A tale of two resources: Foreign Law Guide v. Globalex

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to examine two important foreign legal research resources, Foreign Law Guide and Globalex, under the Ellis’s information search process model.

Design/methodology/approach

This article proceeds in three sections. Part I establishes the evaluation framework based on Ellis’s information search process model, incorporating special demands arising out of foreign legal research. Part II evaluates the two reference resources under the framework established in Part I. Part III summarizes the major features and accessibility of both the databases.

Findings

Generally speaking, both Foreign Law Guide and Globalex are great reference resources for researching a foreign jurisdiction through the lens of Ellis’s model of information-seeking process and ultimately solve legal research problems. One shortcoming to highlight is that neither resource tends to provide adequate current awareness tools for researchers. Current awareness tools are important for the monitoring process under the Ellis’s model, and therefore the lack of adequate current awareness tools should be something to keep in mind while utilizing either or both resources.

Originality/value

Ellis’s model is a well-established model for the information-seeking process. Both Foreign Law Guide and Globalex are popular foreign legal research resources. Therefore, the originality and major value of this article is that it is the first article that examines both foreign legal research resource under the Ellis’s model.

Citation

Zhang, X.A. (2016), "A tale of two resources: Foreign Law Guide v. Globalex", Reference Reviews, Vol. 30 No. 5, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1108/RR-09-2015-0224