LAW 99: A COURSE ON LEGAL BIBILIOGRAPHY

Prof. Glenda T. Litong

UP College of Law

DESCRIPTION:
The UP College of Law Catalogue defines this course as the development of skills in the use of legal materials and
the law library.

Federico Moreno in his book, "Philippine Legal Bibliography", notes that legal bibliography is the study of the tools
and materials essential to legal research. It is the study of legal authorities. Legal research on the other hand is
concerned with the method or system by which inquiry and investigation into legal queries may be accomplished.
Simply put, legal bibliography and legal research involves knowing and finding the best basis for our responses to
legal questions or issues.

Percy Winfield said that a "perfect legal bibliography" would be "a critical and historical account of every known
source of the law of the state with which it assumes to deal."

The objective of legal bibliography is to familiarize the students with the organization and function of legal research
tools. (Rhonda Carlson; Lois Calvert; Joan McConkey, Innovations in Legal Bibliography Instruction, 74 LAW LIBR. J.
615, 618 (1981).

LEARNING OUTCOMES
UP Law’s Vision:
To be “the country’s premier academic and research legal institution committed to the Rule of Law.”
UP Law’s Mission:
a. “To transform [UP Law] students into highly ethical, exceptionally competent, and socially mindful lawyers by
providing them knowledge, skills and values within a learning-conducive environment distinguished by a forward
academic program and deeply-invested faculty, administrators and staff.”
b. “To contribute to a deeper understanding of the rule of law through groundbreaking legal scholarship andcommitted
public service.”

At the end of the course, the students will be able to:

LO1: Identify and locate the different law materials and legal literature to find the relevant source of law relating to a
legal question
LO2: Assess and discriminate the law materials to find “good law” or the most authoritative source of law to support a
legal solution
LO3: Frame and advocate competent legal research as part of work or other educational activities in law school
LO4: Adhere and integrate standards of academic integrity and ethical standards in crafting research
LO5: Initiate and display willingness for active learning, self-regulation as well as participation in classroom activities

Topic Learning Outcomes Teaching and Learning Assessment

Activities Tasks/Activities
Introduction to Explain the value, nature and role • Assigned readings • Mindmap
Legal Bibliography of legal bibliography in relation to • Lecture
legal research and the practice of • Feedback
law. • Mindmap (What makes
competent legal
research?)

The Explain and distinguish the • Assigned Readings • Visual

Philippine Legal sources of law that are created by • Discussions representation/Story-
System the different branches of • Feedback telling of the history,
A. Legislative government and arising out of • Continuing/ semester- making and weight of
B. Judiciary indigenous and Sharia legal long project: Research bills
C. Executive systems. requirement - Nature • Written assignments
and statement of the (testing student
Explain the concept of rule of law legal problem understanding of legal
and legal pluralism in the context principles involving the
of the Philippines. judiciary
• Worksheets (group work)

Reading Identify the parts of a case and • Assigned readings • Activity presentation
and Analyzing explain the doctrine of stare • Short lecture • Peer review
 Topic Learning Outcomes Teaching and Learning Assessment
Activities Tasks/Activities
Jurisprudence decisis and the effect of decided • Activity: spotting the • Case digest
cases. issue, doctrine and
holding
Critically read and analyze cases,
and compare and contrast
holdings and doctrines of related
cases.

Distinguish between ratio

decidendi and obiter dicta.

Write their own case digests that

clearly articulate the case
doctrines and holdings.

Hierarchy of Laws Explain the hierarchy of laws. • Assigned readings • Worksheet

• Short video lecture • Case studies
Distinguish between primary and • Worksheet (group work) (presentation)
secondary sources of law and • Case studies
explain the authoritative weight • Discussion/Feedback
and credibility of sources of law
and legal references.

Explain the distinction between

publication and effectivity of laws
and their respective requirements.

Appreciate and explain the

differences between printed and
online sources and their weight in
legal scholarship.
 Topic Learning Outcomes Teaching and Learning Assessment
Activities Tasks/Activities

Legal Citations Utilize proper citations in legal • Video recording of • Short written exercises
research. lectures
• Short written exercises
• Feedback
• Continuing/ semester-
long project: Research
requirement – Initial
Review of Related
Literature

Legal Conform with the standards of • Assigned readings • Case studies

Research and academic integrity and ethics. • Discussions
Writing Ethics • Feedback
Display proper application of the • Case studies
rules against plagiarism. • Continuing/ semester-
long project: Research
requirement - Outline

Overview of the Create a personal research plan. • Assigned readings • Written output of the
Legal Research • Practical exercises practical exercise
Process Apply the tools to find the law. • Discussion
• Feedback

Conducting Legal Describe the areas and content of • Assigned readings and • Written exercises
Research: the UP Law Library. videos
Philippine Legal • Written exercises
System Utilize the resources available in • Discussion
the UP Law Library Access and • Feedback
use Philippine online and digital
 Topic Learning Outcomes Teaching and Learning Assessment
Activities Tasks/Activities
resources installed in or
subscribed to by the UP Law
Library.

Conducting Legal Explain and distinguish the • Assigned readings and • Written exercise
Research: American, EU and Philippine legal videos
American and EU systems. • Written exercise under
Legal Systems “What is Good Law”
Access and use American and EU • Discussion
online sources for their legal • Feedback
materials.

Ascertain good law from among

the legal materials.

Writing the Legal Apply the fundamentals of • Assigned readings and • Continuing/ semester-
Memorandum preparing and writing a videos long project : Research
memorandum of facts and law. • Feedback requirement -
Memorandum of law or
Employ the processes and paper
approaches to good legal writing.

Write an original, authoritative,

scholarly, and well-researched
memorandum of facts and law that
competently analyzes, evaluates,
and proposes legal solutions and
resolutions to a particular legal
issue or concern.