LibGuides: Law Review Resources: Finding a Note Topic

Related Guides

Developing a Topic for Research Papers
by Lindsay Steussy Last Updated Aug 18, 2022 4 views this year
Databases A-Z
by Lindsay Steussy Last Updated Feb 28, 2022 2 views this year
Searching the Catalog
by Lindsay Steussy Last Updated Jun 30, 2021 6 views this year

Other Helpful Guides

Finding a Note Topic

There are a couple of online resources that are very helpful for finding timely and controversial legal topics that often make good notes.

Seton Hall Circuit Review
(Ceased publication in 2019). The Seton Hall Circuit Review is a law journal that focuses on analyzing recent important circuit-level decisions. Every issue includes two sections that can lead you to good note topics--a list of issues of first impression identified by federal court of appeals opinions and a list of current circuit splits. One of these issues can provide a timely topic for a note, but you must be careful to update your research to make sure that a court hasn't addressed the issue in question before your note is done!
SCOTUSblog
Covers Supreme Court actions on a daily basis, including commentary on cases currently up for review or that might be granted certoriari. Check under Petitions to see cases that might come before the court.
Sunday Splits
Weekly blog published by the Emory Law School Supreme Court Advocacy Program (ELSSCAP) highlighting selected circuit splits.

Automatic Search Alerts

Several databases have options for creating automatic search alerts to update you when a new item is added to the database that fits a particular set of search criteria. After doing your preliminary research for a paper or note, setting up a search alert based on your topic will allow you to know if there have been any new cases decided or articles published. This can also help with finding a topic if you are interested in a particular area and want something timely to write about. Each of the links below has instructions for setting up a search alert in the appropriate database.

Westlaw Alerts
Link to instructions for creating alerts in Westlaw, including Westclip and KeyCite Alerts. A KeyCite Alert automatically monitors the status of cases, statutes, administrative decisions, and regulations and sends you updates when their KeyCite results change.
WestClip
Link to instructions for creating alerts in Westlaw. WestClip allows you to run Terms & Connectors searches in the databases you select at regular intervals, and then emails you the results of those searches.
Lexis Alerts
Link to instructions for creating and managing alerts in LexisNexis Advance. Includes both search alerts and Shepard's alerts.
Google Scholar Email Alerts
If you're working with an interdisciplinary topic, Google Scholar's email alerts can help you keep track of new non-law (and some law) articles.

Some Helpful Books

Academic legal writing : law review articles, student notes, seminar papers, and getting on law review by Eugene Volokh
Call Number: KF250 .V65 2016 (Law Reserves)
The Redbook by Bryan Garner
Call Number: KF250 .G375 2018 (Law Reserves)
ISBN: 9781642421002
Publication Date: 2018-06-27
Scholarly writing for law students : seminar papers, law review notes and law review competition papers by Elizabeth Fajans, Mary R. Falk
Call Number: KF250 .F35 2017 (Law Reserves)