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Locating 50-State Surveys

This guide is intended to help you identify sources for precompiled 50-state surveys.

Overview

Search law journal articles to identify whether there might be a 50-state survey on your topic of interest.  You can conduct an advanced search for your topic with the words "survey" and "state" on databases such as EBSCO, HeinOnline, Westlaw, and Lexis. 

EBSCO: Index to Legal Periodicals & Books

The Index to Legal Periodicals & Books, available to all Stanford University users, indexes 1,100 legal journals, law reviews, yearbooks, institutes, statutes, bar association publications, and university publications, including more than 320 law reviews with coverage beginning with 1981. 

How to Use: Click on "Advanced Search."  Recommended search fields include TX All Text Fields, AB Abstract, and SU Subject. 

HeinOnline Law Journal Library

HeinOnline's Law Journal Library, available to all Stanford University users, contains full-text, PDF copies of over 2,200 law and law-related periodicals dating back to the first issue for each periodical. 

How to Use: On HeinOnline's homepage, select the "Law Journal Library" under "Browse Databases by Name" (should be first option).  Click on "Advanced Search" underneath the search bar at the top of the screen, then limit your search to Articles, Comments, and Notes. 

Westlaw Law Reviews & Journals and Legal Resource Index

Check Westlaw's Law Reviews & Journals Database and the Legal Resources Index.

How to Use:

  1. Law Reviews & JournalsOn Westlaw's homepage, select "Secondary Sources," then select "Law Reviews & Journals."  Click on "Advanced" near the search bar in the upper righthand corner.
  2. Legal Resource Index: On Westlaw's homepage, select "Secondary Sources," then select "Legal Resource Index" in the right sidebar under "Tools & Resources."  The Legal Resources Index (electronic companion to Current Law Index) contains abstracts from journals with coverage beginning with 1980.

Access to Westlaw is limited to Stanford Law School users by personal name and password. 

Lexis Law Reviews & Journals

Check Law Reviews & Journals to find published articles. 

How to Use: On the homepage, select "Go to Lexis+."  Then, click "Content, then "Law Reviews & Journals" under "Secondary Materials."

Access to Lexis+ is limited to Stanford Law School users by personal name and password.