from google to blawgs: internet tips for the lrw teacher
TRANSCRIPT
From Google to Blawgs: Internet Tips for the LRW Teacher
11th Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute
Presenter: Maria Perez CristUniversity of Dayton School of Law
July 22, 2004
Top Web Portals and Blawgs
Legal Research Fact Research Blawgs
Web Sites for Legal Research Life beyond Lexis and Westlaw: LoisLaw;
VersusLaw, & Casemaker Key non-subscription Internet sources Using the Internet to organize your legal
research Briefs on the Web
Findlaw (http://www.findlaw.com)
Legal Information Institute(http://www.law.cornell.edu)
Web Sites for Factual Research Simulation development Realistic settings for problems Ready-made documents for simulations
Lawyer Express(http://www.lawyerexpress.com)
SearchSystems(http://www.searchsystems.net)
Online Communities UseNet/Newsgroups/
Google Groups
Mailing Lists / Listservs
BLAWGS
Message Boards
BLAWGS
1997 “Web logs” (only 30 existed)
TODAY estimated at least 500,000WEB LOG BLOG
Law-related BLOG BLAWG
Internet Research Blawg
Business Law Blawg
Criminal Law
Internet Research Techniques Know what’s available
Use efficient search techniques
Start out at useful web sites
The “Invisible Web”
What makes it “invisible”? Buried web pages – beyond the reach of
most search engines Type of page – PDF, spreadsheets, Word
documents, etc.
Best search strategies Have a plan Use the most appropriate search tool Navigate what you find in the most efficient
manner Check reliability of what you find
New Tricks with Google Google Task Bar Google Deskbar Search Google Images, News, Groups Froogle Advanced Searches Number Searches
Internet Technology in the Classroom
Google Language Exercise Online Grammar Exercise Fun with Forms
Google Language Exercise Goal: compare learning to communicate the
language of the law with learning a new language.
Technique: Go to Google and use the language feature. Translate a sentence to a foreign language. Have a student translate the sentence word for word. Notice the need to change syntax to make the sentence understandable in English.
Online Grammar Exercises Goal: Improve writing skills. Technique: Can be done in class or
assigned outside of class. Go to: http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quiz_list.htm. Choose quizzes in the areas your students seem to have the most trouble with.
Fun with Forms Goal: Students learn how to access and
use forms in law practice. Technique: Go to the “forms” link on
Findlaw. Practice searching for a form. Then compare the form with what is known about the law. Have students indicate what changes would need to be made in the form.
The Internet… make it work for you!