There are lots of different types of information and places to find it. Some examples include:
Most modules have a Resource List (reading list) which tell you the key books, journal articles and other resources you need to use. You can find this on each of your modules on GCU Learn. Some of the source types might be new to you.
Resource Lists are a starting point. You won't always to be told what to use.
This guide will help you identify key source types, the benefits of each and where to find them.
Academic books are written by subject experts. You don't read them from start to finish. Use the contents page at the start of the book or the index at the end to find the topic you are looking for. Academic books can be in print or as e-books. The content is the same. You can search an e-book to find what you need.
Popular books are updated and republished regularly. These different versions are called editions. Depending on your subject, you might need the most recent edition of a book.
It takes a long time for a book to be written and published so you will also need to use other more recent sources such as journal articles and reports.
You can use books to:
Our main source for finding books and e-books is Discover. You can search for a particular title or a general topic. See our Discover video guides.
The works of early writers known as the Institutional Writers, although not used frequently in modern law, still have resonance and are important in the history and development of Scots law. These are a group of works by writers in the 17th and 18th centuries, which form a body of work of considerable influence on case law.
Below are some of the most important works by the Institutional Writers. You can find them on Discover by searching for the title.
Journals are academic magazines that focus on a specific subject area. These are made up of shorter journal articles. They are published more frequently than books, for example monthly or four times a year.
Journal articles are short but complex and take time to read and understand. Like books, they are written by subject experts such as academics, researchers or professionals.
There are two main types of journals:
There are also different types of articles:
Many academic journals are peer-reviewed. This means that articles are checked and approved by experts in the same field (peers) before they are published.
You can use journal articles to:
You are expected to use journal articles in your work as they are a key source of academic information.
There are many ways to find journal articles. Where you search depends on how much information you need, how much time you have and what you are studying.
Mixture of full text and abstracts. Includes the Legal Journals Index. Only place online where you will find Scots Law Times.
Default journal search is full text. You can also search the Journal Index which includes full text and abstract only. Unique titles include Tax Journal and The New Law Journal.
Extensive journal archives. Though predominately American, other jurisdictions are also included.
This short video describes the main sections in most journal articles.