The law is a system of principles and rules established by society in the form of laws, customs or policies recognized and enforced by judicial decisions. Legal studies students and researchers need to be able to find reliable sources of information for research on the law. This guide is intended to help law students and professionals with their research on legal topics by providing descriptions of resources and links to those resources.

This is not a comprehensive list of legal information sources; it does not cover all available materials in the field. For more in-depth coverage of a particular subject, consult specialized publications, the Encyclopedia of Law or Nolo’s Plain English Law Dictionary.

Structuring Your Article

The format and structure of a legal article should be organized in such a way that it is easy to read, understand and follow. This is especially important for the general public. Avoid using complex or technical terms unless they are essential for the topic. The general reader may not be familiar with them and they will make your article difficult to read. Use headings and bullet points, if possible. Also, use paragraph breaks and short sentences.

Bluebooking is the process of preparing a legal article for publication in a law review or other scholarly work. The purpose of this guide is to assist law students with the preparation of their articles by describing the steps involved in researching and writing a scholarly paper. It also provides helpful tips for writing to a journal’s editor and for avoiding common mistakes in citation.