Your first steps in legal research
As a law student and a lawyer, you need to know:
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where to find authoritative and accurate legal information
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how to read and understand what you find
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how to apply the results of your research to whatever legal issue you are addressing.
Following these steps will scaffold your research skills. They will build your ability to efficiently find authoritative and accurate legal information.
1. What is your research need?
2. Map out your research strategy
3. Undertake preliminary research
4. Do the research and evaluate the results
5. Finalise your research outcomes
Note
Good legal research skills are an example of digital literacy in your profession. This aligns with Deakin University’s Graduate Learning Outcome 3: Digital literacy.
As a digitally literate law graduate you will be able to 'use technologies to find, use and disseminate information'
A more specific outcome for a Bachelor of Laws degree is TLO4 (Threshold Learning Outcomes)
TLO4 states: 'Graduates of the Bachelor of Laws will demonstrate the intellectual and practical skills needed to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues'