Electronically Assisted Research (1 Viewer)

[Tabris]

When the selection criteria for a job asks 'proven electronically assissted reseach skills", how good should they be?

Know every single function of LexisNexis, Westlaw, First Point et. al? Does anyone have some work experience who can tell me jsut how proficient or what is demanded of research skills?

Thanks,

P.S. the ad was aimed at law students who have completed their 2nd year and I am not sure how much emphasis is placed at teaching students how to research at other uni's

 

[Frigid]

i think it be sufficient that you have a working knowledge, which, as a senior law student, you should already have.

 

[hfis]

The number of final year students I've observed with little to no research skills is staggering. Either my standards are too high, or there's a growing trend for people to expect to be spoonfed things these days...

To answer the original question, I'd say that the research skills required in normal practice are pretty basic - mainly cases and legislation, rather than journal articles; if you know how to use AustLII you'll generally be ok. This would be much different if you were becoming a judge's associate.

 

[MichaelJackson2]

The number of final year students I've observed with little to no research skills is staggering.

i guess it's because, with a lot of universities, they teach everything you need to know about legal research (i.e. how to use westlaw, lexis nexis etc) during the first few weeks of law school in a single library session, after which most of the students just do a brain dump since it's not like they need to immediately use what they've just been taught.