Journals in focus.
What are Journals?
Journals are key information sources for law students, academics, and all people in
the legal practice.
They provide access to articles which discuss:
- Key legal issues.
- Key cases.
- New research.
Journals will be found on Westlaw or lexis.
Some key benefits:
Keeping it current –
- Understandably, writing and publishing a scholarly journal article takes less
time than any book.
- This allows more relevant, current, and timely articles usually on topics of
very recent interest.
Straight to the point –
- Unlike book journals are far shorter and generally more topic specific.
- The benefit being far quicker to read.
- This focus is further helped by the articles abstract, which gives a summary
about the article.
- Abstracts are always worth a read before reading the full article.
The meaning and importance of peer review:
- Peer-reviewed journals contain articles which have been checked over by
other researchers.
- So, if someone is an expert in family law and they write a journal article on
this subject, the publishers will then ask other experts in family law to read
the article and make sure the claims that the researcher is making are based
on evidence and the methodology is sound.
- Not all journals are peer-reviewed, however, all journal articles will have gone
through some kind of editorial process before publication.
Key types of journals:
Critical –
- These articles critically evaluate the law or a decision or other legal
developments.
- Often a favourite with law students tackling critically driven assessments.
Comparative –
- This kind of journal article is focused on comparing the law, or the
implementation of the law, in different jurisdictions, examining the decision-
making process and impact.
- These journals helped with Brexit impacts.
Contextual –
- This kind of journal places a legal issue/case/legislation into a wider context.
- This can be, for example, national or international.
Case notes/articles about the law –
- A more basic kind of journal article, outlining the law or the details of a case.
- You could supplement your use of a case note with a more analytical journal
article, which examines the legal issues in more depth and develop your
critical analysis skills.
, The skills of journals.
OSCOLA
Journal citations and abbreviations.
Some key skills for journals:
- Using Westlaw/Lexis.
- Critical reading.
- Critically assessing.
- Looking further than the required reading.
- Making journals work for you – breaking it down and understanding.
- Look to the footnotes.
- Helping to plan your work.
What are Journals?
Journals are key information sources for law students, academics, and all people in
the legal practice.
They provide access to articles which discuss:
- Key legal issues.
- Key cases.
- New research.
Journals will be found on Westlaw or lexis.
Some key benefits:
Keeping it current –
- Understandably, writing and publishing a scholarly journal article takes less
time than any book.
- This allows more relevant, current, and timely articles usually on topics of
very recent interest.
Straight to the point –
- Unlike book journals are far shorter and generally more topic specific.
- The benefit being far quicker to read.
- This focus is further helped by the articles abstract, which gives a summary
about the article.
- Abstracts are always worth a read before reading the full article.
The meaning and importance of peer review:
- Peer-reviewed journals contain articles which have been checked over by
other researchers.
- So, if someone is an expert in family law and they write a journal article on
this subject, the publishers will then ask other experts in family law to read
the article and make sure the claims that the researcher is making are based
on evidence and the methodology is sound.
- Not all journals are peer-reviewed, however, all journal articles will have gone
through some kind of editorial process before publication.
Key types of journals:
Critical –
- These articles critically evaluate the law or a decision or other legal
developments.
- Often a favourite with law students tackling critically driven assessments.
Comparative –
- This kind of journal article is focused on comparing the law, or the
implementation of the law, in different jurisdictions, examining the decision-
making process and impact.
- These journals helped with Brexit impacts.
Contextual –
- This kind of journal places a legal issue/case/legislation into a wider context.
- This can be, for example, national or international.
Case notes/articles about the law –
- A more basic kind of journal article, outlining the law or the details of a case.
- You could supplement your use of a case note with a more analytical journal
article, which examines the legal issues in more depth and develop your
critical analysis skills.
, The skills of journals.
OSCOLA
Journal citations and abbreviations.
Some key skills for journals:
- Using Westlaw/Lexis.
- Critical reading.
- Critically assessing.
- Looking further than the required reading.
- Making journals work for you – breaking it down and understanding.
- Look to the footnotes.
- Helping to plan your work.
