A journal is a regular publication (monthly, yearly, etc.) in which you will find academic and research articles. The articles present current research and quick (but thoughtful) responses to legal developments, such as Case Comments..
Journals which are peer-reviewed submit potential articles to evaluation by other experts before publication, so you can be confident of the quality of those finally included in the volume.
The majority of journals held by the Bodleian Libraries in both physical and electronic formats can be searched via SOLO, however you may find the Law Library's own database easier to use.
Use the other tabs in this box to find recommended journals and guidance on the special online tools to help you find articles in law journals
Holders of an Oxford SSO have access to both law journals published in India, and many more published in other countries but with an interest in important legal developments in India
Some Indian law journals available to holders of an Oxford SSO via other platforms
Journals which may include articles of interest
Tip for SOLO results for journal searches
It is quite common for an ejournal to be supplied by more than one database. Usually this is because no single provider has the whole run of the journal from the first volume to the most recent. Consequently, if you are looking for a particular article take care to select the database which includes the volume/year of your citation - this will not necessarily be the first on the list of alternatives.
Finding open access journals, articles etc
Our principal collection of Indian law journals have shelf marks beginning Cw India 300.
The main journal titles available in print in the Law Library are below. Volumes 2000 or later will be on Level 1; volumes 1999 and earlier are on the Ground Floor.
Annual Survey of Indian Law Cw India 300 A50 1965-v.45 (2009)
Journal of the Indian Law Institute Cw India 300 I70 1958 - 201
Madras Law Journal Cw India 300 M20 v.1:no.1(1891)-v.247:no.7(2009)
Note the exception below
Indian Journal of International Law Internat 300 I20 1960 - 2017
volumes 2000-2017 of IJIL are on Level 3, with other journals relating to public international law. volumes 1960-1999 are on the ground floor also in the public international law (rather than the national) collection.
Please ask a member of staff for directions when you visit the Law Bod.
Legal databases and ejournal platforms offer ways for you to set up customised alerts and/or an RSS feed. Look out for "Current Awareness," "Stay up to Date," "Create Alert" or the bell icon: instructions are usually clear. If you do encounter difficulties please contact us.
Note that Westlaw Edge UK also includes the formerly separate LawTel service
An ETOC or TOC option provides the entire table of contents of each new journal issue.
If you come to the Law Library, check out the Just In Corner on Level 2 (the entrance level) which has a display of the most recent issues of those law journals still received in print. (This display is updated weekiy.)
In addition (especially if you have inter disciplinary interests)
Some researchers may remember ZETOC. In its place we recommend the open access service JournalsTOCs - "the largest, free collection of scholarly journal Tables of Contents (TOCs): 32,312 journals including 15,741 selected Open Access journals and 11,834 Hybrid journals, from 3333 publishers."
Please note this requires you to register as an individual - it is not an Oxford SSO related eresource.
Remember: legal developments may well be the subject of articles in law journals published in other jurisdictions.
There are special tools - not just SOLO's article search and google scholar! - to help you locate articles published in scholarly journals. Do make use of them!
Indexing tools on the free web
There are too many for any list to be comprehensive. If you are studying a particular legal topic, or a foreign jurisdiction, it may well be worth considering which law firms have gained a distinguished reputation in the same topic/jurisdiction, they may well have partners/practitioners posting news and comment.
Abstracting (service):
Used to refer to a bibliographic database, the service provides abstracts of publications.
(Academic) Journal:
A regular publication of academic and research articles.
Bibliographic database:
A searchable platform that contains descriptive records of articles, books, conference proceedings, audio-visual material, maps, newspapers, and more.
Conference proceedings:
The published record of a conference.
Citation:
A quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in a scholarly work.
Full-text:
This means you can read the item in full from beginning to end, not just the abstract or summary.
Indexing (service):
Used to refer to a bibliographic database, the service provides descriptors to help organise and navigate publications.
Periodical:
A regular publication that includes articles, stories and other text. Magazines and newspapers are examples of these.
Platform:
This refers to the site on which you can find and access the journal.
Preprints:
Pre-publication version of articles. cf Version of Record.
Serial:
A broad term that refers to items published in a series but the items are separate and standalone. Examples include indexes, yearbooks and some journals.
Version of Record (VoR) :
The fully published version, the most authoritative source of the text.
Working (research, discussion) papers:
Pre-publication not peer-reviewed versions of academic articles, book chapters, or reviews which are are in progress, under submission, or in press and forthcoming elsewhere.
SOLO does not understand the abbreviations of either law reports or journals: you need to use the full title to search SOLO successfully. For example, use Modern Law Review (not MLR), Lloyds Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly (not LMCLQ).
The online tool below, the Cardiff Index will help you find out what that abbreviation means!
Alternatively, ask a law librarian!
If the Bodleian Libraries don't have the journal you are looking for, we may be able to source it through Oxford's inter-library loan service.
If the Bodleian Libraries don't have the journal or article you are looking for, you can make a recommendation by completing the form below (Oxford Single-Sign On required).
