Search by topic or subject
1. Use the library's databases to find and review reliable, authoritative resources.
Some databases include content across disciplines while others are subject specific. The list of Research Databases on the Law Library website will help determine which databases are relevant to your topic.
2. Identify keywords, subject terms or topics within databases and publications.
Most databases organise content by subject terms and/or topics. Use the databases's Browse options to identify and use these to find relevant material. The headnotes of journal articles within databases are also useful for identifying relevant keywords. As searching by subject terms might limit your search, it's good practice to also run keyword searches.
3. Record the subject terms and keywords you have used to search different databases.
Build up a list of keywords as you research, and use these to re-run searches across multiple databases. Note down the terms you have used across the different databases to keep track of your research.
Summary of search techniques across different platforms:
- AGIS Plus Text (Informit)Informit's Attorney General's Information Service (AGIS) is a comprehensive index tool for finding Australasian legal articles.
Note: RMIT’s Informit database has ongoing problems with a delay in indexing full-text titles of Lexis and Westlaw Australian journals. For best results, always re-run searches within the legal databases themselves. - Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) This link opens in a new windowAustLII has a collection called Australasian Legal Scholarship Library, which holds over 150 law journals and legal scholarship databases, and is freely available.
- Gale OneFile: LegalTracLegalTrac provides indexing for major law reviews, legal newspapers, bar association journals and international legal journals. Each title included in LegalTrac is selected on the basis of criteria provided by a special advisory committee of the American Association of Law Libraries. For Australian content, refine search results via the filter your results 'Search Within' link and type Australia.
- Lexis AdvanceAbove the red search bar is a link to Advanced Search forms, select the secondary materials link.
Fill in the 'terms' field - Westlaw AustraliaSelect Secondary Sources from the landing page and click on Advanced Search. Type your keywords into the "terms" fields. Westlaw also includes the Australian Legal Journals Index. Re-run your search in this publication for refined results.
- Current Australian and New Zealand legal literature indexFor comprehensive coverage of articles from 1973-1987