Skip to Main Content UMKC University Libraries

Thinking About Legal Research Problems

Created by Paul D. Callister from earlier version at http://www1.law.umkc.edu/faculty/callister/bootcamp/Survival/tab1.html

Resources

Philosophy of Teaching Legal Research

To work legal research you need some paradigms or mental constructs so that you see three things:

1.   A constructs that help break down the problem and classify them by type.

2.   A map of legal resources so that one can identify their relationship to one another and their best uses in solving problems.

3.   Constructs that match resources to problems and that help with understanding the best processes for solving the problems,

Illustration of Constructivism Philosophy

Can you find Ursa Major? Mouse over for help from a "construct"?

Image of night sky which includes Ursa Major constellationNight sky with several constellations (no outline of Ursa Major)