Comments on: Is There a Research Analysis Problem? http://www.slaw.ca/2009/10/29/research-analysis-problem/ Canada's online legal magazine Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:12:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Wendy Reynolds http://www.slaw.ca/2009/10/29/research-analysis-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-708019 Wendy Reynolds Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:26:46 +0000 http://www.slaw.ca/?p=13702#comment-708019 In 2000, I offered a research seminar to the students at my firm which emphasized how to develop the appropriate strategy for research, rather than on how to use the tools. I asked a partner to set a question, then invited two young associates to "race" the students in developing a strategy to find the answer. The two teams had 30 minutes to develop their approach, and we would compare strategies after that time. The partner would determine the winner. The students spent their time entirely on coming up with queries for databases. They spent no time at all trying to get to the issue, understand what was being asked, and thinking beyond the electronic tools. When the two groups came back together, the students proudly outlined their search strings. "How would you know you have the answer?", the partner asked. Silence. When the associates began to outline their approach, you could almost hear jaws dropping around the room. "Sounds like a sale of goods issue - not something I have a lot of experience in, so I'll grab a textbook. If I can reach him, I may ask a few more questions of the partner to clarify issues once I have a better understanding of the broad strokes." I think that the best thing we can teach students is that it is okay to ask clarifying questions, and that secondary literature is not the last resort. In 2000, I offered a research seminar to the students at my firm which emphasized how to develop the appropriate strategy for research, rather than on how to use the tools. I asked a partner to set a question, then invited two young associates to "race" the students in developing a strategy to find the answer. The two teams had 30 minutes to develop their approach, and we would compare strategies after that time. The partner would determine the winner.

The students spent their time entirely on coming up with queries for databases. They spent no time at all trying to get to the issue, understand what was being asked, and thinking beyond the electronic tools.

When the two groups came back together, the students proudly outlined their search strings. "How would you know you have the answer?", the partner asked. Silence.

When the associates began to outline their approach, you could almost hear jaws dropping around the room. "Sounds like a sale of goods issue – not something I have a lot of experience in, so I'll grab a textbook. If I can reach him, I may ask a few more questions of the partner to clarify issues once I have a better understanding of the broad strokes."

I think that the best thing we can teach students is that it is okay to ask clarifying questions, and that secondary literature is not the last resort.

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