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Journal articles provide a topical discussion of legal issues, cases, and legislative developments. While journal articles can provide in-depth coverage of a legal issue, it is important to keep in mind that they may not always reflect current law. Scholarly law journal articles are written by legal experts (academics, researchers, members of the judiciary or legal profession) for an academic audience and are supported by research, theory, and references.
Peer review
You may be required to use information from academic journal articles that are peer reviewed. Peer review (also known as refereeing) is a process where other scholars in the same field (peers) evaluate the quality of an article and make suggestions for revision prior to publication. The aim is to ensure that the work is rigorous, coherent and based on sound research.
Interpreting journal article citations
The example below will help you identify the parts of a journal article citation.
Anita Mackay and Lola Akin Ojelabi, ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Academic Integrity and Legal Referencing using the AGLC’ (2022) 47(1) Alternative Law Journal 74.
- Author/s: Anita Mackay and Lola Akin Ojelabi
- Article title: A Beginner’s Guide to Academic Integrity and Legal Referencing using the AGLC
- Year of publication: 2022
- Volume and issue number: 47(1)
- Journal title: Alternative Law Journal
- Commencing page number: 74
Searching for law journal articles
Journals are published in regular instalments with each issue containing several individual articles. There are hundreds of law journals varying by jurisdiction and subject focus. To find law journal articles on a legal topic, start with your university library search. Law databases and other sources, such as Google Scholar, will also help you locate relevant journal articles.
