TO: Students in Legal Research

FROM: Blair Kauffman, Rob Harrison, and Lisa Spar

RE: Grading and Course Requirements - No Final Exam!

DATE: January 27, 1999

Grading and course requirements are as follows:

1. For a pass grade or honors, you must complete satisfactorily six library problems that will be assigned during the term, and a research guide, which will be due not later than thelast day of exam week. The six completed problems must include problems on Cases, Statutes, Legislative History and Administrative Materials.

2. The library problems will be marked credit/fail, and the course grade will depend almost exclusively on the research guide. Papers submitted after the last day of exam week will not qualify for Honors.

3. The research guide or "pathfinder" is an introduction to doing research in a particular field of law of your own choosing. A pathfinder is not a bibliography, but rather a critical description of available resources in the field chosen and a summary of appropriate research strategies for that field. A separate memo describes the pathfinder in more detail. Reflecting the focus of the course, the pathfinders should deal with American law. Sample guides from previous classes will be available for your inspection.

4. Make an appointment with one of us to discuss your research guide topic as soon as possible. All topics should be submitted for approval by our fourth class meeting (February 17).

All seminar students must be facile in the use of LEXIS and WESTLAW. If you need more training or experience, arrange to attend one of the sessions in both the Lexis and Westlaw training programs, which will be offered shortly. Announcements will be made in class as to their scheduling.

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Course readings will be largely in Cohen & Olsen, Legal Research in a Nutshell (8th ed. West, 1998) and Discovering Westlaw. The Nutshell is on sale at area bookstores; the other two are available without charge at the reference desk.