Finding & Researching Your Paper Topic: Choosing a Topic

It might seem obvious, but choosing a paper topic is not as simple as searching online for inspiration. The best tactic is to use a combination of print and online sources to find your topic. 

• Search the catalog
• Browse the shelves
• Use current awareness tools 
• Talk to a expert in the field, whether it's a professor or legal practitioner 
• Read blogs
• Follow experts on social media

Practicing attorneys use current awareness tools to stay up-to-date with breaking news, statutory and regulatory changes and appellate court opinions in their field of practice. You should learn how to use these tools in law school. 

Some services providing analysis of current development in the field and reports of recently decided cases are available in print in the Law Library. Searching the catalog for these tools can be difficult at times. Consider using “reporter” and your legal topic as a keyword search. Other words that may prove useful include “weekly,” “alert,” “current,” “news,” “analysis,” or “newspaper” and then use one of these in conjunction with “law” or “legal.”

Social media is another great place to discover and keep up on the latest legal issues.

Blogs

There are a number of law blogs ("blawgs") in specialized subject areas written by attorneys, professors, judges, students, and other legal specialists. Use the links below to find a blog of an interest. 

• LexBlog
  Subscribe to email newsletters for any of its collections by topic
• ABA Journal Blawg Directory
• BlawgSearch
• Law Professor Blogs Network

We're here to help. Contact a research librarian for help with an assignment, project, or resource. 

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lawlib@lclark.edu

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