The following resources will help you develop some fundamental legal research skills:
Basics of database searching from unilibrary on Vimeo.
It is important to think about the keywords you are using in databases to find relevant information. Look at the topic you have chosen and identify the keywords that will help you start your search. You can also look back at the course materials to identify relevant keywords that will help you find resources for your essay. Secondary material in databases may also be identified by a list of keywords that you can use in subsequent searches. Primary sources such as legislation titles and, in case law, party names and headnotes, are also useful sources of search terms. Document the terms used in different databases to evaluate them and avoid repeat searching.
All databases have readily available onscreen help information to assist in constructing more complex searches. This includes using different fields, Boolean and proximity operators, and truncation and wildcards.
Note: Operators used in each database vary, check the onscreen help to ensure you are using the correct symbols and so you retrieve the best search results.
If using single search bars, check which fields the database is searching. Alternatively, specify what you are searching via in-built Advanced Search forms. Legal databases usually include a legislation title and section field in these forms to help locate resources that reference a piece of legislation.
Be aware that terminology commonly changes across jurisdictions, variant spelling exists and language shifts over time. Incorporate alternative terminology (e.g. competition law/antitrust), generate synonyms, use spelling variations (example: labour/labor) and/or a wildcard symbol to ensure all relevant results are returned. Some databases will include variant spelling, others won't.
If you find a good article, use the SUBJECT headings to find more articles.
Use the article's reference list or bibliography to find related material. Some databases will also provide information about subsequent citation of an article or work (e.g. Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science). Note, these are not exhaustive lists of where the work has been cited - many legal scholarship sources are not picked up in these services. Search using the article title, in double quotes, in full-text fields of legal databases to find mentions of it in footnotes or reference lists.
You may find these on institutional or public profile pages (e.g. ORCiD or Google Scholar Profiles).