Each student is required to prepare an Annotated Bibliography or Pathfinder on the sources for performing research on a specialized topic of law. You may select any area of law or topic. The bibliography/pathfinder must incorporate all relevant legal materials; print, CD-ROM, online, and Internet. Each Pathfinder should be prepared in HTML format for mounting on the UNT/SLIS Internet Homepage of student assignments. Samples of pathfinders written by students in past classes that have been published on the UNT/SLIS website can be accessed at http://www.unt.eud/slis/school/faculty/chandler/56467/pathfind.htm.  Each student will present their project to the class on December 12, 1998.

The bibliography/pathfinder should:

1. Describe the sources of law for the topic; important cases, statutes, and rules or regulations; describe the best monographs and law review articles; comparatively evaluate any looseleaf services; and describe any non-legal sources that should be included in the bibliography or pathfinder.

2. For each identified source item (treatise, book, encyclopedia, looseleaf, article, statute, etc.) be sure to include descriptions of the items primary use, its strengths and unique features and any weaknesses.

3. The projects should include a table of contents, pagination, evidence of proof reading and attention to grammar and spelling; and consistent application of a standard method of bibliographic citation such as the Blue Book, Turabian's Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, or the Chicago Style Manual.

4. The pathfinder/bibliography should be prepared in HTML format for publication on the Internet. The FrontPage Editor and Netscape Composer from Netscape Communicator programs are loaded on the computers in the SLIS Computer Laboratory.  Help guides for writing in HTML are available on the Internet such as John December's HTML Quick Reference. References to HTML resources and tips in print and on the World Wide Web can be found at http://www.law.vill.edu/~yjones/aall/html.html 

Webmaster's Recommendations for Web Design BareBones Guide to HTML Zen of JavaScript Webmaster's Reference Library

 

SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR PATHFINDER/BIBLIOGRAPHY PROJECT

I. Introduction to the Topic

II. Legal Information Sources

A. Primary Sources

1. Case Law - Digests
2. Statutes - Federal and Texas
3. Administrative Law and Regulations - Federal and Texas

B. Secondary Sources

1. Legal Encyclopedias
2. Annotated Law Reports
3. Restatements
4. Looseleaf Services
5. Legislative Histories
6. Treatises and Hornbooks
7. Law Journals and Newsletters
8. Articles
9. Databases
10. International Legal Materials

III. Interdisciplinary Information Sources - Non-Legal

A. Books
B. Specialized Encyclopedias
C. Journals and Newsletters
D. Articles

IV. Other Information Sources - Special Libraries or Collections, Experts and Organizations

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Suggested Bibliography/Pathfinder Topics

Abortion and the Law Medical Malpractice
Age Discrimination Organ Donation
Baby Brokers Poverty Law
Biotechnology Solar Law
NAFTA Sports Law
Telecommunications Law Subliminal Speech and the First Amendment
Drug Testing in the Workplace Government Information Policy
Gender Discrimination Surrogate Mothering
Greenhouse Effect Tobacco Products Litigation
Homeless and the Law Sexual Harassment
Homosexual Rights Intellectual Property and Software Protection
Human Rights Media Law
Health Care Children's Rights
Human Rights Environmental Law
Media and the Law ADA and the Law
Television Violence Computer and/or Software Law
Internet/Cyberspace Law Entertainment Law

Grading Policy

Expanded Course Outline