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Law Research Guide

Where to start

Welcome to the Law Research guide! This guide will teach you how to find legal information for your studies. 

If you can't find what you are looking for in this guide, go to Ask the Library and a friendly librarian will help you with your query. 

Not sure what kind of resources you need, or where to find them? Our legal research flowcharts will help you to decide which resources are suitable for the task you are doing.

What are the types of legal information?

Primary sources are the law as it is created by Parliament and the courts.

Secondary sources are resources that assist you in locating and understanding primary sources.

Primary sources include:

  • Bills
  • Acts of Parliament
  • Explanatory memoranda        
  • Regulations
  • Law reports / judgments
  • Parliamentary debates (Hansard)

Secondary sources include:

  • Books
  • Textbooks
  • Legal dictionaries
  • Encyclopaedias
  • Journal articles
  • Commentary
  • Case citators 

Information on how to find secondary sources is available on the Journal articles and Legal encyclopedias tabs of this guide. Information on how to find primary sources is available on the Legislation and Case law tabs of this guide. Journal articles and Legal encyclopedias tabs of this guide. Information on how to find primary sources is available on the Legislation and Case law tabs of this guide. 

Test your knowledge of primary and secondary sources