Università Roma Tre

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND CONTENT

The course, very important for learning how to search and write the final thesis, aims at providing the students with a thorough knowledge on the methodology for searching, reading, classifying and archiving legal documents, both in paper archives and electronic databases, besides the traditional methods based on classical research tools.
In an age characterized by massive information, only a strong knowledge of such research tools and methods can allow the students, excessively accustomed to modern information systems, to master the proper and professional research methodology which is considered nowadays outdated and useless, but it is a core skill for those engaged in legal professions.
The lectures focus on research and group activities, with exercises conducted in the library, in the computer lab and in Piazza Telematica, with the use of several technological systems, such as Gmail, Google Drive, Drop Box e similar tools, Certified Electronic Email (PEC), Skype and Registered email (T-Notice).
The course introduces the students to the methodology for solving the practical issues connected to the documentation and legal communication within the organization of the Civil Telematic Process.
The list of topics includes but is not limited to the following:
- Legal documentation from the mass media until the development of professional tools
- Classical research tools in paper archives (structure and methodology):
o Collection of legislation, literature, jurisprudence
o Official collection of the jurisprudent of the Italian Court of Cassation
o Collection of jurisprudence (in general and sectorial)
o Law journals
o Official Gazette of the Italian Republic and Official Journal of the European Union
o Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, 1st special section, related to the Italian Constitutional Court
o Collection of laws
o Collection of collective bargaining
o Guide to the use of unofficial public acts
o Introduction to the use of official Parliamentary acts
o Introduction to research of legislation
o Introduction to research of jurisprudence
o Introduction to the research of common grey literature publications
o Introduction to the research of scholarly papers
o Introduction to the methodology for the creation of a personal hardcopy archive
o Introduction to the methodology for the layout of a traditional hardcopy document
o Introduction to the methodology for writing a bachelor or master thesis
o Introduction to the organization of a group research and to the planning of related activities
o Introduction to the organization of a group work and to the planning of related activities
o Legal informatics and legal thinking skills
o Introduction to the methods for consulting and writing an entry of the Collection of legislation, literature, jurisprudence
o Introduction to the methods for consulting and writing a judicial maxim and related keywords, note and other comments on the judicial decisions, including the judgements of the Italian Constitutional Court, Italian Court of Cassation, Courts of first instance, Council of State, Court of Justice of the European Union

REQUIRED MATERIALS
- Demo database 2010-2011 provided on free DVD
- Guide to Collection of legislation, literature, jurisprudence (freely available in the library in hard copy)
- Journal in hard copy
- Recommended readings
- Full confidence in consulting official documents available on the following websites: Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, Normattiva, Official Journal of the European Union, EUR-Lex, Court of Justice of the European Union, Italian Parliament, Italian Government, Italian Constitutional Court, Italian Court of Cassation, Administrative Justice, Court of Auditors, Public Authorities
- Digital guides to the use of professional software