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Legal Research Basics : Secondary Sources

This page discusses the basics of legal research and where to find the most commonly sought information.

In the Library

You can find legal encyclopedias on the first floor of the Library. ALRs are also on the first floor, in the tall stacks.

Law reviews are on the ground floor, arranged alphabetically by title.

Search the Library catalog to find books, like Nutshells or treatises, related to your topic. 

The most recent version of some publications may be on Secured Reserve.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources is a broad category that includes

  • legal encyclopedias
  • legal dictionaries
  • Nutshells
  • treatises
  • legal periodicals
  • almost anything else that is not a statute, regulation, or case law.

Secondary sources will explain, analyze, critique, or offer an interpretation of the law. They are not the law itself.

Secondary sources provide background information on a topic and frequently have citations to other useful sources.