Welcome to the UC Law SF Library's guide on writing scholarly legal papers. We know that diving into a law review article or a seminar paper can feel like a huge task, but we're here to help you get started.
First things first, let's talk about your best research resource: us! The law librarians are here to help you at every stage. We can help you find a great topic, create an effective research plan, and navigate all the library resources—especially when you hit a paywall. If you find an an article on Google or an interesting concept on Wikipedia, we can help you get the full text and find more credible sources. You are encouraged to reach out to us early and often!
This guide will walk you through the process, from finding a topic to conducting in-depth research. We've included plenty of tips and links to helpful resources available right here at the UC Law SF Library.
Looking for a specific librarian? Choose one from the list below. Be sure to check the library's hours before you head over! You can also make an appointment to meet with a librarian in person or virtually.
You might be used to researching everything on Google, but a scholarly paper requires a different approach. Think of it this way: Google and even AI are great for finding quick answers and getting initial ideas, but they shouldn't be your final stop. For your paper, you need to be a curator of information, not just a consumer. This means using specific, academic tools to find credible, relevant sources that will make your argument strong and original.
Before you dive in, we recommend these three steps:
Start early. You can't rush great research—it takes time! Give yourself a head start so you don't feel overwhelmed.
Stay organized. You'll be looking at a lot of sources, and it's easy to get lost. Keep track of your searches and the results you find; it'll save you so much time later on.
Create a focused research question. Having a clear, specific question will be your compass, helping you stay on track and keep your research focused.
This should not be something you pick off the top of your head. Instead you want to start by researching what other scholars in the field are interested in currently (think of it as joining an ongoing conversation). What part of the conversation do your find personally interesting enough to research and write about, and what part of the conversation do you have the experience or education to contribute to in a meaningful way?
While every project is unique, the research process for a scholarly paper usually follows a few key steps. We'll go over each one in detail throughout this guide:
Writing a scholarly article requires iterative research. Your paper topic may evolve for some time after your first initial attempt at research. You may, for instance, find that your initial ideas are not supported by the evidence that you find as you do your research. To understand your topic idea and how it fits into the body of research that already exists, you will want to look for all of the most relevant sources that relate to your topic idea.
This step serves two important purposes:
Preemption Check: This is your chance to make sure your idea is original and hasn't already been written about. It's a key requirement if you plan to submit your paper for publication.
Finding a Foundation: Even the most original papers build on the work of others. The sources you find here will be the building blocks for your own argument. As you outline your argument, each claim in your article will need to be supported by evidence. Doing this kind of comprehensive research allows you to provide citations to support your arguments.
If you keep track of your research process from the start, your research process will be faster because you won't have to look for the same article multiple times, or run the same search in the same database because you forgot that you already ran it and found nothing relevant.
