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Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Legal encyclopedias are secondary (and sometimes tertiary) sources that explain legal terms and concepts, legislation, and notable court cases. They are a useful starting point for research because they summarize the topic and often provide references to the most important statutes and cases. Legal encyclopedias can be general, or focused on a particular area of law.
Legal dictionaries briefly explain legal terms and concepts. and are useful when you are not clear on the meaning of a legal term, particularly due to the law's extensive use of Latin terminology. Legal dictionaries can be general, or focused on a particular area of law. Some legal dictionaries provide references to a term's use in legislation and court law, to show what the legislature and judiciary intended it to mean.
Legal encyclopedias
Legal encyclopedias can provide you with a summary of the law on your topic.
UMass subscription databases
- Westlaw Campus Research This link opens in a new windowClick on the "Secondary Sources" link, under "By Type", click on American Jurisprudence 2d or American Law Reports and enter relevant search terms at the top of the page. Or click on Massachusetts and choose Massachusetts Practice Series.Available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty with an UMass Amherst IT NetID (user name) and password.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new windowA collection of several hundred current subject encyclopedias including many law-related titles.Available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty with an UMass Amherst IT NetID (user name) and password.
Books and e-books
- Gale Encyclopedia of American Law by Donna BattenCall Number: e-BookISBN: 9781414436845Publication Date: 20113rd edition.
- West's Encyclopedia of American Law by Jeffrey Lehman; Shirelle PhelpsCall Number: KF154 .W47 2005, e-BookISBN: 0787663670Publication Date: 20042nd edition. Includes legal dictionary. Link goes to e-Book.
- Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law by Shae Irving; Nolo EditorsCall Number: KF387 .N65 2014ISBN: 9781413319972Publication Date: 20149th edition. A book written in Q&A format that addresses legal issues that one might face in day-to-day life.
Legal dictionaries
UMass subscription databases
- Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowSubscription-based resource providing entries from over 100 Oxford University Press subject and language dictionaries, guides, and concise companions, including many law-related titles.Available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty with an UMass Amherst IT NetID (user name) and password.
Web links
- SCOTUSblog Glossary of Legal TermsA short glossary explaining the meaning of procedural terms used in the U.S. Supreme Court.
- WexWex is a free, online legal dictionary and encyclopedia created by legal experts and hosted by the Legal Information Institute.
Books
- Black's Law Dictionary by A. Bryan Garner (Editor-In-Chief)Call Number: KF156 .B53 2014ISBN: 9780314613004Publication Date: 201410th edition. The online version of the Black's Law Dictionary can be accessed by logging into WestlawNext and choosing Secondary Sources > Black's Law Dictionary (on the right side).
- Garner's Dictionary of Legal Usage by Bryan GarnerCall Number: KF156 .G367 2011ISBN: 9780195384208Publication Date: 20113rd edition.
- Last Updated: Oct 2, 2024 10:03 AM
- URL: https://guides.library.umass.edu/slso
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