Law Students - Research Help
| Individualized Help | Legal Research Basics | Books on Research/Writing |
| Research Guides | Internet Legal Resources | Contact a Research Librarian |
| Research Assistant Resources | Research/Writing Software |
Individualized Help:
Student Research Consultations
College of Law students may find individual Research Consultations with Research Librarians particularly helpful when working on upper-level writing requirements or journal notes. Such consultations are scheduled during Research Services hours, and a student can schedule a session by calling 216-687-6877, email, or completing the Research Consultation form.
MyClasses
College of Law students, as well as Cleveland State University students taking a College of Law class, may schedule a personalized instructional session for 2-8 students. Typical subjects include administrative or regulatory research, legislative history, and health law research. A student can schedule an instructional session by completing the MyClass Session form.
Legal Research Basics
- Law Library 101: Using Your Law Library to be a Successful Law Student: Includes Reading Call Numbers, How to Find Cases and more.
- University Law-Related Courses - Basic Legal Research
Online Research Guides
Library Guides: The library staff has prepared numerous research guides on a variety of legal subjects (ex. Criminal Law, Education Law). There are also research & writing how-to guides including:
How to Read a Legal Citation
How to Find an Ohio Case in the Law Library
Finding Law Reviews & Journals
Efficient and Cost-Effective Legal Research
Getting Ready to Clerk: Tips for Summer Associates
Scholarly Writing
Avoiding Plagiarism
Citation Checking Guide
State and Federal Court Structure Diagram
Primary Sources Diagram
Lexis and Westlaw Guides: The law school pages for LexisNexis and Westlaw contain tutorials on how to use the databases. Also take a look at the following library research guides:
CALI - CALI Library of Lessons contains many lessons on legal research and writing.
Books/Materials on Research/Writing
- Legal Research [sound recording] / Robert C. Berring, Eagan, MN : West Group, 2001 KF240 .B467 2001
- Legal Research in a Nutshell / Morris L. Cohen, Kent C. Olson, St. Paul, MN : Thomson/West, [2003] 9th ed, KF240 .C54 2007
- Basic Legal Research : Tools and Strategies, 4th ed., Amy E. Sloan, Aspen Publishers, KF240 .S585 2009
- Legal Writing and Analysis / Linda H. Edwards, New York, NY : Aspen Publishers : Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, c2007 2nd ed, KF250 .E378 2007
- Legal Writing Citation in a Nutshell, St. Paul, MN : Thomson/West, 2008 KF245 .T47 2008.
- Legal Writing in a Nutshell, St. Paul, MN : Thomson/West, KF250 .B34 2009
- Ohio Legal Research Guide by Putnam and Schaefgen, KFO 75 P88 1997 (while the Hall & Sampson book is more up to date, the Putnam/Schaefgen book is more in depth on some topics and still helpful)
- Ohio Legal Research, Katherine L. Hall, Sara Sampson, KFO75 .H357 2009
Lots more - just (1) Search Scholar for Subject: Legal research -- United States or Legal composition or Citation of legal authorities -- United States OR (2) Go to Room A066 and look for items with call numbers KF240-KF250.
For books and articles on how to write transactional documents, motions and pleadings, legislation, judicial opinions, client letters, jury instructions, affidavits and settlement agreements, see:
- Forms and Practice Material Research Guide: Writing Transactional Documents, Pleadings, Motions and Client Letters
- Scholarly Writing Resource Guide
- Legal Writing Beyond Memos and Briefs: An Annotated Bibliography,
Carrie W. Teitcher,
Journal of the Association of Legal Writing Directors, Volume 5, Fall 2008, p.133 (via Westlaw).
Free Internet Legal Resources
- Internet Legal Research
- Legal Research on the Web (Designed for the general public, but lots of free Internet resources in a well organized page).
- Searching the WorldWide We
- Legal Reference Resources - links to online dictionaries, citators and other reference sources
- Government Documents - Links to U.S. government documents online.
- Casemaker Research Database is free with an Ohio State Bar Membership. Law students can join OSBA for FREE, fill out this Application.
Research/Writing Software
See Scholarship Technology page for information on Citation Checkers, Reference Management Software (create a database of citations and documents, create bibliographies and footnotes) mind mapping, RSS feeds andsocial bookmarking. Also consider:
Casemap - Can be used for a research log to organize facts, issues and research. Free download from LexisNexis. You may also download TimeMap to create timelines that interact with Casemap. Also see blog post.
Students working as Research Assistants
Special library privileges and research instruction are available for research assistants. For more information, see: Services for College of Law Faculty Research Assistants.
Contact a Research Librarian
- Phone-(216) 687-6877
- Schedule a MyClass Session
- Schedule a Research Consultation
- Additional information
Links Checked 9/09 JAM