Introducing Research Refresh

Whether we like it or not, legal research is not a skill we learn once during 1L in Research Methods and never revisit. Instead, it develops over our entire careers, and small adjustments can make a noticeable difference in efficiency and accuracy. To help students hone their research skills, the law library is launching a new series called Research Refresh.

Each installment will focus on one practical research habit or skill, which can help students make the kinds of small changes that save time, improve research abilities, and reduce frustration. Some posts will cover foundational strategies, while others will highlight tools that are easy to overlook or you may have forgotten after your 1L year.

If there is a research skill you would like to see covered, or a question you have run into more than once, we welcome your suggestions. You can reach out to the reference desk or contact the law library directly with topic ideas!

Building a Targeted Search

To start the series off, this post provides guidance on how to reset or sharpen the ability to build searches to get targeted and on-point results without spending hours searching for the perfect case. This post will discuss choosing terms, using connectors, and considering jurisdiction.

Choosing Terms: By mid-semester, many students have settled into a research routine. You open Westlaw or Lexis, type in a general issue or a few keywords, and start scrolling. If the results are not great, you completely change your search. If they are overwhelming, you skim faster or add more to your search, potentially missing some helpful law. If you are caught in this cycle, it may be time to rethink your search terms before you hit enter.

One common mistake is not knowing when to focus on facts and when to focus on overarching legal concepts. If you are at the beginning stages of research, just trying to understand a general principle or lay out initial rule statements, your search terms should emphasize broader issues, areas of law, or recognized terminology rather than every fact from your scenario.  For example, instead of typing “neighbor tree damages trespass property,” you might search “trespass property damages” to capture the broader rules before narrowing. This way, you will avoid missing seminal cases on the issue or applications of the principle in different contexts.

Later on in the research process, however, the facts may become more helpful than the general concepts. Using precise facts from your pattern can lead to finding a case that is highly analogous, which can provide a powerful comparison in your memo or brief.  Include facts intentionally, but don’t overload your search with every minor detail. Think about which details are central to the legal issue and the court’s ruling.

Using Connectors: Another strategy to keep in mind is refining your search with connectors, making sure you are doing so to your advantage and not your detriment. Using Boolean terms like AND, NOT, and OR, or other proximity connectors thoughtfully can dramatically improve your search results. They allow you to combine several relevant concepts or focus on more targeted results. On the other hand, using connectors incorrectly can significantly change your results and cause you to miss valuable information. If you are not seeing what you expect, check your connectors before assuming the database has nothing helpful (sometimes small adjustments like adding parentheses or changing “or” to “and” make a big difference). See this research guide from Georgetown Law if you need a refresher on connectors.

Consider jurisdiction: Finally, consider jurisdiction at the beginning of your search. Narrowing to the correct court or state early can prevent you from spending time on persuasive authority when you need binding law.

Strong searches rarely happen by accident. Taking a few minutes to consider concepts versus facts, check connectors, and set jurisdiction can save hours of frustration later. If you need help developing search strategies for a current assignment, the law library is always available for research support.