LibGuides: Masters of Studies in Law: Research Guide for Capstone Papers (also helpful for Upper Division Writing Requirement): Research Do's and Don'ts

Research Dos and Don'ts for Capstone Papers

DO find proper LEGAL SUPPORT for your paper. Legal support can come from:
- Law review articles and other legal secondary sources
- Primary sources of law: Cases, statutes, regulations, constitutions.
- Statements of policy, such as government manuals and memos

DO cite to reliable sources such as law review articles, primary sources of law, legal treatises, etc. DON'T cite to Wikipedia or other web sources of questionable reliability. Use Wikipedia as a starting point only.
DO look at reliable websites, such as those linked in the library's research guides.

DO start by searching law review and journal articles. Use Google Scholar, Lexis or Westlaw and SSRN.
DO consult scholarly articles from other disciplines, such as criminal justice, political science, psychology, sociology, etc.
DO search legislative history documents if your paper revolves around a statute or sentencing guidelines. Even if it does not, you can often find hearings containing expert testimony on many issues.