately 1,400 monographs per year.

LegalTrac
Index to 1,200+ law journals and other legal publications from U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Australia and other common law jurisdictions. Contains selective full-text.

Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals
The Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals is produced by the American Association of Law Libraries and indexes articles published in hundreds of legal journals emanating from countries around the world. Articles about the legal systems and practices of all countries are indexed EXCEPT for those pertaining to the common law systems of Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States.

The IFLP provides in-depth coverage of international, comparative and foreign law in many languages. Also indexed are individually-published collections of legal essays, festschriften, and congress reports. Updated several times a year.