Secondary Sources(Including the Internet)

What?Why?How?

What Are Secondary Sources?

An exclusive definition: Everything except cases, statutes and regulations.

An inclusive definition: dictionaries, encyclopedias, treatises, ALR, law review articles, casebooks, outlines, nutshells, hornbooks, etc.

Why Should You Begin Research with Secondary Sources?

Cite primary law (cases, statutes, regulations, treaties)

Explain discuss, and interpretProvide background and overviews in

unfamiliar areasAnswer many common questions

What Are They Good For?

Methodology ◦Analysis of problems◦Research

Words & phrases for use in searching◦Terms of art◦Common expressions of concepts

The Best Reasons!

The work has been done for youBenefit from an expert’s guidance to

identify and understand the lawSave time

Save moneyBecome an efficient & proficient

researcher

ExamplesDictionariesEncyclopedias: AmJur & CJSAmerican Law Reports (ALR)Treatises

◦Chisum on Patents [LexisNexis]◦McCarthy on Trademarks [Westlaw]◦Nimmer on Copyright [LexisNexis]

More Examples

Law review and newsletter articlesCasebooks and hornbooksFormbooksPractice manuals

How Do You Identify Good Secondary Sources?

Consult a legal research guide◦Patent Law Resources◦Research in Copyright Law◦Trademark Law Resources

Browse LexisNexis & Westlaw practice area pages

Harvard’s Legal Treatises by SubjectAsk a librarian

Using Treatises

Browse the table of contents (front of book)

Browse the index (back of book)Scan table of cases or statutesFollow references to relevant sections or

chaptersUpdate with pockets parts or online

supplements

Print vs. Online

Personal preferenceAvailabilityCostEfficiencyUsability

Clicking on the hypertext takes you to the text of that chapter. The only

way to search then is by browsing the text.

No online index.

Expand the Table of Contents by clicking in the box to the right of selected

chapters, then Expand Selections

Table of Contents from Trade Secrets: A Practitioner’s

Guide

Index from Trade Secrets

A Practitioner’s

Guide

Text Selection from Trade Secrets: A

Practitioner’s Guide

AmJur2d & CJS

Comprehensive set of brief articles Arranged in standard encyclopedia format

(A-Z) with an index at the end of the setRarely cited as authorityUse encyclopedias

◦To get an overview of an area◦To start finding cases

Pocket parts or online

Law Reviews & Newsletters

Useful for ◦New issues◦New thinking on old issues◦Focus and fine points

Scholarly v. newsyMine the footnotes

Finding Articles Indexes

◦LegalTrac◦Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals

Full-text searching◦LexisNexis◦Westlaw

Citators: find articles that cite to an article

American Law Reports ALR

Contains articles (called “annotations”) about specific area of the law

Comprehensive coverageCites to relevant primary materials and to

other practice materialsAnalyzes, interprets, explainsTracks recent trends and developments

ALRAnnotations may be cited Use the Quick Index and/or long IndexSearch full-textUpdated by pocket parts and online

What About the Internet?Proceed with cautionGovernment websites are reliable and

authoritativeDetermine if the source is trustworthyPrint or download important documentsSupplements other research; not a

substitute for other secondary sources

What About the Internet?Few of the secondary sources in the

Library or on LexisNexis and Westlaw are available for free on the Internet

Some Final Thoughts1. Update status of primary sources2. Evaluate the sources you use3. Keep a research log4. Create Bluebook citations as you go5. Take advantage of work done by others6. Ask a Reference librarian