Research Cheat Sheet
for Journal Members
This chart provides some popular sources from the Duke Law reference librarians for quickly locating various
types of items which are commonly cited in law review notes.
If you need…
…try looking in…
a BOOK, and you have the title
1. Duke University Libraries Catalog
(http://search.library.duke.edu/);
2. SearchTRLN (http://search.trln.org) or WorldCat database
(http://www.worldcat.org) for interlibrary loan
a BOOK, and you know only the
author’s name or an incomplete
(“fuzzy”) title
1. WorldCat to locate the exact title, then the Duke Catalog to see if we
own it;
2. Google (or your favorite search engine) for the author’s C.V., then
Duke Catalog/WorldCat. (This approach works best for authors who
are affiliated with a university.)
a CASE
1. LexisNexis/Westlaw/Bloomberg (many in PDF)
2. Court’s own website for posted opinions
3. Reporters on Level 3 (federal) and Level 1 (regional)
4. HeinOnline: State Reports, a Historical Archive, or ask a
reference librarian for help (some older state cases may also be in off-site
storage or in LLMC Digital database)
*Use Bieber’s Dictionary at Ref Desk, or
Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations
(http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/),
if you don’t know the abbreviation
a CONFERENCE PAPER
1. Web search for the conference home page, the author’s C.V., or the
hosting organization;
2. Catalog/WorldCat search for title keywords: proceedings and
conference and [key word(s) in conference name]
a CONGRESSIONAL DOCUMENT
or REPORT
1. Congress.gov (https://congress.gov/)
2. US Congressional Serial Set online
(http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE003457404) for 18171994; print version of set is available at Perkins (for in-library use only)
3. Proquest Congressional
(http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE002487153
4. Proquest Legislative Insight
http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE005897733
(look up documents and reports related to passage of legislation)
5. Search Duke Catalog to locate a print copy of an individual report in
Perkins or Library Service Center
a CONGRESSIONAL HEARING
1. ProQuest Congressional
(http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE002487153) for full-text
PDFs (1824-present) and citation information
2. Newer hearings (1995-present) also available on FDSys/GPO Access
(http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/) or on committee websites.
3. Search Duke Catalog to locate a print copy in Perkins or Library
Service Center
a CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH
SERVICE (CRS) REPORT
1. ProQuest Congressional (1916-present)
(http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE002487153)
2. UNT Libraries CRS search engine (1970-present)
(http://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/collections/CRSR/browse)
a COURT DOCUMENT
1. LexisNexis/Westlaw for links to PDF briefs
2. U.S. Supreme Court Records & Briefs (1832-1978)
(http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE004173355)
3. Bloomberg Law (docket search; PACER only if not on Bloomberg,
login and password at Reference Desk)
4. Court’s own website for posted documents or contact information
an INTERNET SOURCE whose link
no longer works
Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org), for a “snapshot” of the URL
on a particular date.
a JOURNAL or LAW REVIEW
ARTICLE
1. Citation Linker, from Finding Articles links off of Legal Databases and
Links page
http://pm6mt7vg3j.search.serialssolutions.com/?SS_Page=refiner to find
online full-text access through HeinOnline, JSTOR, or other database;
2. Duke Catalog to find a copy on campus (may request articles from
other libraries with ILL form)
3. Google Scholar linked to Duke Catalog which provides direct access
to journal articles within library subscriptions
Proquest newspaper databases accessible through Duke Catalog;
Americas Newspapers
Look up newspaper title in Duke Catalog; however, no ILL service
available for newspaper articles which are full-text online (even if not
PDF).
a NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
a PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENT
1. FDsys/GPO Access for 1993-present
(http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=CPD
);
2. HeinOnline Presidential Library
(http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE003131760) for earlier
administrations
3. The American Presidency Project
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/
a REGULATION
1. FDsys/GPO Access (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/)
2. HeinOnline Federal Register and CFR libraries
(http://search.library.duke.edu/search?id=DUKE003131760)
a STATUTE
1. Level 3 of Library (Federal Alcove and State Codes)
2.. HeinOnline for editions of Statutes at Large and U.S. Code
(federal) and historical session laws (state)
a TREATY
Check the Library’s Research Guide to Treaties at
http://www.law.duke.edu/lib/researchguides/treaties.html.
a U.N. DOCUMENT
Check the Library’s Research Guide section on locating UN
documents at http://www.law.duke.edu/lib/researchguides/un.
a “WORKING PAPER” or article not
yet published
1. Social Sciences Research Network (http://www.ssrn.com);
2. Bepress Legal Repository (http://law.bepress.com/repository);
3. Author’s website/online CV for online version or contact
information.
ANYTHING ELSE?
PHONE: (919) 613-7121
EMAIL: ref@law.duke.edu
CHAT: dukelawreference (AIM, Yahoo, or MSN)
Service hours: Mon-Thu, 8:00 am-8:00 pm
Contact the Reference Desk for help!
Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm
Sunday, 2:00 pm-6:00 pm
JLB 08/2012; updated JPB 8/2015