Using Legal Encyclopedias: Which statement describes their use for background information?

Using Legal Encyclopedias: Which statement describes their use for background information?

• A. Use encyclopedias to get your feet wet and gain background information; they provide a general overview; rely on the case encyclopedias to refer you to, rather than on the encyclopedia itself; cite the cases not the encyclopedias
• B. Use encyclopedias as the sole authority and final say on issues
• C. Encyclopedias provide exhaustive analyses
• D. Encyclopedias should be avoided in legal research

Answer: (A)

Legal encyclopedias are starting points for background information. They offer a concise, general overview of topics, help you understand how an issue fits into the wider legal landscape, and define key terms. Importantly, they point you to primary authorities by citing statutes and especially cases, so you should cite the cases themselves rather than the encyclopedia. They are not the final say on an issue and they do not provide exhaustive analyses, but they’re valuable for getting oriented and for locating the leading authorities to study in depth.

Legal encyclopedias are starting points for background information. They offer a concise, general overview of topics, help you understand how an issue fits into the wider legal landscape, and define key terms. Importantly, they point you to primary authorities by citing statutes and especially cases, so you should cite the cases themselves rather than the encyclopedia. They are not the final say on an issue and they do not provide exhaustive analyses, but they’re valuable for getting oriented and for locating the leading authorities to study in depth.