How do I use secondary sources for background research on a topic?
Answer
Secondary sources can provide a springboard for beginning a research project. At this stage the researcher may consult secondary sources:
- to obtain background information and an overview of an unfamiliar or emerging area of law;
- to obtain citations to primary authorities to launch the research; and
- to suggest further issues or analytic approaches to the problem.
Secondary sources can also be valuable midway through or closer to the end of a research project, when consulting them can help to confirm conclusions or refine analysis.
Researchers can learn how to use secondary sources for background research on a topic in Chapter 3 of the TMLL Guide to Legal Research, Background Research using Secondary Sources. This chapter includes the following sections:
- Secondary Sources: Background
- Using Legal Periodicals
- Using Legal Encyclopedias
- Using Treatises, Hornbooks, and Nutshells
- Using Restatements
- Using American Law Reports
- Using Litigation Sources
- Tips for Using Secondary Sources
- Practice Materials and Form Books
- Highlights of Bluebook Form for Secondary Sources
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