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Research Refresher:
Summer Dos and Donts
Heather E. Casey
Suzanne B. CorriellMarch 29, 2012
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Do Your Homework
Before you arrive
Review state court and legislative structure foryour jurisdiction
State Legislative Sourcebook Know what your jurisdiction has available online
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Do Pack Your Bags
Take materials with you
Take your laptop (VPN)
Take your Bluebook
Style manuals
Blacks Law Dictionary
A thesaurus for search terms
List of nearby law schools and libraries
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Do Ask Questions
Of the librarian
Online research availability
Library information
Of the assigning attorney
Suggested starting points
Brief bank
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Do Develop a Plan
Review facts
Identify issues
Determine jurisdiction
Identify search terms
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Do Stay Organized
Identify resources consulted Keep some sort of record of the searches you do
so you dont re-do a search
Keep track of time
Keep print-outs in order and maintain a filingsystem for research in case youre askedhow or where you found your sources
Use online organizers Research trail; history; WL/LX folders
Google Web History; IEs send to OneNote
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Dont Start with Case Law!
Begin by looking at
Dictionaries
Legal encyclopedias
Secondary resources
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Do Use Citators
Very important!
Shepards/KeyCite
Check for good law
Help locate other cases
Help locate other resources
Read!
Don't rely solely on the signals
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Do Use Lexis and Westlaw Effectively
Use the info button
Plan ahead
Use smallest database
Start broadly and narrow your search based onthe results
If you have access to both, know the preferenceof the partner with whom youre working
Call for help
Lexis: 1-800-45LEXIS
Westlaw: 1-800-REFATTY
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Do Extend Your Passwords for Lexis
and Westlaw Educational and Pro Bono Use Only
Lexis - Summer access includes Lexis Advanceonly. If you need access to something that is in
LexisNexis but not Lexis Advance, you can emailfor access at [email protected]
Westlaw - You will have access to bothWestlaw.com and WestlawNext if you extend
your password for the summer.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Dont Use Your Law School Password
For corporate/paid jobs
LexisNexis Academic (VPN)
HeinOnline (VPN)
Bloomberg BNA
CCH Intelliconnect
Bloomberg Law
Law360 Use the law schools public terminal
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Use What You Have
If its available in print in your firm library, usethe print its FREE!
If you are taking over a project someone else
started, get their research notes
Get examples of briefs from other associates
Find out your first day or shortly thereafter
what kinds of templates your firm has formotions and briefs
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Do Know Your Current Events
Yahoo Finance: http://finance.yahoo.com/
Law.com: http://www.law.com
Above the Law: http://www.abovethelaw.com/
Jurist: http://jurist.org/
Virginia Lawyers Weekly:http://valawyersweekly.com and
http://valawyersweekly.com/vlwblog Law360: http://www.law360.com/
http://finance.yahoo.com/http://www.law.com/http://www.abovethelaw.com/http://jurist.org/http://valawyersweekly.com/http://valawyersweekly.com/vlwbloghttp://www.law360.com/http://www.law360.com/http://valawyersweekly.com/vlwbloghttp://valawyersweekly.com/http://jurist.org/http://www.abovethelaw.com/http://www.law.com/http://finance.yahoo.com/8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Do Every Project
50 State Surveys
ALRs, Uniform Laws Annotated, Shepards Actsand Cases by Popular Name, Subject
Compilations of State Laws, loose-leaf services http://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htm
Legislative histories
Compiled legislative histories Search: [state] +legislative history
http://www.law.indiana.edu/library/services/sta_leg.shtml
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htmhttp://www.law.indiana.edu/library/services/sta_leg.shtmlhttp://www.law.indiana.edu/library/services/sta_leg.shtmlhttp://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htmhttp://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htmhttp://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htm8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Do Google It*
Many free resources
Search: [jurisdiction] +legal research
Search: [topic] +legal research
Look for search tips, advanced search
Topic specific searches
File extensions
Evaluate site (.gov, .edu, .com)
* Dont cite to Wikipedia (but do use it)
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Do Fix Whats Broken
Broken links on Google?
Deconstruct bad URL
Remove /parts/ of URL starting at right
http://law.slu.edu/library/reference/missouri http://law.slu.edu/library/reference
http://law.slu.edu/library/
http://law.slu.edu/
Browse for information
Use cached page
Use the Wayback Machine: www.archive.org
http://law.slu.edu/library/reference/missourihttp://law.slu.edu/library/referencehttp://law.slu.edu/library/http://law.slu.edu/http://www.archive.org/http://www.archive.org/http://law.slu.edu/http://law.slu.edu/library/http://law.slu.edu/library/referencehttp://law.slu.edu/library/reference/missouri8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Do Use Spell Check
(and some common sense)
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Dont Pay!
FindLaw (http://findlaw.com/)
LexisOne (http://www.lexisone.com/)
Federal resources
THOMAS (http://thomas.loc.gov/)
FDsys (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/)
Justia (http://www.justia.com)
http://findlaw.com/http://www.lexisone.com/http://thomas.loc.gov/http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/http://www.justia.com/http://www.justia.com/http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/http://thomas.loc.gov/http://www.lexisone.com/http://findlaw.com/8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Dont Pay (continued)* http://www.brbpub.com/default.asp
http://www.municode.com/
http://www.forms.gov
http://www.uscourtforms.com/
http://www.lectlaw.com
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/l
awlink.html http://www.rand.org/research_areas/
* Remember to authenticate your research!
http://www.brbpub.com/default.asphttp://www.municode.com/http://www.forms.gov/http://www.uscourtforms.com/http://www.lectlaw.com/http://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.rand.org/research_areas/http://www.rand.org/research_areas/http://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.lectlaw.com/http://www.uscourtforms.com/http://www.forms.gov/http://www.municode.com/http://www.brbpub.com/default.asp8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Do Use Flat-Rate Resources
Bloomberg BNA
Bloomberg Law
(http://www.bloomberglaw.com/start)
CCH Intelliconnect
http://www.bloomberglaw.com/starthttp://www.bloomberglaw.com/start8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Do Use UR
LexisNexis Academic
HeinOnline
Bloomberg BNA
CCH
PACER (ask Reference Librarian)
http://law.richmond.edu/library/databases.html
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Do Explore Other Sites
http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/
http://www.whois.net/
http://ranking.thumbshots.com
http://www.zabasearch.com
http://www.martindale.com
http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://www.whois.net/http://ranking.thumbshots.com/http://www.zabasearch.com/http://www.martindale.com/http://www.martindale.com/http://www.zabasearch.com/http://ranking.thumbshots.com/http://www.whois.net/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Do Appreciate Librarians (Again)
Legislative Source Bookhttp://www.llsdc.org/sourcebook/
LLRX
http://www.LLRX.com
The Virtual Chase How-To Guides:http://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-research
http://www.llsdc.org/sourcebook/http://www.llrx.com/http://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-researchhttp://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-researchhttp://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-researchhttp://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-researchhttp://www.llrx.com/http://www.llsdc.org/sourcebook/8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Do Know When To Say When
Stop researching
When you stop finding good new resources
Re-evaluate if youre finding nothing at all
Report back
Restate the question
Quick answer, then elaborate
Describe research process Give verifiable citations
Stay on point
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Dont Be That Guy or That Girl
If you arent assigned a mentor, find one foryourself
Find someone who you admire and who will give
you good advice Get to know the firm librarians and treat them
well
Be nice to your secretary, if you have one,and to all support staff!
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Do Keep It Simple
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Do Ask More Questions!
Anyone?
Handouts and slides from this presentationwill be made available through a libguide on
the librarys website
(http://law.richmond.libguides.com/)
http://law.richmond.libguides.com/http://law.richmond.libguides.com/8/2/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2012
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Dont Forget Us!
Reference Desk 289-8685; [email protected]
Paul Birch 289-8222; [email protected]
Heather Casey
289-8727; [email protected]
Timothy Coggins 289-8218; [email protected]
Suzanne Corriell 289-8217; [email protected]
Joyce Manna Janto 289-8223; [email protected]
Gail Zwirner 287-6555; [email protected]