Journal articles can be an excellent source for researching narrower, more specialized legal topics. Articles published in law journals typically include extensive footnotes with citations to primary and secondary sources that are relevant to the topic. Two types of tools for conducting journal article research are described below:
Many periodical indexes are discussed in the library’s guide to Articles for Legal and Non-Legal Research. Major indexes include Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals and Legal Journals Index. Some journals may not be included in any of the standard indexes.
Full-text databases for journal articles are available through HeinOnline, Westlaw, Lexis, Oxford Journals Online, and Kluwer Law Online, among others.