Using a Law Library A Student's Guide to Legal Research Skills

This book provides advice on using a law library and how to make effective use of catalogues and indexes. Its practical approach will help students undertake particular research problems, and it shows how to record and present the results of research in projects, dissertations and theses. The information is presented under standard headings, with diagrams and charts provided where possible to aid in the practical use of complex publications. The whole range of modern electronic sources is also explained.

The ability to undertake effective legal research is one of the basic skills required of a lawyer. Yet all too often students only acquire this skill by trial and error, failing to grasp the essentials of legal research at an early stage in their studies. This second edition not only describes the literature of law for England, Wales and the European Community, but now includes information and techniques on researching the law of Scotland and European human rights law. It also features information on the sources of law being created by the newly devolved legislatures in Scotland and Wales. This book provides advice on using a law library and how to make effective use of catalogues and indexes. Its practical approach will help students undertake particular research problems, and it shows how to record and present the results of research in projects, dissertations and theses. The information is presented under standard headings, with diagrams and charts provided where possible to aid in the practical use of complex publications. The whole range of modern electronic sources is also explained.

Finding and Using a Law Library; Effective Use of Catalogues and Indexes; The Structure of the Literatures; Primary Legislation; Secondary Legislation; Case Law; Extra-legal Sources; Commentary on the Law; Researching the Law of Scotland: Introduction; Scotland: Primary Legislation; Scotland: Secondary Legislation; Scotland: Case Law; Scotland: Commentary on the Law; The European Community: Introduction; Legislation and Case Law of the European Community; Commentary on European Community Law; European Human Rights Law; Getting the Best Out of Electronic and r Paper Sources; Recording and Presenting Research Findings.

Peter Clinch is Information Specialist - Law at Cardiff University. He is experienced in teaching legal research skills and is the adviser on library provision and legal research skills training to the General Council of the Bar for England and Wales. He is the author of Teaching Legal Research. David R. Hart is Law Librarian at the University of Dundee. He is a former Chair of the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians and is presently Chairman of the Scottish Working Group on Official Publications.