Unit 5 Discussion: Conducting Efficient Legal Research
Discussion Overview
This discussion forum will help you get to get acquainted with your classmates and discuss what you have read about in this Unit.
Grading
This discussion is worth 40 points (30 for the original post, 10 for the replies). Use the attached rubric to determine if you are meeting the objectives of the assignment for full credit.
Note: You will not be able to view the posts of your classmates until you submit your initial post.
Deliverables
Your participation in the discussion forum, including:
A clear, specific, and detailed response to the initial question(s) below
Clear, specific, and detailed, responses to at least two other students’ posts
Discussion Directions
Step 1 Read and View:
Read the webpage and review all videos: Blechner, AJ, “Legal Research Strategy: Research Overview; Secondary Sources: Encyclopedias, American Law Reports, Treatises, Law Journals, Restatements: Primary Sources: Cases, Statutes, Regulations” Harvard Law School Library (2018). https://guides.library.harvard.edu/law/researchstrategy
Video: “Statutory Research Tutorial: Statutes: Structure and Where to Find Them,” Georgetown Law, Georgetown Law Library http://guides.ll.georgetown.edu/tutorial_statutes
Video: “Case Law Research Tutorial Finding Cases: Court Structure and Precedent,” Georgetown Law, Georgetown Law Library http://guides.ll.georgetown.edu/case_law_tutorial
Video: “Secondary Sources Tutorials” Treatises, Law Reviews, Encyclopedias, American Law Reports (ALR), Restatements, News Sources,” Georgetown Law, Georgetown Law Library (2019) http://guides.ll.georgetown.edu/secondary_tutorial/1
Video: “Case Law Research Tutorial: Finding Cases: Using Citators” Georgetown Law, Georgetown Law Library http://guides.ll.georgetown.edu/case_law_tutorial/5
Video: Boland, Susan, “Using Citators with Cases,” University of Cincinnati Media Space (2019) https://uc.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Using+Citators+with+Cases+–+by+Susan+M.+Boland/1_4u7ohzm5
Video: Boland, Susan, “Advanced Citator Research for Statutes,” University of Cincinnati Media Space,(2019) https://uc.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Advanced+Citator+Research+for+Statutes/1_h6wgdm9w
Step 2 Post:
Answer the following questions. Do not just copy and paste text but respond in your own words. It is great to point to specific language from a text, but if you are going to borrow information from that source, then be sure to use quotation marks and citations for quoted or paraphrased material.
Explain in your own words the concepts of:
primary sources
cases
statutes
constitutions
regulations
secondary sources of law
encyclopedias
treatises
legal periodicals
“finding tools”
Digests
Citators
search engines
How has your understanding of these concepts changed after reading the instructional materials in this unit?
Step 3 Reply:
Read other students’ posts and respond to at least two of them.
Tips to Successfully Complete the Discussion:
Use the attached Rubric to determine whether your original post and replies include the necessary detail to successfully complete this assignment.
Important Note: Be sure to write an original post. Do not copy and paste answers that you locate elsewhere whether in the course materials or on the Internet. If you do want to refer to your lesson materials or Internet sources, you must give credit to that borrowed information and provide basic citations. The goal here isn’t perfect citation, but rather to make sure that you follow the student’s and paralegal’s ethical duties to give credit for information borrowed from other sources. If you want to use exact words and phrases as part of your answer use quotation marks, but your response should still be primarily in your own words. Only then will you demonstrate that you understand the material covered. If you have any questions, please reach out to your instructor.
Consider this: When a client, managing attorney, or judge asks a paralegal a question, the paralegal cannot simply hand that individual an outside source. A paralegal can refer to the source, but he/she still must answer the question in his/her own words and demonstrate confidence and skill in the topic at hand.
