Researching and Writing in Law

"Researching and Writing in Law" by Terry C. M. Hutchinson is a comprehensive guide designed to assist legal researchers and writers, particularly postgraduate students, in navigating the complexities of legal research and writing. Here is a detailed overview of the book, including its key themes, plot summary, and critical reception:

Key Themes

1. Legal Research Methods:

   • The book covers both qualitative and quantitative research methods, encouraging researchers to explore beyond traditional interview and survey techniques.
   • It includes discussions on standard doctrinal research methodologies and additional legal research frameworks.

2. Electronic Research Techniques:

   • The book provides an overview of basic electronic research techniques, which is essential for modern legal research.
   • It includes links to useful electronic resources, making it a dynamic and constantly updated reference.

3. Formulating and Refining Research Topics:

   • The book guides readers on how to formulate a research topic and refine it, including how to write a research proposal.
   • It emphasizes the importance of understanding the legal context and how to apply research ethics and project management principles.

4. Legal Writing and Citation Analysis:

   • The book discusses legal writing and citation analysis, helping researchers understand the value and impact of articles, authors, and institutions.
   • It provides tools for selecting scholarly references for literature reviews, which is a crucial aspect of legal research.

5. Checklists for Locating and Validating Law:

   • Part II of the book includes checklists for locating and validating the law, which are linked to useful research aids such as legal words and phrases, abbreviations, and journal rankings.
   • These checklists are specific to various jurisdictions, including Australia and its territories, providing a one-stop guide for legal research.

6. Country-Specific Legal Research:

   • The fourth edition includes a chapter on China, reflecting the global nature of legal research and its applications.

Plot Summary

The book is structured into two parts:

1. Part I: Formulating and Writing Your Legal Research Project:

   • This part covers the foundational aspects of legal research, including setting the scene for research and writing, research ethics, standard doctrinal research methodologies, and additional legal research frameworks.
   • It also delves into basic electronic research techniques, social science methodologies for lawyers, formulating a research topic, refining the topic, and writing the research proposal.

2. Part II: Checklists for Locating and Validating the Law:

   • This part provides practical tools for locating and validating the law. It includes checklists for various jurisdictions, such as Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, and others.
   • The checklists cover how to find legal information, including legal words and phrases, abbreviations, manual of citations, and journal rankings.

Critical Reception

• Target Audience: The book is intended for postgraduate students but is also valuable for undergraduate students, law students, and librarians providing information literacy instructions and research support.
• Reliability: It is described as one of the most reliable sources of reference for students embarking on legal research, covering both basic and advanced topics.
• Dynamic Nature: The book requires constant update due to its extensive use of electronic resources, making it a dynamic reference guide.
• Educational Value: It is noted that the book is not an English grammar text but focuses on the legal framework, making it particularly useful for teaching and assessing legal work.

Overall, "Researching and Writing in Law" by Terry C. M. Hutchinson is a comprehensive guide that equips legal researchers and writers with the necessary tools and methodologies to conduct and present high-quality legal research. Its dynamic nature, practical checklists, and detailed coverage of legal research methods make it a valuable resource for both students and professionals in the field of law.