Basic Checklist of Sources and Strategies
This checklist of research sources can be printed out for use with a particular research problem. The list of sources on the left serves to remind you of various possibilities for your research -- even the most experienced researchers will sometimes overlook a potentially useful resource. The two columns on the right allow you to record whether and when you checked a source, and to make brief notes on what you found (e.g. "2 statutes: 29 USC 331, 42 US 12011"). Many of the sources listed are linked to documents or websites where you can obtain further information. The letters after individual items indicate some of the places the source is available: L=Lexis, W=Westlaw, P= Print, Web= public website
| Source | Date Checked | Notes |
| Legal Encylopedias | ||
| -- CJS (W, P) | ||
| -- AmJur 2d (L,W, P) | ||
| -- State Encyclopedia (e.g., N.Y. Jur. 2d) (L,W,P) | ||
| Key Treatises (P, some L, W) | ||
| Restatements (L,W, P) | ||
| ALR (L, W, P) | ||
| Annotated Statutes (L, W, P, web) | ||
| --Federal (USCS, USCA)(click here for a 10 minute video on how to research federal statutes) | ||
| --State | ||
| Regulations | ||
| --Federal | ||
| ----CFR Code of Fed. Regulations (L,W,P, web) | ||
| ----FR (Federal Register) (L,W,P, web) | ||
| -- State Regulations (click for website identifying state codes and registers) | ||
| Cases and adjudications | ||
| --Federal cases (L,W,P, some web) | ||
| --State cases (L,W,P, some web) | ||
| --Federal (or state) Agency adjudications (some L, some W, some P, some web) | ||
| Internal firm resources (ask your assigning attorney, or your librarian) | ||
| -- document management systems | ||
| -- corporate "bibles" | ||
| -- case files | ||
| --other internal firm databases and files | ||
| Looseleaf Services (e.g. CCH, BNA) (P, some L, some W, some other fee-based services) | ||
| CLE Materials (e.g. MCLE, PLI, etc.) - materials prepared for continuing legal education courses (some W, some L, some P, some web) | ||
| Public Web Sites | ||
| --.gov (e.g. GPOAccess, FDA.gov) | ||
| --google, other search engines | ||
| --.edu, .com websites | ||
| Formbooks (click for Georgetown Law Library's guide, w/ list of formbooks by subject) (primarily P, some online sources) | ||
| Updating and citators | ||
| -- Shepards (click for Lexis tutorial) (P,L) | ||
| -- KeyCite (click for Westlaw's information on KeyCite) (W) |