Legal Research Skills

Legal commentary publications (sometimes called 'loose-leaf services') regularly update legal topics and comment on the law with reference to legislation and cases.

Each of the legal publishers produce their own commentaries. It is recommended that you search across all databases to ensure you find all the relevant commentary on your topic. 

To search for commentary through Westlaw AU:

1. Under Content Type, click Commentary
2. Click Advanced next to the search box
3. Use the advanced search form to search by keyword, citation or legislation cited
4. On the results page, expand the Publication Type filter on the left-hand side to limit to Commentary

To search for commentary through Lexis Advance:

1. Click Advanced Search > select Secondary Materials from the drop-down menu
2. Search for commentary using keywords, or use the relevant fields to find commentary citing legislation or cases
3. On the results page, expand the Content Type filter on the left-hand side to limit to Commentary

To search for commentary through CCH:

1. Type your search terms into the top search bar
2. On the results page, expand the Filters panel on the left-hand side, then under Content Type, limit to Commentary