There is a lot to know about LEGAL RESEARCH so you can't hope to learn everything. Also, if you are not doing legal research on a very consistent basis it is easy to forget some of what you learned. Therefore, the goals of this introductory research class are rather modest.
At the end of the class you should be proficient at the following:
- Finding statutes on a specific topic and using the annotations to find both cases interpreting the statutes and secondary sources to explain the statutes.
- Finding secondary sources on a specific topic to explain the topic and provide citations to relevant cases and statutes.
- Finding cases on a specific topic using different case finding methods (especially using the West Key Number system).
- Using finding aids such as indexes, tables of contents, West Key Numbers, and terms and connectors searching to efficiently find information.
- Understanding the need to use some sort of research process to guide your research.
