Legal Research Methods – Computer
This lesson covers Legal Research Methods – Computer.
____ is a technology that allows users to access databases that contain case law or statutory law governing a particular issue.
a. A database management system
b. A spreadsheet program
c. E-mail
d. Computer-assisted legal research – correct
Which of the following statements is true regarding legal research?
a. Computer-assisted legal research is slow and time consuming.
b. Computers have made paralegal work more difficult.
c. The Internet is rarely used in legal research.
d. None of these choices is correct. – correct
Which of the following statements is true regarding legal research?
a. Computers and online services have simplified and improved the ability of paralegals to do high-quality legal research. – correct
b. Computers have made paralegal work more difficult.
c. The Internet is rarely used in legal research.
d. Computer-assisted legal research is slow and time consuming.
Which of the following is an advantage of online legal research?
a. Legal sources can be located and printed within a matter of minutes.
b. Legal research can be conducted at a legal professional’s desk.
c. New case decisions and amendments to statutes are available almost immediately.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
e. None of these choices is correct.
Which of the following is an example of a fee-based service providing court opinions, statutes, and agency materials?
a. Lexis – correct
b. Google Scholar
c. Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute
d. Lexis and Google Scholar
6. Which of the following is an example of a fee-based service providing court opinions, statutes, and agency materials?
a. Lexis
b. Loislaw
c. Casemaker
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following is not an example of a fee-based service providing court opinions, statutes, and agency materials?
a. Lexis
b. Loislaw
c. Google Scholar – correct
d. All of these choices are correct.
Which of the following is an example of a free service providing court opinions, statutes, and agency materials?
a. Lexis
b. Loislaw
c. Casemaker
d. Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute – correct
Which of the following is a commonly used legal site for those not using fee-based services?
a. Justia
b. FindLaw for Legal Professionals
c. Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Many legal documents, such as statutes and cases, are ___ documents and available free on the web.
a. public – correct
b. private
c. proprietary
d. personal
The dominant legal information portal for legal professionals that is free is which of the following?
a. Findlaw.com
b. Lp.findlaw.com – correct
c. Findlaw.lp.com
d. Findlawlp.com
Major free legal resource sites include which of the following?
a. Cornell University Law School Group
b. Washburn University Law School
c. Internet Legal Research
d. Cornell University Law School Group and Washburn University Law School only
e. All of these choices are correct. – correct
____ are not likely to be found on the web for free.
a. Primary sources
b. Secondary sources – correct
c. Court opinions
d. All of these choices are correct.
Increasing numbers of ____ are available free on the Internet.
a. law review articles – correct
b. treatises
c. legal encyclopedias
d. digests
Which of the following is likely to be found on the Internet for free?
a. Legal encyclopedias
b. Treatises
c. Law review articles – correct
d. All of these choices are correct.
16. Which of the following is not likely to be found on the Internet for free?
a. Legal encyclopedias
b. Treatises
c. Law review articles
d. Legal encyclopedias and treatises – correct
e. Legal encyclopedias and law review articles
______ indexes the content of databases that make themselves available to Google.
a. Google Scholar – correct
b. Google Legal Aid
c. Google Encyclopedia
d. Google Search
Archived audio recordings and text of Supreme Court oral arguments from 1955 onward are found on
a. Google Scholar.
b. The Oyez Project. – correct
c. FindLaw.
d. None of these choices is correct.
Information about lawsuits recently filed in federal court can be found in which of the following?
a. Google Scholar
b. The Oyez Project
c. Case dockets on a state court website – correct
d. None of these choices is correct.
20. The official online portal to U.S. government information is which of the following?
a. www.usa.gov – correct
b. www.usalaw.gov
c. www.usarules.gov
d. www.unitedstates.gov
Which of the following can be found on the Library of Congress’s website?
a. A daily congressional digest
b. A link to the Law Library of Congress
c. The full text of laws passed by Congress
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following cannot be found on the Library of Congress’s website?
a. A daily congressional digest
b. A link to the Law Library of Congress
c. The full text of laws passed by Congress
*d. None of these choices is correct. – correct
Which of the following can be found on the U.S. Department of Justice’s website?
a. Information on federal criminal prosecutions – correct
b. Information on the enforcement of the federal laws of civil rights
c. Information on employment discrimination
d. All of these choices are correct.
Which of the following can be found on the Library of Congress’s website?
a. Information on federal criminal prosecutions
b. A link to the Law Library of Congress – correct
c. Information on federal criminal prosecutions
d. Information on the enforcement of the federal laws of civil rights
Which of the following can be found on the U.S. House of Representatives’ website?
a. Links to representatives’ roll-call votes
b. The congressional schedule
c. Current debates on the House floor
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following cannot be found on the U.S. Department of Justice’s website?
a. Information on federal criminal prosecutions
b. Information on the enforcement of the federal laws of civil rights
c. The congressional schedule – correct
d. Information on employment discrimination
Which website should you go to for information about federal criminal prosecutions?
a. The U.S. Department of Justice’s website – correct
b. The Library of Congress’s website
c. Google Scholar
d. The House of Representatives’ website
Which website should you go to for a link to the Law Library of Congress?
a. The U.S. Department of Justice’s website
b. The Library of Congress’s website – correct
c. Google Scholar
d. The House of Representatives’ website
Which website should you go to for information about current debates of the House of Representatives floor?
a. The U.S. Department of Justice’s website
b. The Library of Congress’s website
c. The House of Representatives’ website – correct
d. Google Scholar
Research guides from Georgetown University Law Library include which of the following?
a. Relevant primary and secondary sources
b. Relevant Internet resources
c. Relevant books
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
______ language searching uses the database’s own unique algorithm that ranks document relevance on factors such as the frequency with which your search terms appear in the document.
a. Natural – correct
b. Boolean
c. Native
d. Common l
Natural language searching is best when the researcher
a. knows an exact term to search for.
b. only knows a few basic terms to search. – correct
c. has very detailed information to search with.
d. has a lot of time to search.
Boolean searching is sometimes referred to as _____ searching.
a. “specific”
b. “natural”
c. “terms and connector” – correct
d. “exact”
Boolean searching can be used in which of the following databases?
a. Lexis only
b. Westlaw only
c. Both Lexis and Westlaw – correct
d. Neither Lexis nor Westlaw
Which of the following has recently emerged as an alternative resource provider in the subscription-based online legal research services?
a. Bloomberg Law – correct
b. Westlaw
c. Lexis
d. Google Scholar
Which of the following is unique content provided by Bloomberg Law?
a. Court dockets
b. Bureau of National Affairs law reports – correct
c. Legal filings
d. Legal reports
If your firm’s Internet connection goes out while you are conducting important online legal research, you should
a. switch your research to a smartphone or tablet Internet connection. – correct
b. advise your supervisor that you can no longer work on the case.
c. ask your supervisor for an extension and then call the client and explain that the case will be delayed due to technical difficulties.
d. do nothing and wait for the connection to be reset.
Possible actions to take if your firm’s Internet connection goes out while you are conducting important online legal research include which of the following?
a. Switch your research to a smartphone or tablet Internet connection.
b. Go to a local coffee shop with Internet connectivity.
c. Ask your supervisor for an extension and then call the client and explain that the case will be delayed due to technical difficulties.
d. Switch your research to a smartphone or tablet Internet connection and go to a local coffee shop with Internet connectivity. – correct
Which of the following is a reason you may not be able to use Westlaw or Lexis as a research tool?
a. The case involves Westlaw or Lexis.
b. The judge for the case does not approve of Westlaw or Lexis.
c. The client cannot afford the cost of their use. – correct
d. All of these choices are correct.
When using a cloud backup service to store materials off-site, it is important to
a. check on the materials daily.
b. save the file under several different names.
c. make sure the cloud service offers adequate security. – correct
d. All of these choices are correct.
A paralegal’s electronic files should be
a. backed up to an external hard drive.
b. organized according to the firm’s filing system.
c. backed up to a secure off-site backup system.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
A paralegal should be prepared for power outages and computer failure by
a. never putting off research to the last minute.
b. having a backup system and using it.
c. downloading and archiving crucial information.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
To keep down research costs, paralegals should
a. do initial research on free sites. – correct
b. look for illegal free downloads of Lexis or Westlaw.
c. use Lexis or Westlaw only in the evenings when fees are lower.
d. All of these choices are correct.
Which of the following would be included in Westlaw or Lexis?
a. Law reviews
b. Legal encyclopedias
c. Magazines
d. None of these choices is correct.
e. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following would not be included in Westlaw or Lexis?
a. Law reviews
b. Legal encyclopedias
c. Magazines
d. None of these choices is correct. – correct
Which of the following is something you can do when using Westlaw or Lexis?
a. Conduct a search
b. Check citations
c. Track previous research trails
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following is something you can do when using Westlaw but not Lexis?
a. Conduct a search
b. Check citations
c. Track previous research trails
d. None of these choices is correct. – correct
Which of the following are methods of searching a database in Westlaw or Lexis?
a. By citation
b. Terms and connectors methods
c. Natural language methods
d. None of these choices is correct.
e. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following is true of using Lexis and Westlaw?
a. The user needs a subscription and password to access the services.
b. They are free to use.
c. They can be expensive to use.
d. The user needs a subscription and password to access the services, and they can be expensive to use. – correct
e. None of these choices is correct.
Which of the following is not an advantage of online legal research?
a. It provides the ability to locate and print court cases and statutory provisions.
b. New case decisions and changes in law are almost immediately available.
c. Westlaw and Lexis are available at no charge. – correct
d. The Internet allows many approaches to online research.
Which of the following can be used to locate a court case in Westlaw or Lexis?
a. The citation for the case
b. The legal topic of the case
c. The case name
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
A ______ provides a list of legal references that have cited or interpreted a case, statute, or regulation.
a. bibliography
b. citator – correct
c. case citator
d. docket
A ______ provides a list of legal references that have cited or interpreted a case, statute, or regulation and, in addition, a history of the case.
a. bibliography
b. citator
c. case citator – correct
d. docket
Services that provide an online citator include which of the following?
a. Westlaw
b. Lexis
c. PACER
d. Westlaw and Lexis – correct
e. None of these choices is correct.
The online citator for Lexis is
a. KeyCite.
b. Shepard’s. – correct
c. UpdateCite.
d. CorrectCite.
The online citator for Westlaw is
a. Key Cite. – correct
b. Auto-Cite.
c. Update Cite.
d. Correct Cite.
Key Cite is
a. the online citator for Westlaw. – correct
b. the online citator for Lexis.
c. the online citator for Google Scholar.
d. a key legal research website.
Shepard’s is
a. the online citator for Westlaw.
b. the online citator for Lexis. – correct
c. the online citator for Google Scholar.
d. a key legal research website.
Which citator contains the case status flags to indicate when there is case history to be investigated?
a. Key Cite – correct
b. Shepard’s
c. Update Cite
d. Correct Cite
An indication in Key Cite that a case has been questioned or has been overruled is
a. two status stars.
b. a colored status flag. – correct
c. a graphic of a pointing hand.
d. None of these choices is correct.
Citing cases are
a. cases that cite the case you looked up in the citator. – correct
b. cases that are no longer relevant to your case.
c. cases that cannot be accessed online.
d. tertiary sources.
Cases that have multiple citations are referred to as having
a. key citations.
b. parallel citations. – correct
c. multi-citations.
d. numerous citations.
Parallel citations occur when a court’s opinion is
a. published in several different sets of books. – correct
b. reversed.
c. out of date.
d. All of these choices are correct.
Westlaw databases include all of the following except
a. administrative rules.
b. law journals.
c. legal forms.
d. Shepard’s. – correct
Shepard’s Citations provides all of the following information except
a. parallel citations.
b. citing cases.
c. case histories.
d. Key Cites. – correct
In Shepard’s abbreviation system, “s” means which of the following?
a. Same case – correct
b. Superseded
c. Similar case
d. Subordinate case
In Shepard’s abbreviation system, “e” means which of the following?
a. Explained – correct
b. Exception
c. Equal
d. Extended
In Shepard’s abbreviation system, “f” means which of the following?
a. Followed – correct
b. Founded
c. Function
d. Found
A(n) ____ is a book or online service that provides the history and interpretation of a statute, regulation, or court decision and a list of the cases, statutes, and regulations that have interpreted, applied, or modified a statute or regulation.
a. citator – correct
b. atlas
c. legal encyclopedia
d. treatise
Shepard’s Law Review Citations includes citations to which of the following?
a. Legal periodicals – correct
b. Court decisions
c. Federal court cases
d. Federal statutes
e. None of these choices is correct.
____ is an online citator on Westlaw that can trace case history, retrieve secondary sources, categorize legal citations by legal issue, and perform other functions.
a. Shepard’s
b. Key Cite – correct
c. FindLaw
d. Fastcase
When using KeyCite, what is the indication that a case has been reversed or overruled for at least one point of law and must therefore be reviewed?
a. A red flag – correct
b. A yellow flag
c. Three stars
d. Four stars
When using KeyCite, what is the indication that the case has been questioned and should be checked?
a. A red flag
b. A yellow flag – correct
c. One star
d. Two stars
When using KeyCite, always ____ a citing case to find out why your case has a red or yellow flag and to determine what issue in your case has been questioned, reversed, or overruled.
a. read – correct
b. print out
c. file
d. ask your supervising attorney about
Making sure your findings are accurate and up to date is a(n) ____ part of legal research.
a. crucial – correct
b. important
c. occasional
d. optional
An efficient source for online access to the ethical opinions issued by the American Bar Association (ABA) and state bar associations is which of the following?
a. The ABA website – correct
b. The Ethics website
c. Each state bar association’s website
d. A collective state bar association website
The Westlaw database containing all federal court opinions is called which of the following?
a. All Federal Cases
b. Cases-Federal
c. ALLFEDS
d. FED-CS – correct
Searching a database in Westlaw or Lexis may be done through the use of which of the following?
a. The terms and connectors (Boolean) method of searching
b. The natural language or plain English method of searching
c. The terms and connectors (Boolean) method of searching and the natural language or plain English method of searching – correct
d. None of these choices is correct.
Terms and connectors are part of the ______ method of searching.
a. Boolean – correct
b. natural language
c. limited
d. relevant
The search term liability /p cancer /s tobacco would retrieve all cases
a. in which the term liability is in the same paragraph as the term cancer. – correct
b. in which the terms tobacco and cancer do not appear in the same sentence.
c. in which there was a proven relationship between tobacco and cancer.
d. against Big Tobacco.
The phrase & added date (after 12/31/2009) is called a
a. date restriction.
b. field restriction. – correct
c. limiting factor.
d. limiting phrase.
If you need to restrict the scope of your search, you can add a which of the following?
a. Boolean modifier
b. Field restriction – correct
c. Term and connector
d. None of these choices is correct.
Which search method allows you to type a description of an issue without the use of terms and connectors in order to retrieve the most relevant documents?
a. Natural language method – correct
b. Boolean search method
c. Terms and connectors method
d. Lexis finder method
Which of the following natural method search queries might you use if you were conducting a search for a case regarding tobacco manufacturers being liable for cancer caused by their products?
a. Is a tobacco manufacturer liable for cancer caused by the use of its products?
b. Tobacco manufacturer liable cancer products
c. Liability /p cancer /s tobacco
d. Is a tobacco manufacturer liable for cancer caused by the use of its products? and tobacco manufacturer liable cancer products – correct
In a natural language method search for cases related to tobacco manufacturers, “tobacco” is an example of a
a. Boolean search phrase.
b. connection.
c. key word. – correct
d. term.
Which of the following is the dominant seller of premier services for online legal research?
a. Westlaw – correct
b. Google Scholar
c. Lexis
d. Chrome
When using fee-based online legal research services, time may literally be which of the following?
a. Free
b. Money – correct
c. Limitless
d. Frustrating
Keeping track of your research by making a list of all the ___ you have reviewed will save you time and aggravation.
a. cases
b. statutes
c. articles
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
____, as applied to Internet search engines, is a system in which connecting words (primarily and, or, and not) are used to establish a logical relationship among key words in order to make a search more precise.
a. Boolean logic – correct
b. A proximity operator
c. A key-word search
d. A concept search
Why is it important to carefully evaluate information gathered from the Internet?
a. Online information can be outdated.
b. The source might not be reputable.
c. Anyone can post information on the Internet, even if they do not know what they are talking about.
d. Online information can be outdated, and anyone can post information on the Internet, even if they do not know what they are talking about.
e. Online information can be outdated, the source might not be reputable, and anyone can post information on the Internet, even if they do not know what they are talking about. – correct
Generally, when drafting legal research queries, make sure your query is not too
a. broad.
b. narrow.
c. vague.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
When searching with the natural language method, including ____ in the search may sometimes be necessary to produce more comprehensive results.
a. synonyms – correct
b. numerical connectors
c. field restrictions
d. grammatical connectors
Once you have retrieved your search results, Westlaw’s ____ tool allows you to further narrow your search by scanning the documents in your search result for terms that were not included in your query.
a. View Related Terms
b. Thesaurus
c. Suggest Terms
d. Locate in Results – correct
PACER is which of the following?
a. An easy-to-use Internet service that allows users to obtain court cases and docket information from federal circuit, district, and bankruptcy courts – correct
b. A free online legal research tool
c. A method for finding court cases in a traditional library card catalog
d. None of these choices is correct.
An alternative online program that is run by the federal judiciary and includes federal case dockets is called
a. PACER. – correct
b. Fastcase.
c. Casemaker.
d. Loislaw.
Which of the following could be found in PACER?
a. Court cases from bankruptcy courts
b. Court opinions
c. A complaint filed in a lawsuit
d. Docket information from a district court
e. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following could not be found in PACER?
a. Court cases from bankruptcy courts
b. Court opinions
c. A complaint filed in a lawsuit
d. Docket information from a district court
e. None of these choices is correct. – correct
_______ provides access to all Supreme Court decisions, federal appeals decisions back to 1924, and federal district court decisions back to 1932.
a. Fastcase – correct
b. PACER
c. Casemaker
d. Shepard’s
Fastcase is a(n)
a. easy-to-use Internet service that allows users to obtain court cases and docket information from federal circuit, district, and bankruptcy courts.
b. free online legal research tool.
c. method for finding court cases in a traditional library card catalog.
d. online legal research website that provides access to all Supreme Court decisions, federal appeals decisions back to 1924, and federal district court decisions back to 1932. – correct
e. All of these choices are correct.
Which of the following could be found using Fastcase?
a. A Supreme Court decision from 1900
b. A federal appeals decision from 1910 – correct
c. A federal district court decision from 1900
d. All of these choices are correct.
Which of the following could be found using Fastcase?
a. A Supreme Court decision from 1967
b. A Supreme Court decision from 1950
c. A federal district court decision from 1998
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following could not be found using Fastcase?
a. A federal appeals court decision from 1900 – correct
b. A Supreme Court decision from 1950
c. A federal district court decision from 1987
d. All of these choices are correct.
An alternative online program that provides Authority Check, which looks to see if a case is still good law and provides links to relevant cases, is called
a. PACER.
b. Fastcase. – correct
c. Casemaker.
d. VersusLaw.
A key feature of Fastcase is ___________, which looks to see if a case is still good law and provides links to relevant cases.
a. Shepard’s
b. KeyCite
c. Authority Check – correct
d. Fact Check
An alternative online program that allows subscribers access to its specialized databases of secondary sources is called
a. PACER.
b. Fastcase.
c. Loislaw. – correct
d. Casemaker.
Loislaw is which of the following?
a. An easy-to-use Internet service that allows users to obtain court cases and docket information from federal circuit, district, and bankruptcy courts
b. A free online legal research tool
c. An online legal research website that allows subscribers access to its specialized databases of secondary sources – correct
d. An online legal research website that provides access to all Supreme Court decisions, federal appeals decisions back to 1924, and federal district court decisions back to 1932
e. All of these choices are correct.
An alternative online program (like Fastcase) that is working its way into more common use by lawyers through its ties to state bar associations, which allow their members to use it as a part of their bar membership, is called
a. PACER.
b. Fastcase.
c. VersusLaw.
d. Casemaker. – correct
Casemaker is provided by which of the following?
a. State bar associations – correct
b. The federal government
c. Private law firms
d. Public law firms
State bar associations provide their members with which of the following?
a. Westlaw
b. Casemaker – correct
c. VersusLaw
d. Loislaw
e. All of these choices are correct.
________ is a low-cost service that includes Supreme Court and U.S. court of appeals cases and current federal district court cases, as well as state appellate court cases and cases of some specialized courts.
a. Lexis
b. Masterlaw
c. Westlaw
d. VersusLaw – correct
Free services that allow users to run basic key-word searches on state and federal case law, and also to search a limited number of law reviews and journals, include which of the following?
a. Google Chrome
b. Google Scholar – correct
c. Westlaw Lite
d. VersusLaw
e. Google Chrome and Google Scholar
When using Google Scholar, it is important to remember to do which of the following?
a. Select the link for “advanced scholar search.” – correct
b. Save screenshots of everything you find.
c. Keep track of all associated fees.
d. Use Boolean search modifiers.
Your goal when conducting any online research is to find
a. accurate information.
b. up-to-date information.
c. information in a minimum amount of time.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
When conducting online research, it is important to do which of the following?
a. Plan your research in advance.
b. Analyze the facts and identify the issues.
c. Narrow the scope of your research.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Theresa Smith has been given her first research assignment as a new paralegal. She is to prepare a summary of medical articles on bipolar disorder. What steps should she take to conduct her search?
a. Become familiar with medical terminology.
b. Search the appropriate medical categories on a reputable website, such as that of the American Medical Association (AMA).
c. Locate appropriate articles and summaries.
d. If the full text of the articles is not available online, go to the nearest medical school’s library to obtain them.
e. All of these choices are correct. – correct
f. None of these choices is correct.
Which of the following is a tip for paralegals performing medical research online?
a. Become familiar with medical terminology.
b. Search appropriate medical categories on websites.
c. Make sure your information is taken from a reputable website.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
To zero in on specific data within a potentially useful website, a paralegal can use
a. the links within the site.
b. an internal search engine for that site, if available.
c. the browser’s “find” tool to search the site.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Links to federal offices and agencies can be found at which of the following?
a. USA.gov – correct
b. FED.gov
c. USGOV.net
d. US.com
e. All of these choices are correct.
USA.gov provides which of the following?
a. Links to federal offices and agencies – correct
b. Listings of all federal salaries
c. Listings of all federal jobs available for paralegals
d. Links to Websites for paralegals
e. All of these choices are correct.
A(n) ____ is a helpful way to discover the extent of resources available online.
a. online public library catalog – correct
b. visit to a local library
c. visit to a distant library
d. All of these choices are correct.
Which of the following is true regarding source material that is located in a distant library?
a. You can often arrange for it to be delivered to a closer library.
b. You can often arrange for it to be delivered directly to you.
c. You will have to make a special trip to the distant library.
d. You can often arrange for it to be delivered to a closer library, and you can often arrange for it to be delivered directly to you. – correct
An online journal, or “weblog,” is called a ______ for short.
a. log
b. blog – correct
c. chat
d. forum
Well-recognized blogs in law include which of the following?
a. Am Law Daily
b. Legal Times
c. Offshore Green
d. Roger’s Daily Law
e. Am Law Daily and Legal Times – correct
Which of the following is not a well-recognized blog in law?
a. Am Law Daily
b. Legal Times
c. Offshore Green – correct
d. None of these choices is correct.
A list of legal blogs can be found at which of the following?
a. The American Bar Association’s ABA Journal site – correct
b. Roger’s List of Law Blogs
c. USA.gov
d. Am Law Daily
e. All of these choices are correct.
As you browse through the links that could be useful for your research, you will need to ____ the websites you visit, by marking a site as a “Favorite” (Explorer) or adding it as a “Bookmark” (Firefox or Safari), both of which are the electronic substitute for keeping a book on your desk.
a. keep track of – correct
b. write down the URLs of
c. revisit frequently
d. All of these choices are correct.
When using Firefox, Safari, or Chrome, you should keep track of the websites you visit by using the ________ feature.
a. “Favorite”
b. “Citator”
c. “Bookmark” – correct
d. “Placeholder”
When using Internet Explorer, you should keep track of the websites you visit by using the ________ feature.
a. “Favorite” – correct
b. “Citator”
c. “Bookmark”
d. “Placeholder”
To find specific information about a publicly held company, which of the following databases is a helpful resource?
a. EDGAR – correct
b. THOMAS
c. PACER
d. LLRX
e. All of these choices are correct.
_______ is an indexed collection of documents and forms that public companies and others are required to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
a. THOMAS
b. EDGAR – correct
c. PACER
d. Lexis
e. All of these choices are correct.
Which of the following is a primary source?
a. A publically filed document
b. A company’s website
c. A person with firsthand knowledge
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
e. None of these choices is correct.
Which of the following is a primary source?
a. A publically filed document – correct
b. A law journal
c. A book
d. All of these choices are correct.
e. None of these choices is correct.
Which of the following is not a primary source?
a. A publically filed document
b. A company’s website
c. A law journal – correct
d. All of these choices are correct.
e. None of these choices is correct.
The inventor of a new method of making a spot-resistant finish for new cars would be considered a ____ source.
a. tertiary
b. secondary
c. primary – correct
d. collateral
The local newspaper would be considered a ____ source.
a. primary
b. secondary – correct
c. tertiary
d. biased
Publicly filed documents, such as the legal forms that some companies are required to file with the SEC, are ____ sources of information.
a. primary – correct
b. secondary
c. tertiary
d. unbiased
A magazine article is an example of a(n) _______ source.
a. primary
b. secondary – correct
c. tertiary
d. unreliable
A law journal article is an example of a(n) _______ source.
a. primary
b. secondary – correct
c. tertiary
d. unreliable
Both current and archived corporate press releases can be reviewed at which of the following?
a. www.prnewswire.com – correct
b. www.currentnews.net
c. www.USA.gov
d. www.westlaw.net
e. All of these choices are correct.
General search engines that are useful for broad searches include which of the following?
a. Bing
b. Dogpile
c. Westlaw
d. Bing and Dogpile – correct
e. All of these choices are correct.
Which of the following pieces of information can be helpful for narrowing online searches for a person?
a. Employer
b. Profession
c. Favorite color
d. Employer and profession – correct
e. All of these choices are correct.
Westlaw’s West Legal Directory provides which of the following?
a. A comprehensive compilation of lawyers in the United States – correct
b. A partial list of lawyers in the United States
c. A list of all lawyers in the western part of the United States
d. None of these choices is correct.
In order to find a particular person via the Internet, a paralegal could conduct which of the following?
a. Narrow search using some identifying information about the individual
b. Broad search using online search engines and telephone books
c. Fee-based search that might provide possible aliases, home value, and bankruptcy information
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
A paralegal may need to find particular persons to assist a lawyer in all of the following tasks except
a. collecting debts.
b. administering an estate.
c. preparing a case for court.
d. updating case law research. – correct
Which of the following could be found in an online database?
a. A person’s business license
b. Information about a federal prison inmate
c. A military member
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following could not be found in an online database?
a. A person’s business license
b. Information about a federal prison inmate
c. A military member
d. None of these choices is correct. – correct
Which of the following can be found through U.S. Search at www.ussearch.com?
a. Possible aliases
b. Home value
c. Property ownership
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
Which of the following cannot be found through U.S. Search at www.ussearch.com?
a. Possible aliases
b. Home value
c. Bankruptcies
d. None of these choices is correct. – correct
To find a particular company’s contact information via the Internet, a paralegal could search
a. by telephone number.
b. in a directory that searches by industry and state.
c. by domain name.
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
The __________ regulates public companies and requires them to file documents and forms revealing certain information.
a. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – correct
b. Federal Business Bureau (FBB)
c. American Bar Association (ABA)
d. None of these choices is correct.
To find specific information about a privately held company, a helpful resource is the _____ database.
a. EDGAR
b. THOMAS
c. Hoover’s – correct
d. Loislaw
e. All of these choices are correct.
Useful federal government websites provide information on which of the following?
a. Pending legislation
b. Patents and trademarks
c. Federal agencies
d. All of these choices are correct. – correct
e. None of these choices are correct.
Which of the following is not an online method to connect with others with similar interests in order to find out what resources are available on a particular topic or to update your research?
a. Listserv
b. Newsgroup
c. Blog
d. Library catalog – correct
How have computers simplified and improved the ability of paralegals to do high-quality legal research?
Correct Answer(s):
What are guides and directories, and how can they help paralegals conduct research on the web?
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Discuss how the status flags and stars in KeyCite can assist you in your research when checking citations.
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Describe how to search within your Westlaw search results.
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Define “URL,” “http,” and the “World Wide Web (“the web” or “www”)” as they refer to using the Internet in research.
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What is a browser, and how is it helpful in conducting online research?
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What are some points to keep in mind when deciding whether the Internet is the right research tool for your project?
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What is a search engine? What kinds of searches can be conducted? How can a researcher reduce the number of irrelevant results through the use of operators and other techniques?
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Many legal materials are available on the Internet. Describe five questions you should ask about any legal resource you find on the Internet to winnow down your research results to those that are really useful.
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Describe some useful starting points on the web for finding links related to local, state, federal, and other law, and for finding U.S. federal law.
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Describe ways in which you can locate specific documents via Westlaw and Lexis.
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What is a citatory, and why are citators important in determining the current status of a case? What are the names of Westlaw’s and Lexis’s online citators? Briefly describe
Shepard’s Citations
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Is Lexis or Westlaw better?
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The legal research materials available through Westlaw and Lexis draw from thousands of databases. Describe how a paralegal can select a database in Westlaw.
Correct Answer(s):