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Referencing in your legal studies

Sample text 1

Checklist for your footnotes and bibliography

Cross-referencing across and inside footnotes

Using research in the body of your text

Presentation of quotations

Using quotations strategically

Evaluating your source material

Sample text 2

Avoiding plagiarism

Legal Reasrch: An introduction, University of Wollongong Library
Planning Your Research Legislation Case law Finding Journal Articles Citing While Writing Quizzes

Referencing in your legal studies

The University of Wollongong requires all students to complete the Independent Learners Introductory Program ILIP (opens in a new window). This compulsory program has been designed as a basic introduction to the research skills and technology that you will need at university to enable you to find information. You will notice that there are some referencing questions in the assignment which are based on the Harvard referencing style. However, you will be shown and expected to use another style when you begin your studies in the Faculty of Law.

The Faculty of Law at the University of Wollongong follows the method of citation outlined in the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (2nd ed, 2002) which will be referred to from now on as the AGLC.

There are copies for loan in the Library (at KL/155.K1/AUS/1) or you can download the AGLC pdf file (opens in a new window).

Click on sample text (opens in a new window) for a model of the use of legal footnotes and bibliography.

A distinguishing feature of the AGLC is the use of footnotes. Footnoting is a way of telling the reader about the sources and quotes used in your writing as well as a way to provide additional information. Acknowledging your sources of information with footnotes is an effective means of avoiding plagiarism.

You will also need to provide a bibliography at the end of your written assessment tasks. A bibliography lists all the sources of information used regardless of whether these are included in your footnotes. Another feature of the AGLC is that it divides the bibliography into the following sections:

  1. Journal Articles/Books/Reports
  2. Case Law
  3. Legislation
  4. Treaties
  5. Other Sources

For more information about bibliographies refer to the following pages:

  • Hard copy version of the AGLC 24-25
  • Electronic version of the AGLC 36-37

For further information about legal citation conventions, refer to Referencing and citing Law resources (opens in new window).

You can find more information about the difference between referencing styles across disciplines at Unilearning (opens in a new window).

Checklist for your footnotes and bibliographynext module

 

Planning Your Research | Legislation | Case law|
Finding Journal Articles | Citing while Writing | Quizzes

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© University of Wollongong Library 2007
Revised: 12-Feb-2009 15:29
Page content by: Law Team
The 'citing while writing' module was added by Dr Ruth Walker of Learning Development in collaboration with the Law Library team.