If you are writing a research paper for a seminar or a note for a law review or journal this semester, or if you are a research assistant and are working on a difficult project, now might be a good time to schedule an in-office research consultation with a Moritz Law Library reference librarian. These individual meetings are scheduled in advance to give the librarians time to prepare useful research strategies and sources to help you get started researching your particular issue or topic. Stop by now to get a head start on those long papers or really complex research topics.
To request a research consultation, go to https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/lib/services/request-a-research-consultation/ and fill out the online form with a description of your research project and the times you are available to meet. Reference librarians are available to meet during business hours, Monday through Friday, typically within 2-3 business days after your request is submitted. If you need research assistance sooner, please stop by the Reference Desk. Reference Desk hours and contact info can be found on the Ask a Librarian page.
Here are a few research tips for academic legal writing:
To request a research consultation, go to https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/lib/services/request-a-research-consultation/ and fill out the online form with a description of your research project and the times you are available to meet. Reference librarians are available to meet during business hours, Monday through Friday, typically within 2-3 business days after your request is submitted. If you need research assistance sooner, please stop by the Reference Desk. Reference Desk hours and contact info can be found on the Ask a Librarian page.
Additional Tips for Scholarly Writing Resources
The Moritz Law Library has created a list of resources relevant to writing a scholarly paper, including books on academic legal writing, scholarly research tools, and more. (Don’t forget to check out our other library guides on numerous topics!)Here are a few research tips for academic legal writing:
- Sign up for a research consultation with a reference librarian at any stage, from topic selection to developing background research.
- Explore the world beyond Google. The Moritz Law Library and OSU Libraries offer a wide range of databases, books, journals, and news sources that will allow you to be more comprehensive, current, and precise in your research.
- Keep track of your research process so that you don’t repeat steps and so that you can cite sources properly.
- Synthesize sources. Academic legal writing draws on many supporting sources rather than only a few.
- As you read law review articles, take note of the range and frequency of citations as a model for your own work.