Research Guides: Finding the Law: Secondary Sources

Free Resources

Secondary sources in legal research come in many forms, such as law review articles and legal encyclopedias. In essence, a secondary source is anything that explains or analyzes the law. The following are some free electronic resources you might find helpful in your Indiana legal research.

Indiana Memory
A product of the Indiana State Library (in cooperation with libraries across the state), the Indiana Memory project provides access to a number of historical Indiana resources.
Indiana State Library
The state library is home to a wealth of Indiana resources. This link will take you to a page of their databases, some of which you can use remotely, and others you can use at the state library.
HathiTrust
The HathiTrust is a collaborative digitized collection from libraries across the country, so it has a wealth of content to aid your research. Much of this content can be accessed from the public site. If you are an IU member, you can log into the site with your credentials for full access.
Google Scholar
Searching Google Scholar enables you to search a vast array of academic journals, including law journals. You may not always be able to access the full content, but you will have the information to find the article elsewhere.

Resources at the Law Library

The Law Library has several print and electronic resources you are welcome to come in and use.

Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
You can access a wide array of law journal articles on Nexis Uni.
HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
Secondary sources are what Hein does best. If you're looking for a journal article, check out their vast collection of school and bar association journals in the Law Journal Library.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Another interdisciplinary database, JSTOR does have a limited collection of journal articles focused on law.
Academic Search This link opens in a new window
Another interdisciplinary database, your searches here will search an array of academic journals and other secondary sources, some of which have a legal focus, of a focus in related fields, such as criminology.
ABI/Inform Collection This link opens in a new window
ABI/Inform Complete (ProQuest) is a more interdisciplinary database, but you may find their journal articles on criminal justice helpful in your research.

Law Library Digital Repository
This is a FREE resource of the Law Library, offering electronic access to faculty publications and the publications of our law school's journals. [Hint: If you are looking for a particular journal article, check the journal's website, or the host law school's library for a digital repository to access the article for free.]

Print

The Law Library has a massive collection of print resources that you are welcome to come in and use, and many of which you can also check out for use at home. To find print materials to aid your research, search our online catalog, IUCAT.