Course Syllabus
LI 816XI
Legal Research
Internet
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Important info from
ESU:
Barbara Ginzburg
barbara.ginzburg@gmail.com
(785) 273-2729
(785) 670-1087 Ext:
(785) 670-3194
https://elearning.emporia.edu
3.0
Course Syllabus May Change
Fall '08-Spring '09 Syllabus
Attachment
Course Overview : This class is designed to teach students basic legal
research skills. I presume no legal knowledge although I recognize that
there are a few attorneys, paralegals, and law students enrolled in the
course. With that in mind, please do not worry if you do not understand a
particular legal concept or phrase. To the best of my abilities, I will answer
any question you pose on Blackboard. My goal is for everyone to feel
comfortable using the basic print and electronic research sources available
to American lawyers.
This course requires that you have regular access to an academic or large
court law library. Please ask the librarians for help in locating the print sets
used in the workbook.
Books:
Amy E. Sloan, Basic Legal Research : Tools & Strategies, 3nd Ed. (2007,
Aspen Law & Business).ISBN 0735556539
Amy E. Sloan, Basic Legal Research Workbook, 3rd Ed. (2007, Aspen Law
& Business). ISBN 073556955X
Assignments : There will be weekly reading assignments for the first seven
weeks of class. There will be assigned parts of the workbook due at the
end of each week on Sunday evening at 10 pm, Central Time. These
assignments are to be turned in electronically in the assignment drop box
on Blackboard. At the end of April you will be required to submit a
Research Plan. All assignments are to be turned in on time. Late
assignments will be deducted 10% per day. There will be a separate
discussion forum for each assignment. I will check the discussion
frequently for your questions and observations. Feel free to ask for help
from me or one another for all of the assignments, except the final
Research Plan.
Weekly list of assignments and Research Plan will be distributed in
January.
Assignments:
Weekly Reading Assignments: There will be weekly reading assignments
for the first seven weeks of class. There will be assigned parts of the
workbook due at the end of each week on Sunday evening at 10 pm, CST.
These assignments are to be turned in electronically in the assignment
drop box on Blackboard. All assignments are to be turned in on time. Late
assignments will be deducted 10% per day. There will be a separate
discussion forum for each assignment. I will check the discussion
frequently for your questions and observations.
Use Problem Set E for all workbook exercises unless you can’t access Set
E resources via law library in your area. If this is case, please use problem
set best suited for your area of country. Let me know if you do not use Set
E.
You only need to submit the answers, not retype the questions. Just clearly
number the questions.
Jan 16-23: Introduction to course
Reading:Sloan pp. 1-21 and Sloan pp. 23-27. Workbook pp. xvii-xix
Introduction: By 10 pm on Sunday, January 20th, Submit a short
contribution to Blackboard introducing yourself and telling what you hope to
learn from this class. Also, send me an email at bginzbur@emporia.edu
listing the library you will be using, hours the library is open, and reference
desk hours.
Workbook Assignment 1:Submit research assignment from Sloan
Workbook, Chapter 1, Exercise 1-1, Part I, A-C. (p 2)
Assignment is due Sun. Jan. 27th by 10 pm via Blackboard.
Jan 24th- Jan. 30th : Secondary Sources
Reading: Sloan pp. 29-76
Wkbk Assignment 2: Submit research assignment from Sloan Workbook,
Chapter 3, Exercise 3-1, Parts I-IV(pg 29-43)
Assignment is due Sun. Feb 3rd by 10 pm via Blackboard.
Jan 31st- Feb 6th : Case Law and How to Find It
Reading: Sloan pp. 77-97 and 105-128.
Wkbk Assignment 3: Submit research assignments from Sloan workbook,
Chapter 4, Exercise 4-1, Part I.A-B.(pg 58), Part III.A.-D. (pgs 65-69)
Assignment is due Sun. Feb 10th by 10 pm. Answers to be sent via
Blackboard.
Feb 7th- 13th : Citators
Reading: Sloan pp. 129-153.
Wkbk Assignment 4: Submit research assignment from workbook, Chapter
5, Exercise 5-1, Part I-II.
Assignment is due Sun. Feb. 17th by 10 pm via Blackboard.
Feb 14th-20th : Statutes
Reading: Sloan pp. 155-173 and 182-198.
Wkbk Assignment 5:From Sloan workbook submit exercises, Chapter 6,
Exercise 6-1.
Assignment is due Sun. Feb 24th by 10 pm via Blackboard
Feb. 21th-27th : Legislative History
Reading: Sloan pp. 199-216 and 221-238.
Wkbk Assignment 6:From Sloan Workbook submit exercises, Chapter 7,
Exercise 7-1, Part I & II only. (pp. 127-131)
Assignment is due Sun. March 2nd by 10 pm via Blackboard.
Feb. 28-March 5: Administrative Regulations
Reading: Sloan pp. 239-253 and 256-273
Wkbk Assignment 7: From Sloan workbook submit exercises, Chapter 8,
Exercise 8-1 (pp 145-153)
Assignment is due Sun. March 9th by 10 pm via Blackboard.
April 27th : Research Plan
Sloan Workbook Exercise 10-1 pp. 173-177. Length and format explanation
regarding your written analysis will be provided by Professor and distributed
electronically by mid-February.
Grading Workbook assignments 70% (70 points)Research Plan 25% (25
points)Participation in Blackboard Discussions 5% (5 points) A = 100 - 94; A- =
93 - 90; B+ = 89 - 87; B = 86 - 84; B- = 83 - 80; C+ = 79 - 77; C = 76 - 74; C- = 73
- 70; D+ = 69 - 67; D = 66 - 64.
Faculty-Initiated Student Withdrawal Procedure
Students should be aware that your instructor follows the university’s policy of
faculty-initiated student withdrawal. It reads as follows: “If a student’s absences
from class or disruptive behavior become detrimental to the student’s progress or
that of other students in the class, the faculty member shall attempt to contact the
student in writing about withdrawing from the class and shall seek the aid of the
office of Vice President of Student Affairs to help insure contacting the Student.
The Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs shall provide the student
information about the existing appeals procedures. Upon receiving a written report
from the faculty member, the Vice President of Student Affairs may initiate a
student withdrawal from the class. None of the above implies or states that faculty
members are required to initiate the student withdrawals for excessive absence.
[Policy and Procedures Manual 43.11]
"I" Incomplete Grading Policy
The grade of "incomplete" will be given only for personal emergencies which are
verifiable and when the student has done passing work in the course.
Academic Dishonesty
At Emporia State University, academic dishonesty is a basis for disciplinary action.
Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to activities such as cheating and
plagiarism (presenting as one's own the intellectual or creative accomplishments of
another without giving credit to the source or sources.)
The faculty member in whose course or under whose tutelage an act of academic
dishonesty occurs has the option of failing the student for the academic hours in
question and may refer the case to other academic personnel for further action.
Emporia State University may impose penalties for academic dishonesty up to and
including expulsion from the university.
Disabilities Policy
Emporia State University will make reasonable accommodations for persons with
documented disabilities. Students need to contact the Director of Disability
Services and the professor as early in the semester as possible to ensure that
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communication between students, the Office of Disability Services, and the
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Contact information for the Office of Disability Services:
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Emporia, KS 66801
Phone : 620/341-6637
TTY: 620/341-6646
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Copyright © 2008 ESU SLIM
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Content comments for the instructor:
barbara.ginzburg@gmail.com
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