Advanced and specialized approaches to utilize the legal resources available in a law library, and elsewhere, will be examined. The conceptual differences between computer-assisted legal research and hard copy research will be taught. You will also learn how to formulate WESTLAW search queries and effectively and efficiently use WESTLAW and other online legal research methods as timesaving devices in legal research and legal writing.

This seven-week course is designed to examine more thoroughly advanced and specialized approaches to utilizing the legal sources available in the law library and online.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: After successfully completing the tests and assignments for this seven-week course, you will know:

• The hierarchy and structure of our court systems
• The importance of and applications of the different types of legal authority
• The doctrine of stare decisis
• The difference between common law and civil law
• The necessity for preemption by the federal government.
• The concepts of jurisdiction and venue
• The purposes of the different sets of books
• The elements of research
• How to organize a research project
• How to define issues
• How to narrow and refine a research project
• How to begin a research project
• How to search by key number
• How to search by topic
• The purpose of head notes and annotations
• The purposes of the different sets of books
• The elements of research
• How to organize a research project
• How to define issues
• How to narrow and refine a research project
• How to begin a research project
• How to search by key number
• How to search by topic
• The purpose of head notes and annotations

EXPECTATIONS: You will be expected to spend an average of 8 hours per week reading and completing writing assignments. Please note that, barring extenuating circumstances, extensions will not be granted for this online course. 70% is the minimum passing score on all tests and assignments for this course. Students may consider working ahead in the curriculum if they have the time.

PREREQUISITES: Successful completion of Paralegal Certificate Course, Part I (Paralegal 1 & 2), or the equivalent, or law office experience.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

• Legal Research in a Nutshell; by Morris L. Cohen and Kent C. Olson, ISBN 0-314-09589-6.
• WESTLAW online legal research access, available for the duration of the course for only $75.00. Order online

Highly Recommended Legal Resources:

• Black's Law Dictionary, 3rd Pocket Edition, by Bryan A. Garner. St. Paul: West Group.

Reading Assignments for Lesson Topics:
Lesson One: LEGAL RESEARCH: REVIEW OF BASIC CONCEPTS	Read Chapters 1 & 2 in Legal Research in a Nutshell (Nutshell)
Lesson Two: ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH AND WESTLAW	Read Chapters 3, 4 & 5 in Nutshell
Lesson Three: ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH AND WESTLAW CONTINUED	Review Chapters 3, 4 & 5 in Nutshell
Lesson Four: LEGAL RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET	Read Chapters 6-10 in Nutshell
Lesson Five: LEGAL RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET CONTINUED	Review Chapters 6-10 in Nutshell
Lesson Six: CITATION FORMAT AND PRIMARY SOURCES OF LAW	No required reading
Lesson Seven: COURSE REVIEW	No required reading

TESTS: For each of the six lessons you will submit a 50-point test covering the information within that topic. These tests are due by 9 a.m. each Friday, and can be found under the assignments link as well as within the course content.

BULLETIN BOARD ASSIGNMENTS: You will also post your responses to six class participation assignments. These Bulletin Board Assignments assignments make up your class participation grade. All lesson objectives, assignments, and tests can be found within the Lesson Material and also under Activities. Additional resources are available by accessing the URL Library tool.