Enhance your legal reasoning skills with a quick click of your mouse on our West Study Aids Subscription.

Shapo's Law School Without Fear: Strategies for Success, 3d 

Legal Reasoning (pages 63 - 75)

 --Inductive Reasoning (page 63)

 --Synthesizing Cases (page 65)

 --Exceptions to Rules (or New Rules) (page 67)

 --Applying General Rules: Deduction (page 68)

 --Reasoning By Analogy (page 70)

 --Distinguishing Cases (page 72)

 --Alternative Arguments (page 73)

 --Being Relevant (page 74)

 --The Use of Hypotheticals (page 75)

 And don’t forget that old adage “practice makes perfect.”  So give your newly enhanced analytical skills a test run with the Acing Series.   Acing provides a checklist of questions to ask when analyzing an issue and each chapter contains sample essay questions.

Tried Googling HeinOnline or ProQuest and can’t get in? Want to search FastCase but don’t have the password it requests?

The BEST way to access those and all the other fabulous library databases for your AWR paper is to go to the Library’s website  and click on the drop down menu below Library Databases.

When you go through the library’s website and are on campus you won’t have to enter a username and  password (unless it’s a database like Lexis or Westlaw where you have been issued an individual password, those databases have an * in the list). If you are off campus, you will be asked for your full name (Joe Smith) and library barcode number (the long number on the back of your library card below the barcode).

Are you currently enrolled in an externship or working as a legal intern? Need some help researching Arizona laws? The Law Library is offering a workshop on Arizona Legal Research tomorrow, Wednesday, 2/20 from noon-1pm in Classroom 1337. This workshop, part of our Law Practice Series, will introduce you to important resources for Arizona legal practitioners, including many free or low-cost alternatives to the major commercial vendors.

Are you a first year law student looking for some extra practice developing research strategies? Or, are you a 2L or 3L looking for a refresher on legal research principles? The Law Library is offering a workshop, titled Legal Research in a Nutshell, this Thursday, 2/21 from noon-1pm in Classroom 1337. This workshop will include reviewing secondary sources in order to find cases, statutes, and regulations.  You will also practice generating search terms, including conducting advanced terms and connectors searches. 

Can't make it this week? The Law Library will be offering workshops on many different topics throughout the semester. Take a look at our library workshops page to view a list of workshop descriptions and a link to the workshop calendar.

Image of Phoenix City Hall downloaded from Morguefile.com.

With mid-term exams now just around the corner, it is time to ramp up your exam writing skills.  The Law Library provides access to The Eight Secrets of Top Exam Performance in Law School, 2d through our Westlaw Study Aids Subscription.

Pressed for time, simply read the secret that will enhance your area that needs the most tinkering – issue spotting, organization, or IRAC.

Here are just a few of the Secrets from the Summary of Contents:

Secret #3:  Flawless Issue Spotting—The Crucial First Step For Top Exam Performance (page 20)

Secret #4:  Organizing Your Answer for Maximum Possible Points (page 27)

Secret #5:  The Hidden Traps to “IRAC” That Most Students Miss (page 47)

Secret #6:  Writing a Winning Exam Answer Every Time (page 59)

For more secrets, click on Prof. Charles Whitebread, The Eight Secrets of Top Exam Performance in Law School, 2d.

Having trouble locating articles for your research project? Not sure how to focus your search? Wondering about library hours and services?

You can get help in real time no matter where you are--at home, coffee shop or study room with your backpack, laptop and notes scattered around you.

To access chat: Go to the "Ask a Librarian" on the Library’s website and type in your question in the Chat box. A research librarian will help you.   

Chat Hours

Monday- Thursday, 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sunday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

View the Chat Research Policy and FAQ.