Starting Places for Legal Research Projects

Introduction

A good starting point will save time and help you be more thorough by: explaining key concepts and rules; citing and analyzing important cases, statutes and regulations; and contributing to effective online research by introducing common terminology.

The best way to start legal research is with a secondary source— whether online or in print. A secondary source is any source that explains and analyzes the law. Most legal secondary sources have extensive citations to primary sources, such as cases, statutes, and regulations. This guide reviews some secondary sources that can help you make a good start with many U.S. legal research projects. For more advice specific to your research, consult a reference librarian at 415-422-6773.

Choosing a Place to Start

Where to begin depends on your familiarity with the subject you're researching.

• Nutshells, hornbooks, other law student study guides, or encyclopedias.
  These are useful you're unfamiliar with the topic or area of law.

  Advantage: you'll quickly gain a basic understanding of the area of law, and you can then move on to more detailed sources.

• Treatises, law review articles, or ALR annotations (in print or online).
  These are useful once you have basic familiarity with the topic or area of law.

  Advantages: you'll deepen your expertise and find cites to relevant cases, statutes, and regulations.

• Comprehensive looseleaf services (in print or online).
  These are useful if you're already an expert in the subject and are ready to seek specific citations relevant to your narrow issue.

  Advantage: you'll find extensive and well-organized selections of (or citations to) primary authority.

Finding Starting Places at USF's Zief Law Library

Nutshells, hornbooks, other study guides, encyclopedias

• Nutshells

  Search Ignacio (http://ignacio.usfca.edu), USF's online catalog, by key word. Include nutshell in your search (e.g., bankruptcy and nutshell).

• Hornbooks and other study guides

  Search Ignacio by key word. Enter terms describing your topic (e.g., copyright), Then, select "Law Open Reserve" or "Law Reserve" from the "Location" pull-down menu and run your search.

  Or, search by subject (e.g., discrimination in employment). Then, select the "Limit this Search" link and choose "Law Open Reserve" or "Law Reserve" from the "Location" pull-down menu.

• Encyclopedias

  Check the indexes to these titles (or search on Westlaw):

  • American Jurisprudence 2d (AMJUR database on Westlaw), KF 154 .A42 LAW REFERENCE
  • Corpus Juris Secundum, (CJS database on Westlaw) KF 154 .C68 LAW REFERENCE
  • Cal. Jur. 3d (CAJUR database on Westlaw), KFC 80 .C32 LAW STACKS

Treatises, law review articles, ALR annotations

• Treatises

  The best treatises combine explanations with citations to leading primary authority.

  • Ask a reference librarian (415-422-6773) for suggestions.
  • Search Ignacio, the online catalog, by key word or by subject. Look especially for multi-volume sets in the "LAW STACKS" location.
  • Check Zimmerman's Research Guide (http://www.lexisnexis.com/infopro/zimmerman), a free, online legal research encyclopedia maintained by LexisNexis. This A-to-Z guide lists a leading secondary source for almost every substantive legal topic.
  • Browse the shelves. A call number guide to major areas of U.S. law, and a call number guide to major areas of California law are available on the web and at the Circulation/Reserve desk.

• Law review articles

  A law review article will contain both useful explanations (often of very arcane topics or issues) and plentiful footnotes citing primary authority.

  • Search Index to Legal Periodicals or LegalTrac/Legal Resource Index. For links, go to the Zief Library's Find Articles (Legal & Other) page. For more information, see the Zief Library's Finding Law Review Articles research guide.

• ALR annotations

  ALR ("American Law Reports") annotations survey and cite to the law of all state and federal jurisdictions on selected state and federal legal topics. They are the product of thorough research by the publisher's staff.

  • Search ALR's excellent printed index: KF 132 .A59 1992 LAW REFERENCE
  • Search by key word in ALR on Westlaw. (Westlaw database: ALR.)

Comprehensive looseleaf services - annotated primary authority

A looseleaf service provides minimal explanation but plenty of citations to primary materials. Many services also reprint cases, statutes, regulations, and other important documents. Here are three methods to find these looseleaf services that might help with your research.

• Ask a reference librarian (415-422-6773) for suggestions.

• Search LawTRIO, (from law school workstations), selecting "looseleaf" format. Look especially for the publishers Bureau of National Affairs (BNA), Commerce Clearing House (CCH), West Group, and Aspen. (USF does not subscribe to all of the looseleaf sources listed in LawTRIO but we may be able to refer you to another library.)

• Search Ignacio, the online catalog, by key word or by subject, limiting your search by publisher.

Go to Law Library Research Guides

Return to top