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Learning International Human Rights Research

Learning International Human Rights Research. Helen Frazer, JD, LLM, MLS UDC-DCSL, Mason Law Library Spring, 2010. Stages of Research Process. Task Initiation – feeling uncertain Topic Selection – feeling oriented Prefocus Exploration – more uncertainty

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Learning International Human Rights Research

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  1. Learning InternationalHuman Rights Research Helen Frazer, JD, LLM, MLS UDC-DCSL, Mason Law Library Spring, 2010

  2. Stages of Research Process • Task Initiation – feeling uncertain • Topic Selection – feeling oriented • Prefocus Exploration – more uncertainty • Focus Formulation – feeling confident • Information Collection – optimism • Search Closure – begin writing Carol C. Kuhlthau, Seeking Meaning: A Process Approach to Library and Information Services (1993)

  3. Stage 1 - Task Initiation, Thinking • Think about the assignment • How do I find a writing topic? • Who makes international human rights law? • Where can I find the law? How do I update it? • Where can I find analyses of the law?

  4. Stage 1 – Prepare • Start a Research Log • Title of the resource • Citation • Take notes, make copies • Date you used the source • Keep TheBluebook with you • Consult a legal writing manual • Fajans & Falk, Scholarly Writing for Law Students • Eugene Volokh, Academic Legal Writing

  5. Stage 1 - Background Information • Find background information • Encyclopedias • Treatises Mason Library Catalog, www.catalog.law.udc.edu • Make Research Log notes: • Title and call number • Date • Topics browsed

  6. Stage 2: Pick a Topic • Browse the Encyclopedia of Human Rights • Note the topic bibliographies for more sources. • Browse Oxford Reports on International Law, http://www.law.udc.edu/?page=LibraryDatabases#International • Find topics in other ways: • Topics in the news • Friends and professor • Related to your legal interests/career plans • Keep notes of your search in your Research Log

  7. Topic Example: Human Trafficking • Get background information • Encyclopedia, research guides, etc. • Encyclopedia of Human Rights, Index, vol. 5 • Research Log – enter the index citation • “human trafficking, 2:494-502; 3:391.” • 2 = volume 2; 3 = volume 3 • 494-502 = bolded page numbers; section topic • 391= nonbolded page numbers; section subtopic

  8. Background Example: Encyclopedia • Encyclopedia of Human Rights, 2: 294-502 • Research Log • Author of article: Howard B. Tolley Jr. • Organizations mentioned: • International Labour Organization (ILO) • UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODOC) • International Organization on Migration

  9. Take Notes; Focus on Law • Brief history of trafficking • Prior to 2000, international treaties applied mainly to transport of women & children for prostitution • 2000 UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime – 3 protocols, including: • Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children • Includes men • Includes other kinds of abuses • Servitude, organ removal, forced labor, etc.

  10. Use the Article’s Bibliography • Bibliography, vol. 2, p. 501 • Primary Works, examples: • UN and ILO documents/studies of human trafficking • http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/trafficking • http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/trafficking/news.htm (press releases) • US documents on human trafficking • http://www.catwinternational.org/ • Secondary Works, examples: • Books/treatises on human trafficking • Articles on human trafficking • Note sources in Research Log or make copy

  11. Stage 3 – Prefocus Exploration:Narrow Your Topic & Find Sources • Look up subtopics in Encyclopedia of Human Rights • E.g., slavery in a country, • Enforcement of trafficking laws, • Research log – follow same note-taking process • Find books & articles from the Bibliographies • Look for online research guides • Because human rights law is complex • Most guides and sources are online • Make notes of your research; gather materials

  12. Research Guides Online • American Society of International Law, www.asil.org/humrts1.cfm • University research guides • NYU GlobaLex, http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/ • Georgetown Law Library Human Rights Law Research Guide, www.ll.georgetown.edu/guides/HumanRightsLaw.cfm • Minnesota Human Rights Library Bibliography, http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/bibliog/BIBLIO.htm • Other sources – example: • LLRX.com, http://www.llrx.com/category/850

  13. Books Treatises • OPAC, http://catalog.law.udc.edu/ • E.g., author from Bibliography: Kevin Bales, The Slave Next Door (2009), in the collection New Slavery (2005), not in the collection • Interlibrary loan, Librarian Gail Mathapo, JD, gmathapo@udc.edu

  14. Periodicals Journal articles • HeinOnline,http://www.law.udc.edu/?page=LibraryDatabases#Communications, sample search: • Click on “Law Journal Library” • Enter in search box: “human trafficking” • Interlibrary loan • Lexis & Westlaw; UDC online databases

  15. Indexes for Journal Articles • Current Law Index (LegalTrac) • Index to Legal Periodicals and Books • Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals See Library Databases page: http://www.law.udc.edu/?page=LibraryDatabases#Communications(Comprehensive Periodical Indexes)

  16. Online Databases • Online databases offer: • Citation Searching • Boolean Searching (e.g., “and,” “or,” etc.) • HeinOnline, http://catalog.law.udc.edu • Subscribed Libraries • Lexis, http://catalog.law.udc.edu • Law Reviews, CLE, Legal Journals & Periodicals, Combined • Westlaw, http://catalog.law.udc.edu • All Law Reviews, Texts & Bar Journals (TP-ALL)

  17. Research Log • Remember to take notes • Write down the citation (Bluebook form) • Make copies of useful materials you find

  18. Stage 4: Focus Formulation • Read your notes • List possible topics • Consider pros and cons • Choose a focus

  19. Stage 5: Information Collection • Collect materials from the Law Library • Make copies of online materials • Ask for materials on interlibrary loan • Start taking detailed notes of your readings • Ask a librarian for help, if necessary

  20. Ask a Librarian • Brief questions: at the Reference Desk • More extensive help: Make an Appointment • Call 202-274-7310, ask for a librarian • Email a librarian, • hfrazer@udc.edu • jjensen@udc.edu • gmathapo@udc.edu • ymorais@udc.edu • ashea@udc.edu • houyang@udc.ed

  21. Stage 5: Find Treaty Law Online • Treaties to which the US is a party: • HeinOnline, http://heinonline.org/HOL/Welcome • Regional Treaties, examples • Council of Europe treaties, http://www.coe.int/T/E/Human/rights/ • African Union, http://www1.umn.eud/humanrts/instree/z1achar.htm • United Nations Conventions,http://treaties.un.org/Pages/Home.aspx?lang=en • Update the treaties – see online research guides

  22. Stage 5: Find Legislation Online • Council of Europe The EU Race Directive, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32000L0043:en:HTML • National Legislatures • British Parliament: UK Human Rights Act of 1998, http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/ukpga_19980042_en_1 • For more legislation: see 4 Encyclopedia of Human Rights 58 (2009 ed.), Ref. JC 471.E673

  23. Stage 5: Find Case Law Online • International Labour Organization (ILO), http://www.ilo.org/public/english/tribunal/ • Council of Europe • European Court of Human Rights, http://www.echr.coe.intl • Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, https://www.cidh.oas.org/DefaultE.htm • International Court of Justice, http://www.icj-cij.org/ • Et cetera: See various online research guides.

  24. Stage 5: UN Research Foundations • UN Website, www.un.org • History, e.g., • Origin • Founding documents • Decisionmaking bodies • How are UN documents published?, http://www.un.org/en/documents/index.shtml • How are documents cited & updated?, http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/

  25. Stage 5: United Nations • Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx, www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/WhoWeAre.aspx • International Human Rights Law,www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/InternationalLaw.aspx • International Bill of Human Rights documents, www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/FactSheet2Rev.1en.pdf • UN Human Rights Treaties Collection, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/Home.aspx?lang=en • Eight UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (committees),http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/treaty/index.htm

  26. Stage 5: UN Research Guides • UN Documentation Research Guide,http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/ • ASIL, Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law: United Nations,http://www.asil.org/un1.cfm • NYU GlobaLex Guide,http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/United_Nations_Research.htm • Columbia, United Nations,http://library.law.columbia.edu/guides/United_Nations • Georgetown, United Nations Research Guide,http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/guides/unitednations.cfm • NYU, United Nations Research Guide,http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/research/researchguides/unitednationsresearch/index.htm

  27. Stage 6: Search Closure • Recheck your sources • Get any sources that are missing • Confirm that you have the citation information for each one • Keep the books until you finish the paper • Start Writing

  28. Ask a Librarian Make an Appointment • Call 202-274-7310, ask for a librarian • Email a librarian, • hfrazer@udc.edu • jjensen@udc.edu • gmathapo@udc.edu • ymorais@udc.edu • ashea@udc.edu • houyang@udc.ed

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