Legal Research: Step by Step, 5th Edition provides legal students with the foundational support they need to learn how to effectively conduct legal research. Topics include identifying legal issues, analyzing a fact situation, and navigating through various print and digital resources.

Through its guided text format, this bestseller walks readers through research methods and resources using clear language, key terms, image captures, charts, diagrams, and exercises—ideal for students with little or no experience with legal research.

This edition reflects current statutes and online sources. It also contains new content, including a new discussion comparing print and online resources, expanded coverage on neutral and online citations, how to use HeinOnline to find historical versions of text, and the use of pre- and post-search filters. Students will also benefit from the updated screenshots and figures, new cases, and new exercises.

• Up-to-date statutes, online sources, and screenshots.
• New cases, exercises, and content, including HeinOnline, which allows users to view historical versions of statutes.
• Emphasis on utilizing online sources, including Justice Laws and Ontario e-Laws, as well as online versions of the CED and Halsbury’s, WestlawNext Canada, Lexis Advance Quicklaw, and CanLII.
• Detailed instructions on how to use research tools, including Boolean searching.
• Chapter taking students through a sample research problem, step by step, from start to finish.
• In-depth discussion of using plain or natural language searching, including pre- and post-search filters.

Part I: Introduction to Legal Research
Chapter 1: The Basics of Legal Research

Part II: The Primary Sources of Canadian Law
Chapter 2: Statutes
Chapter 3: Regulations
Chapter 4: Cases

Part III: Thinking About Legal Research
Chapter 5: Analyzing a Fact Situation
Chapter 6: Preparing for and Performing Research

Part IV: Working with Legal Research Sources
Chapter 7: Print Research Sources
Chapter 8: Online Research Sources
Chapter 9: Online Searches

Part V: Using a Legal Encyclopedia to Find a General Statement of Law
Chapter 10: Legal Encyclopedias—Print
Chapter 11: Legal Encyclopedias—Online

Part VI: Finding and Updating Statutes, Regulations, and Cases
Chapter 12: Finding and Updating Statutes and Regulations
Chapter 13: Finding and Updating Cases

Part VII: Putting It All Together
Chapter 14: A Sample Research Problem: From Start to Finish
Chapter 15: Legal Writing

Appendixes
Appendix A: Standard Abbreviations for Commonly Used Report Series and Statutes

Glossary
Index

Chapter 1: The Basics of Legal Research