Information Literacy In Legal Research Instruction

Kumar Percy Jayasuriya

Roadmap for Information Literacy Introductions Information Literacy in Legal Research InstructionInformation Literacy in Legal Research Instruction

Determine the nature and extent of information neededDetermine the nature and extent of information needed Access information effectively and efficiently Access information effectively and efficiently Evaluate critically the source of informationEvaluate critically the source of information Social and Ethical ConsiderationsSocial and Ethical Considerations Take away: Take away: Applying IL to Legal Research InstructionApplying IL to Legal Research Instruction

Information Literacy Assessment Tools Putting IL in FCIL

It’s legal for a minor to cover Gang Tattoos

Overall Objective:Teaching mechanics and critical thinking

Critical evaluations skills can be taught while teaching the mechanics of legal research

We explain why we use citator as we teach them how to use a citator.

Standards for a reference interview Does the user get the information needed Does the user learn something about how to

find information Does the user learn something about how to

evaluate information Is the user satisfied with the interaction

Jonathan Miller, Quick and Easy Reference Evaluations: Gathering Users’ and Providers’ Perspectives, 47 Reference and User Services Quarterly 218 (Spring 2008)

Standards Determine the nature and extent of information Determine the nature and extent of information

neededneeded Access information effectively and efficiently Evaluate critically the source of information Incorporate the information into the person’s knowledge base Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose Understand the ethical and social issues regarding the

information and use the information ethically and legallyACRL Standards for Information Literacy:

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm#ildef

Learn Nature of Information

Hierarchy of legal system researched

Must a state regulation be authorized by a statute?

Must a state statute be authorized by state constitution?

Learn Nature of Information

Legal authority of each document What is the legal authority of an opinion from the

Board of Patent Appeals and Interferenceshttp://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/dcom/bpai/index.html

Using your knowledge about the nature of legal information

Find the statute to learn more about the regulatory scheme

Using your knowledge about the nature of legal information

From the Authority Citation you also find a case that explains the regulatory scheme.

Determine the nature and extent of information needed

Interdisciplinary material Know when to use it Know why to use it Know how that type of document has been

treated in similar legal arenas. Economics and social science resources can be used

in a custody battle to predict what outcome is in the best interest of a child

Important to know how the judge(s) is/are likely to react to social science resources

Standards Determine the nature and extent of information needed Access information effectively and efficiently Evaluate critically the source of informationEvaluate critically the source of information Incorporate the information into the person’s knowledge base Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose Understand the ethical and social issues regarding the

information and use the information ethically and legallyACRL Standards for Information Literacy:

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm#ildef

Evaluate critically the source of information

What is the Fed. Register good for?

Find the issues analyzed during the drafting process.

Find responses to public comments

Evaluate critically the source of information:

I want to know if it is a problem for the NYSE to regulate itself.

Find out what the experts think?

Evaluate critically the source of information Understand the various kinds of information

available in each type of legal document What do you find in the Federal Register that

you can’t find in the CFR Responses to Comments and Drafter’s Analysis

What do you find in Congressional Hearings? Expert testimony – policy arguments

Congressional Reports? Legislative intent and legal analysis, not policy

arguments

Evaluate critically the source of information

How current are these results?

Find Regulations for Gun Collectors on GPO Access

Evaluate critically the source of information – how current is it?

GPO PDFs don’t say; but their text-file versions do indicated last revision information

Evaluate critically the source of information – how current is it?

Standards Determine the nature and extent of information needed Access information effectively and efficiently Access information effectively and efficiently Evaluate critically the source of information Incorporate the information into the person’s knowledge base Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose Understand the ethical and social issues regarding the

information and use the information ethically and legallyACRL Standards for Information Literacy:

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm#ildef

Access information effectively and efficiently

Use knowledge of legal system to gain speed State legislatures will post new bills online, but

not state codes Lexis/Westlaw very effective at providing up- to-

date version of statutes and regulations State secretary of state is likely to have

regulations Lexis / Westlaw may / may not be better

Standards Determine the nature and extent of information needed Access information effectively and efficiently Evaluate critically the source of information Incorporate the information into the person’s knowledge base Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose Understand the ethical and social issues regarding Understand the ethical and social issues regarding

the information and use the information ethically the information and use the information ethically and legallyand legally

ACRL Standards for Information Literacy:http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm#ildef

Ethical and Social Issues of Information-- Plagiarism

Recognize the norms of plagiarism in your community

Law School Acknowledge direct use of someone else’s words. Acknowledge any paraphrase of someone else’s words. Acknowledge direct use of someone else’s idea. Acknowledge a source when your own analysis of

conclusion builds on that source. Acknowledge a source when your idea about a legal

opinion came from a source other than the opinion itself.(Law School Plagiarism v. Proper Attribution: A Publication of the Legal

Writing Institute (2003))

Ethical and Social Issues of Information Plagiarism Law Practice?

liberally borrow language and ideas

Two Hypothetical Problems– 4. Jane copies text from a paper she wrote for another

course?5. Jane drafted an innovative argument based upon an

idea she read about in a legal newspaper? Plagiarism: Different in academia v. practice

Objectives in Designing a Class

Students should understand the legal system Students should understand what kind of legal

documents are available Students should understand why they are

looking for each document Students should know how and when to update

the legal documents (Cases are update with citators)

Objectives in Designing a Class Based upon this knowledge students should

pick the most efficient resources. Students should know when to get further

analysis from interdisciplinary material Students should have a nuanced understand

plagiarism

Roadmap for Information Literacy Introductions Information Literacy in Legal Research Instruction

Determine the nature and extent of information needed Access information effectively and efficiently Evaluate critically the source of information Social and Ethical Considerations Take away: Applying IL to Legal Research Instruction

Information Literacy Assessment ToolsInformation Literacy Assessment Tools Putting IL in FCIL