What are Secondary Sources?
Secondary sources are a great place to start any legal research project. Along with providing a general overview of a topic, secondary sources often contain a rich library of citations and resources which you can use to find additional books and articles on a particular subject.
Corpus Juris Secundum, or CJS is a law enclyclopedia is focused on case analysis. The print volumes are indexed by subject, and you can use them in the library to look up cases and their summaries for easy ready reference.
Law journals and law reviews are collections of articles written by law scholars, lawyers, and students on a specific topic. Not only do they provide analysis of issues, but the citation list and referenced works may provide you with additional direction as you research. It's important to note, however, that many law review articles are written and edited by law students who may lack the first-hand experience that practicing law brings.
American Jurisprudence, or AmJur, is another, easy to use legal encyclopedia which indexes relevant case law by subject.
Since the language of law is peppered with Latin phrases and industry-specific terms it's a good idea to have a legal dictionary handy. Widely used dictionaries include:
Black's Law Dictionary by Treatises are written by legal scholars and focus on one particular subject. The author or authors include relevant case law, addtional sources, and commentary and analysis on the particular topic.
