LibGuides: Secondary Sources: Introduction

Purpose and Scope

This guide will help explain:

Why you should generally start your legal research with secondary resources
Which of the secondary sources to use for your specific research task
How to use secondary sources effectively

Quick Overview of the Types of Secondary Sources

American Law Reports
The A.L.R. are exceptional resources when you can find an annotation directly on point with your research topic. It can do a lot of your eventual primary research for you because it contains the relevant cases and even arranges them according to specific fact patterns and holdings.
Digests
These are extremely helpful tools in transitioning from secondary sources into primary sources. They are helpful in identifying relevant cases for your particular jurisdiction and topic.
Hornbooks
These are most helpful for law students in their classroom preparation. They do provide an accessible introduction to a field of law that a beginning researcher can find helpful.
Legal Dictionaries
In the ever increasing complexity of the legal vernacular (ha) these legal dictionaries exist to make sure you know the difference between chop suey and sui generis.
Legal Encyclopedias
Legal encyclopedias pull together an enormous body of legal information and are often most effectively used at the start of a research assignment.
Legal Periodicals
These most often come in the form of Law Reviews. The articles written are usually done in-great depth and are on very narrow topics.
Looseleaf Services
This resource is a hybrid source as it contains both primary and secondary sources. They are invaluable to practitioners because they are updated frequently containing the most up-to-date developments in that practice area.
Restatements
These are attempts to codify the common law on particular areas of law. They often carry the most weight in court when compared to any other secondary source.
Treatises
Treatises are usually in-depth scholarly works. They offer flexibility in that they carry scholarly weight but are not too technical or theoretical to be useful to law students.

Other Helpful Research Guides on Secondary Sources

Below are just a couple of other websites that feature helpful tips and background information on secondary sources. Consult them if you are looking for more information or clarification on anything discussed in this guide.

Library of Congress
Gives a comprehensive list and background of the different types of secondary resources.
Georgetown Law Library
Provides a helpful outline on where to start with secondary sources and what they are.
Harvard Law Library
Harvard Law's research guide concerning secondary sources.
Yale Law Library
This page provides some helpful background on the different types of secondary sources.

Developing a Research Strategy

Before diving into a research project, it's essential to have a strategy for how you will conduct your research.

At the Law Library, we've developed a research worksheet that you can use to help organize the information you've been given and develop a plan for your research. Feel free to make copies and use it as you're given research assignments.

GSU Law Library Legal Research Worksheet