PLS 120 : Basic Legal Research
This course presents a practical, hands-on approach to developing basic legal research skills and understanding relevant legal terminology. Students are introduced to a wide array of primary and secondary law resources, first using law books and then moving to electronic resources. Assignments require students to refine their skills by focusing on specific legal issues and finding key points of law. The course emphasizes the use of legal citators and cite checking. Prerequisite: Pre or co-requisite ENG 101 and PLS 100. Three hours of lecture per week. 3 credits.
Course Outcomes
- Use finding tools to locate “good” law.
- Plan a strategy to organize and conduct basic legal research and cite-checking.
- Use print and electronic resources to locate primary and secondary authority sources.