1

Matthias C Kettemann Modified by Reinmar Nindler

Adapted version copy 2013

University of Graz

International Legal

Research Online

With examples of practical application

Contents

I Introduction

II Your entry point to the e-world search engines

III Web resources at the Graz University library

IV Further internet resources

V Questions

2

I Introduction

I1 Who offers international legal resources

online

public entities (governments parliaments courts

IOs hellip)

academia (universities related research institutions

their libraries)

media (from journals to scientific publications)

companies

non-commercial organisations (NGOs parties hellip)

private entities institutions professors hellip

3

I2 What can I use the internet for

general research (bdquofirst acquaintance with the topicldquo)

research for primary literature (treaties laws hellip)

research for secondary literature (books journals hellip)

topical developments (news blogs hellip)

I3 How to start my research

search engines (eg yahoo google google scholar)

meta search engines (eg wwwsurfwaxcom

wwwcoperniccom Google Custom Search Engines

(CSEs))

databases

newsgroups discussion fora

social networking sites (eg StudiVz Facebook)

2

I Introduction

I1 Who offers international legal resources

online

public entities (governments parliaments courts

IOs hellip)

academia (universities related research institutions

their libraries)

media (from journals to scientific publications)

companies

non-commercial organisations (NGOs parties hellip)

private entities institutions professors hellip

3

I2 What can I use the internet for

general research (bdquofirst acquaintance with the topicldquo)

research for primary literature (treaties laws hellip)

research for secondary literature (books journals hellip)

topical developments (news blogs hellip)

I3 How to start my research

search engines (eg yahoo google google scholar)

meta search engines (eg wwwsurfwaxcom

wwwcoperniccom Google Custom Search Engines

(CSEs))

databases

newsgroups discussion fora

social networking sites (eg StudiVz Facebook)

3

I2 What can I use the internet for

general research (bdquofirst acquaintance with the topicldquo)

research for primary literature (treaties laws hellip)

research for secondary literature (books journals hellip)

topical developments (news blogs hellip)

I3 How to start my research

search engines (eg yahoo google google scholar)

meta search engines (eg wwwsurfwaxcom

wwwcoperniccom Google Custom Search Engines

(CSEs))

databases

newsgroups discussion fora

social networking sites (eg StudiVz Facebook)

4

I4 The research bdquomustsldquo

Know where to look

Clearly define your research topic

Know the research operators (Boolean operators ( (x

and x) NEAR NOT AND) proximity (wildcard))

Donlsquot get lost following obscure links

(bdquoWikipedialdquo illness)

Organize your results (using booksmarks etc)

Contact researches directly

I5 Citation

Usual citation rules with the URL

zB Maarten van Dijck bdquoDiscussing Definitions of Organised

Crime Word Play in Academic and Political Discourseldquo

HUMSEC Journal 1 (2008) 65-90

httpwwwetc-

grazatcmsfileadminuser_uploadhumsecJournalvan_Dijck

_OC_Definitionspdf (10 October 2010)

Hint Turn long URLs into short ones by using eg

httpwwwtinyurlcom httptinyurlcom2vlu6l2

Add the date of last visit (or of last control visit)

Use the website title

UN Working Groups Assumed by the Human Rights Council

httpwww2ohchrorgenglishbodieschrworkinggroupshtm (2042009)

Save essential and non-permanent looking websites locally

5

I5 Citation (2)

Never ever ever ever ever plagiarize

Plagiarism is an insult against your own intelligence your

colleagues and the principle of academic honesty

Teachers use the Internet too

University of Graz has introduced an anti-plagiarism

software

In some countries you may be expelled ()

II Your entry point to the e-

world search engines

6

II1 Non-specific search engines

wwwgooglecom

well-chosen research terms

similar words

avoid spelling mistakes

bdquohuman securityldquo bdquointernational lawldquo

(and while youlsquore at it check your own Googlecopy

profile)

httpbooksgooglecom

digitalisation of sbquoreallsquo books

full-text seearch

example bdquohuman securityldquo

II1 Non-specific search engines (2)

httpscholargoogleat

research in scientific literature

6

II1 Non-specific search engines

wwwgooglecom

well-chosen research terms

similar words

avoid spelling mistakes

bdquohuman securityldquo bdquointernational lawldquo

(and while youlsquore at it check your own Googlecopy

profile)

httpbooksgooglecom

digitalisation of sbquoreallsquo books

full-text seearch

example bdquohuman securityldquo

II1 Non-specific search engines (2)

httpscholargoogleat

research in scientific literature

7

II2 Commercial bdquosearch enginesldquo

httpwwwamazoncom

bdquoSearch Insideldquo-function

eg bdquohuman securityldquo bdquointernational lawldquo

Searches within the text are possible

III Examples of practical

application

8

III1 How to use Google more effectively

bullYou are looking for a certain article but do not remember the

exact title

bullLetlsquos have a look at an example

BILD aus bdquoHOW TO GOOGLE ITldquo

Common Creative License Josh Catone

9

BILD aus bdquoHOW TO GOOGLE ITldquo

Common Creative License Josh Catone

Graphic Irina Shamaeva

10

III2 Google Scholar

bullResearch exclusively academic and scholarly work

bull Letlsquos have a look at an example

BILD aus bdquoHOW TO GOOGLE ITldquo

Common Creative License Josh Catone

11

IV Further internet resources

IV1 Libraries

How libraries should work

UB Graz httpwwwuni-grazatub

UB Vienna

httpwwwubunivieacatfb-rewikatalogehtml

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft httpalephmpgde

UNO Bibliothek Genf httpwwwunogchlibrary

ICJ Peace Palace Library httpwwwpplnl

search example ldquohuman securityrdquo (in) ldquointernational lawrdquo

9

BILD aus bdquoHOW TO GOOGLE ITldquo

Common Creative License Josh Catone

Graphic Irina Shamaeva

10

III2 Google Scholar

bullResearch exclusively academic and scholarly work

bull Letlsquos have a look at an example

BILD aus bdquoHOW TO GOOGLE ITldquo

Common Creative License Josh Catone

11

IV Further internet resources

IV1 Libraries

How libraries should work

UB Graz httpwwwuni-grazatub

UB Vienna

httpwwwubunivieacatfb-rewikatalogehtml

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft httpalephmpgde

UNO Bibliothek Genf httpwwwunogchlibrary

ICJ Peace Palace Library httpwwwpplnl

search example ldquohuman securityrdquo (in) ldquointernational lawrdquo

10

III2 Google Scholar

bullResearch exclusively academic and scholarly work

bull Letlsquos have a look at an example

BILD aus bdquoHOW TO GOOGLE ITldquo

Common Creative License Josh Catone

11

IV Further internet resources

IV1 Libraries

How libraries should work

UB Graz httpwwwuni-grazatub

UB Vienna

httpwwwubunivieacatfb-rewikatalogehtml

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft httpalephmpgde

UNO Bibliothek Genf httpwwwunogchlibrary

ICJ Peace Palace Library httpwwwpplnl

search example ldquohuman securityrdquo (in) ldquointernational lawrdquo

11

IV Further internet resources

IV1 Libraries

How libraries should work

UB Graz httpwwwuni-grazatub

UB Vienna

httpwwwubunivieacatfb-rewikatalogehtml

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft httpalephmpgde

UNO Bibliothek Genf httpwwwunogchlibrary

ICJ Peace Palace Library httpwwwpplnl

search example ldquohuman securityrdquo (in) ldquointernational lawrdquo

12

IV2 Academia (1)

American Society of International Law httpwwwasilorg

and its Electronic Research Guide httpwwweisilorg

European Society of International Law

httpwwwesil-sedieu

International Law Organisation httpwwwila-hqorg

Max Planck Institut fuumlr auslaumlndisches oumlffentliches Recht und

Voumllkerrecht httpwwwmpilde

IV2 Academia (2)

all universities and institutes of international law eg

Institut fuumlr Voumllkerrecht und Internationale Beziehungen der

Universitaumlt Graz httpwwwuni-grazatvrewww

bull Some libraries offer research guides eg

Harvard Law Schoool Library Research Guide on

International Courts and Tribunals

httplawharvardlibguidescomintlcourtstribunals

and on International Humanitarian Law

httplawharvardlibguidescomihl

13

IV3 Inter- and supranational organizations

with extensive research possibilities

UN httpwwwunorg

UN Documents Research Guide httpwwwunorgDeptsdhlresguide

EU httpeuropaeuint

Coucil of Europe httpwwwcoeint

OECD httpwwwoecdorg

OSCE httpwwwosceorg

WTO httpwwwwtoorg

OHCHR httpwwwohchrorg

IV4 Document collections

Documents in Law History and Diplomacy

httpavalonlawyaleedu

Minnesota Human Rights Library

httpwww1umneduhumanrts

University of Duumlsseldorf RAVE database

httpwwwuni-

duesseldorfdeHHUfakultaetenjuraravedesrch_syssid=1

14

IV5 Databases

General

Juris International httpwwwjurisintorgpubpage00_enhtm

EBSCOHost httpsearchepnetcom

IV5 Databases (2)

Specialized

United Nations Treaty Collection httpuntreatyunorg

European Union Law httpeur-lexeuropaeuenindexhtm

WTO Documents

httpwwwwtoorgenglishdocs_edocs_ehtm

15

IV6 Journals and publishers

Directory of Open Access Journals

httpwwwdoajorgdoajfunc=subjectampcpid=46

Cambridge University Press

httpwwwcambridgeorgukbrowseDefaultaspsubjectid=1

006971

Oxford University Press httpwwwoupcouk

SpringerLink httpwwwkluweronlinecom

IV7 Link collections

FINDLAW International Law Index

httpwwwfindlawcom01topics24internationalindexhtml

New York University School of Law

httpwwwlawnyuedulibraryforeign_intl

University of Graz Institute for International Law

httpwwwuni-grazatvrewwwdeutschlinkslinkshtml

16

V Questions

Contact

Reinmar Nindler

Institute of International Law and International Relations

University of Graz

reinmarnindleruni-grazat

T 0316380 3425