Transcript The Internet

From Google to
Blawgs: Internet Tips
for the LRW Teacher
11th Biennial Conference of the
Legal Writing Institute
Presenter: Maria Perez Crist
University of Dayton School of Law
July 22, 2004
Top Web Portals and Blawgs
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Legal Research
Fact Research
Blawgs
Web Sites for Legal Research
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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)
Courts.net (http://courts.net)
Legal Information Institute
(http://www.law.cornell.edu)
Briefs on the Web
(http://www.legaline.com)
Web Sites for Factual Research
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Simulation development
Realistic settings for problems
Ready-made documents for simulations
Lawyer Express
(http://www.lawyerexpress.com)
SearchSystems
(http://www.searchsystems.net)
Federal Statistics
(http://www.fedstats.gov)
Online Communities
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UseNet/Newsgroups/
Google Groups
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Mailing Lists / Listservs
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BLAWGS
Message Boards
BLAWGS
1997 “Web logs” (only 30 existed)
TODAY estimated at least 500,000
WEB LOG  BLOG
Law-related BLOG  BLAWG
Finding a Blawg … Blawg.org
Appellate Practice Blawg
Internet Research Blawg
Business Law Blawg
Criminal Law
Internet Research Techniques
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Know what’s available
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Use efficient search techniques
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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
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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
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Google Task Bar
Google Deskbar
Search Google Images, News, Groups
Froogle
Advanced Searches
Number Searches
Organized searching with Vivisimo
Internet Technology in the Classroom
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Google Language Exercise
Online Grammar Exercise
Fun with Forms
Google Language Exercise
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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
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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
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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!