Research Support Guide for Law Postgraduate Students and Academic Staff

• Go to the Library’s website: http://lib.uwc.ac.za
• Click on the Databases tab in the middle of the page, then on the drop-down menu.
• You can either choose A-Z Databases or Databases by Discipline.
• Select A - Z Databases and click on “J” for Juta e-Publications.

The Juta home screen is divided into two columns:

1.Toolbar: Using the toolbar you can switch views, perform searches, open the search results page and perform other actions.

2. Search Tools: Using the Search tools of the site you can conduct searches using customized search forms (using the “Choose Advanced Search Form(s)” drop-down list), perform simple searches (using input box and Search button) as well as clear search results (using the Clear button).

3. Table of Contents: Using the Table of Contents you can navigate through the publications. Also use the Table of Contents to select for Searches, Select View, Printing, and Exporting functions.

4. Document Viewing Area: Using the Document Viewing area you can view the documents that you select from the Table of Contents or from the results of a search. The document viewing area takes up the majority of the space on the Jutastat system.

Toolbar - View Tabs

• Also known as the Site Hierarchy. The Table of Contents pane contains a list of all the publications the library subscribed to, listed alphabetically.
• You can navigate the Table of Contents by clicking on the blue icon which expands the hierarchy, allowing you to view and select the different parts of the publication available. Clicking the downwards blue icon will collapse the hierarchy.
• Use this to expand and scroll through the Table of Contents to view the list of content available.

Using Hyperlinks in the Document View Pane

Clicking on a hyperlink in the Document viewing area links you to related documents like case annotations, footnotes, amended legislation, etc.

Types of Search Forms

There are different Search Forms available:

1) General Search Form (default option) – this search form is used to conduct a broad search of all the publications the library subscribed to by typing search terms into the general search field.

2) Search Forms – all-purpose forms for all users:

Advanced and Boolean search forms allow for flexibility in search through all or specified publications for specific matches. Matches to words/keywords typed in the search form.

Check-boxes appear in the Table of Contents when a search form is selected. Use the checkboxes to restrict the search by selecting only the publications you want to search within.

3) Customized Search Forms – specific to the publications you are subscribed to:

Law Reports, and Journal Searches.

This format focuses the search and retrieves the exact information more readily.

4) Pre-selecting publications – Click next to the publication in which you would like to conduct your search, a tick will appear next to the publication. This will reduce the number of results you find and reduce your research time significantly since your searches will now be targeted to specific publications.

A full list of legal abbreviations can be found here:

Searching for Cases - Using the Contents Column

• Click on the blue arrow next to South African Law Reports (1947 to date).
• Click on the arrow next to each option as needed.
• The option Table of Cases, for example, will allow you to search for a case alphabetically, by court, or chronologically i.e. by year and number.
• Once there are no further arrows, click on the option presented.
• The law report series also presents a range of searchable indexes.
• Any details presented in blue, are clickable links. Click on the needed option to open up the full text.
• To tidy up the content column, click on Clear once you are finished.

Choose Advanced Search Form(s)

• The quickest way to search is from the box called Choose advanced search form(s) located above the left-hand contents column.
• Click on the downwards arrow to get the drop-down menu and choose the desired option.
• A form is provided to fill in relevant details: with Case Name or citation (Year, Vol., and Page), etc of case.
• It is best to tick in the blank box next to the South African Law Reports option in the contents column or in the blue box in the main part of the screen so that your results are limited to that publication. Click on search or Enter.

Viewing the list of Search Results

• A results list is presented in the main part of the screen.
• On the left-right side of the results screen is the document.
• A result might appear multiple times.
• This is because, on the right-hand side, the occurrences of an item in different locations or publications (parent path) within Juta e-Publications are indicated – if you did not specify a particular publication to search in.
• Check the locations carefully and then click on the desired blue title in the results screen.
• If you want the full text of the case chooses the blue option.

The Full-Text of the Case

• When the case opens up you will see core information about the court followed by a flynote and headnote.
• The flynote is words/phrases/sentences that indicate what the case is about.
• The headnote is a summary of the case.
• This is followed by case information and then the judgment.
• The dark toolbar above the document provides options to download, print, and email results.
• Within the text, any document citations in blue are clickable links – these are documents that are also available in Juta.
• The ‘Links to case annotations’ will indicate what cases have referred to this case since it was published.

Watch the video on Law Report search:

• From the Choose advanced search form menu above the content’s column, select Advanced Search.
• The advanced search option allows you to search for information on a topic within a particular publication or group of publications – you choose.
• In the search form supply the exact name of the topic (or case) or keywords in the relevant box/es.
• Tick in the box/es next to the publication’s options in the content’s column on the left-hand side of the screen to ensure your search is carried out within these publications. You can open up a publication or category eg journals and choose to search in a particular part of a publication
• Click on search or Enter and a results list will appear indicating where information appears in the publications you selected. Look at the results and click on options you wish to view (titles in blue). The contents column indicates how many results are located in the different publications.

• By default, this search template will search across Juta's Electronic Law Journals. A preselection has been made in the Journal Products table below, modify the selection based on your requirements. The search results will be limited to your subscription.
• Alternatively, should you wish to search for information contained in products other than those listed in the Journal Products table, then unselect all entries in the Journal Products table and then select the publication(s) or part(s) of the publication(s) you wish to search by checking the relevant checkbox(es) in the table of contents (the frame on the left).

• Boolean Search uses a combination of keywords and the three main Boolean operators (AND, OR and NOT) to organise and sift through your searches. It produces more accurate and relevant results, allowing you to navigate through appropriate candidates while disregarding the unrelated.
• You can search a subset of the site by choosing sections in the table of contents (in the frame on the left).
• Searching query terms: domestic violence AND children.
• A results list is presented in the main part of the screen.

Printing Documents

After you have located the documents(s) you require, you can either print, download, or export the information. The selection has already been made to print or download. Click on “Continue”.

Exporting Documents

Select Exporting Options and select your choice of content or multiple documents from the checkboxes.