SI 673: Subject-Focused Information Resources and Services
University of Michigan School of Information
SyllabusTerm: Fall 1998
Class: Monday 5:10-7pm (311 West Hall)
si.673@umich.edu (class e-mail group)Instructor: Jonathan Franklin
jafrank@umich.edu
764-6150 (work)
213-2758 (home, no calls after 10 pm)Office Hours: Tuesday 10-11am in SI 403A
(or at any other mutually agreed upon time)Classes will include lectures, discussions, and online tutorials. Assignments will include problem sets, a closed book midterm, and a final project. This course will be graded.
Objectives
At the conclusion of this class, students will be able to:
1) conduct efficient and effective legal research on a wide array of topics using primary and secondary legal materials in print and electronic formats.
2) explain to patrons which resources should be used for a particular type of legal research situation and why those are the most appropriate materials.
3) discuss important policy issues in the creation, distribution, and use of legal information.
Texts
Christina L. Kunz, Deborah A. Schmedemann, Matthew P. Downs, and Ann L. Bateson, The Process of Legal Research, 4th ed. (Boston: Little, Brown, 1996) (Required).
Toni M. Fine, American Legal Systems: A Resource and Reference Guide (Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing, 1997) (Required).
For further background on specific legal research tools, the following volumes are available at the Law Library:
Robert C. Berring, Morris Cohen, and Kent Olson, How to Find the Law, 9th ed. (St. Paul, MN: West Publishing, 1995).
J. Myron Jacobstein, Roy M. Mersky, and Donald J. Dunn, Fundamentals of Legal Research, 7th ed. (Westbury, NY: Foundation Press, 1998).
Course Structure
You will be graded on a combination of problem sets, a midterm, and a final project in the following proportions.
Required Problem Sets (8) – Graded Pass/Fail (20%)
Closed Book Midterm (40%)
Final Project (40%)
- Final Product 20%
- Research Log 20%Optional Problem Sets (2) – Graded Pass/Fail (5% extra credit)
Class Attendance and Participation (5% extra credit)Problem Sets
There are eight assigned problem sets for the semester. Each assignment must be worked on individually or in a group of two. Each individual should turn in a single problem set at the start of the class for which it is due, noting the other group member on the top of the first page. If you are not able to complete the assignment on time, you must make another arrangement with me prior to the day the assignment is due. The assignments will be graded on a pass/fail basis.
Closed Book Midterm
There will be a substantive closed-book two hour midterm exam covering print and electronic secondary sources, constitutions, statutes, administrative law, case law, and citators at week 10 (November 16). Most of the questions will be short answer or process questions.
Final Project
The final project is to create a print or web resource for a specific identifiable user group on a specific area of law. The user group could be attorneys, non-lawyers, or law librarians. The project must have a substantial analytical and evaluative component embodied in the final product while integrating primary and secondary, print and electronic resources appropriate to the topic and user group. All text, images, and other original elements drawn from other sources must be attributed.
Sample Topics:
Federal Appellate Criminal Procedure for Prisoners
Michigan Divorce Law for Mothers with Children
Employment Discrimination Law for Small Business Owners
Patent Law for Public LibrariansPossible Formats:
Pathfinder
Set of Tri-fold Pamphlets
Booklet with Text and Images or Sounds (if relevant)
Footnoted Discussion with an Annotated Bibliography
Teaching Tool with Explanations, Teacher's Guide, and Quizzes
Group Learning Tool and Leader's GuideThe project can be completed either as an individual or group project. Each individual will be required to hand in a research log along with the final project. The research log should include each avenue of research that you personally pursued, why you pursued it, and the result, regardless of whether that avenue was successful or not.
The final product will be assessed based on the following factors:
1. Clarity of statement of purpose and scope
2. Overall intellectual organization
3. Depth of individual source analysis
4. Integration of different resources and formats
5. Appropriateness for intended user group
6. Layout, visual clarity, and presentationThe research log will be assessed based on the following factors:
1. Explanation of methodology
2. Documented rationales for individual research decisions
3. Documented creativity in finding appropriate sources
4. Completeness of documented research methodsThe final project and research logs are due in class on December 7th. No exceptions.
Week-by-Week Syllabus
1. Introduction (September 14)
Assignments For Week 2:
Skim Kunz Chapters 1 and 2.
Read Fine I.E (pp.7-12) & 1.I (pp.24-27).
Read Kunz Chapter 4.After reading Kunz and Fine,
Take Tape Tour at the Law Library
(check it out from the Law Library circulation desk on S-2).
Turn in comments on the Tape Tour in class.
Comments should include suggestions for tape tour improvements.2. Secondary Sources Survey (September 21)
Assignments For Week 3:
Read Fine III and IX.
After reading Fine, read Kunz Chapters 5 and 7.
Find Secondary Sources for Your Proposed Final Project.
If you are looking for partners, post your project interests to class e-mail.3. Constitutions and Federal Statutes (September 28)
Assignments For Week 4:
Complete Chapter 7 Assignment: Federal Statutes in Paper.
Read Kunz Chapter 8.
Visit the Government Documents Center at the Grad.
Submit Final Project Proposal and List of Group Members.4. State Statutes, Updating Statutes, and Legislative History (October 5)
Assignments For Week 5:
Complete Chapter 8 Assignment: Legislative Materials.
Optional: Chapter 7 Assignment: State Statutes in Paper.
Read Fine Chapter IV.
Read Kunz Chapter 9: Administrative Law.
Find Relevant Statutes for Your Final Project.
5. Administrative and Other Executive Law (October 12)Assignments For Week 6:
Complete Assignment 9:
Administrative Materials in Paper (without looseleafs).
Read Handout "How to Research Less and Find More: The Pitfalls of CALR”.
Read LEXIS and Westlaw Materials (distributed in class).
Find Relevant Administrative Law for Your Final Project.6. LEXIS & Westlaw on Statutes & Legislative Histories (October 19)
Assignments For Week 7:
Complete Chapter 7 Assignments: Federal Statutes Online.
Optional: Chapter 7 Assignment: State Statutes Online.
Read Fine, Chapters I (1-7, 13-24) and II.
Read Kunz, Chapter 6: 127-141.7. Case Law Introduction (October 26)
Assignments For Week 8:
Read Kunz Chapter 6, pages 142-173.8. Case Finding Aids & Case Updating (November 2)
Assignments For Week 9:
Read LEXIS and Westlaw Materials (distributed in class).
Complete Chapter 6 Assignment: Cases in Paper.
Find Relevant Cases for Your Final Project.9. LEXIS & Westlaw on Cases (November 9)
Assignments For Week 10:
Study for Midterm.10. Midterm (November 16)
Assignments For Week 11:
Complete Chapter 6 Assignment: Online Citators for Cases
and Chapter 6 Assignment: Online Full-Text Searching.
Further Readings and Assignment to be Distributed.
11. Foreign and International Law (November 23)Assignments For Week 12:
Read Kunz Chapter 3: Assess Your Media Options.
Read Kunz Chapter 12: Developing an Integrated Research Strategy.
Work on Final Project.12. The Research Process and Integration of Print and Electronic Sources (November 30)
Assignments For Week 13 (Due 12/7 in class):
Polish Final Project for Submission in Class.
Complete Individual Research Logs.
Prepare In-Class Project Presentation.13. Project Presentations and Law Librarianship Panel (December 7)
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Jonathan Franklin 801 Monroe Street
Reference Librarian/Foreign Selector Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1210
University of Michigan Law Library Tel. 734-764-6150
jafrank@umich.edu Fax. 734-764-5863