Legal encyclopedias don’t always seem like the most helpful research tools for academic legal writing. American Jurisprudence (Am. Jur.) and Corpus Juris Secundum (CJS) provide solid background information, but often that information is too basic and we need to dig into a treatise, American Law Report annotation, or scholarly journal article. But there are more narrowly-focused encyclopedias and handbooks out there that are great tools for scholarly legal research papers. Articles in specialized encyclopedias and handbooks are written by experts and provided much more focused information than a general legal encyclopedia.
Here are some examples articles you can find in these specialized research materials:
- Research and Scholarship on Climate Change Law in Developing Countries in the Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law
- Exercise of Jurisdiction over the Crime of Aggression: International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Max Planck Encyclopedias of International Law
- Law and Language in the Oxford Handbook of Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
- The Legal Status of Religious Communities in Sierra Leone in the Encyclopedia of Law and Religion
Our collection of handbooks and encyclopedias is especially robust in international law. Search for “handbook” or “encyclopedia” in the library catalog or in the A-Z Databases List. Contact a librarian any time for help!