Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Legres
Legres
Standards for
Legal Research
Competencies
AALL Principles and Standards for Legal Research Competency
Approved by the Executive Board in July 2013
©2013 by the American Association of Law Libraries. All rights reserved.
#&%')$%'('%#&)$. (, ".!$%," $ ( &" $(, ) $$.%$)
""%##*$ )./((*&&%').# '(' $ $($()* (%*#$) $(($) "(! ""(
%')),$).6 '()$)*'.,%'!&"1= (" )')*'(%,($%)"+ $%" $(! ""( $#$.
'('6 $)$( +'(/ $"* $) "%",1
$ )(""%'(.()#) '+ ( %$%""*) %$/
)'$ %*$) %$2(><<B'&%')/
/>+%)%') $%'&%') %$%&') "
$()'*) %$, ,(%.&') ) %$'(#$ $# $ #*#%#&)$ ( $&'#)
" ) (1?.'")'/) $ $(,'' $%'.'&%')%)#' $'
((% ) %$) %$%"*) %$$# (( %$()%)''%##$ $3#%'%+')'" $
%$%*)%#(#(*'(4 $",(%%"' )) %$()$'(1@
#' $((% ) %$%, '' (89(+"%&()%&' $ &"($()$'(%'
""'('%#&)$./',$'%# $%'#) %$&'%(( %$"(2& $+%"+#$) $""'('
, ) $#/", '#(/)%*')(/%+'$#$)$ (/$%)''")()) $(/(,""()
" )')*'%)""&'%(( %$ $ ) $))'('%#&)$. ')". #&)(&'%(( %$"
$.$) +$((1A
&' $ &"(+$.)#' $((% ) %$%, '' ('0
1 (*((*"""'(''&%(((((%*$) %$"!$%,"%)""(.()#$""
$%'#) %$(%*'(1
=
$)/)%*$) %$%')(
()#('%#)
"%$$$# &&'%+.)((% ) %$%%""$(' '' (89$$%'(%).)#' $((% ) %$
%' '*) %$$)%*$ "%
$&$$)%""(/(,""()( $ $)%.%" )')*'%$ $%'#) %$
" )'.))(+"%&%+').'(1))&055,,,1"1%'5"5#'&(5 +(5'"5 ((*(5 $%" )5%+'+ ,5 $)'%5 $-1#1
>
1
1/
0
8><<B98' $)'/'$ &%')91
?
11111:
/
=?6=A8*".>B/><<C9/
))&055,,,1"$.",1*5# 5*('5")5%*)%#7#(*'(7 $"7'&%')1&1
@
!)=1
A
"('%#&)$.() %$)))&055,,,1""$)1%'5""'('%#&)$.%' ) %$"
$%'#) %$)'))%(& %$() )*$)'%*&(8(*(&') $))%'$.(/""*)%'(/'-# $'($# (( %$
'*")%'(/$) %$"$())'((% ) %$(/*) %$"' ) $*)%' ) (/" '' ($" ''.((% ) %$(/!!9/
"%$, )%*#$)($'&%')('%$ " $)+"%&#$)%)
$(*&&%') $'(' (*(( $ $%'#) %$" )'.$""'('(! ""(1
*$*" ##*5I)%+)+ #&)*)- .&+##)*)# +)+,)+++#&*,%*+ *+&)0
****$%+*&##)*)*" ##*0##$'#&0)*2,+&)*2# )) %*2/+)%* ' #
*,')- *&)*2%-%55,')$&,)+ ,*+ &)+*5J+$&$%+ %+ $.%/'%* -
## %&)$+ &% *. #0- ##2*' ##0+&&)% 1+ &%*%,* %***++'0&)**2
- %$&%*+)+*-)0#)#0++##')&** &%#*&+%#",%$%+#)*)*" ##*5
**, *&$'# +2 %-&#- %$%0*'+*&(,# +0% %0&)*)5&$'# %+* %#,2
&)/$'#2% % # +0+& %)#-%+$+) #2 % %+&%# %*)*+)+ *2 #,)+&&% %
&%+* +*&)&%'+*&)*)')&#$2%# $ +*" ## %-#,+ %+-# +0%
,+&) +0&*&,)*5K
, -#! ( !'
! %" !" ( %)
" '#! ' " '
"! ' " ' "%(%'
" ! %
% !(% ' ""
' % ! %
! !(//
!! "
##'! # !
! ")
& "% % !! )(
#
% #$( "
#'#' !! "'&
!#% #
! ' "' ' !
" "%(
%# +!#' "'
$'# '#' +
%%
#!(
//
' # ! %
$! "
'
02*1/'
0.//'0(
! "
!
'!"
!
'
%
#
)#!""
*
) #"
"
#
)
"
!
!!
"
!
)
! '"$""$!"!! """""$#%#"&"#
!#"$!"(
#!"'
,)
#
%
%!'
&# !
"
%!
!)
-)
! "
%!
!
'
%#
'
!
%! $ )
.) & #
! %
!
#
)
)
+
!
''
#
'
'
% )
,) ! #
'
'
% " (
!
")
-) ##
!'
&'
"
" )
.)
!
"'!
%'
!
#
!% "" )
/)
! # %
%
#!'
# '
%'
!
"
! %
!)
)
+
!
! !
#
% )
,) &
" ! !
# "
!
%
#
! %)
-) &
''
#
"
! %
'))'
#'
#'
#)
+&
"&
,&
#
#"
$
#$ "$
"&
& ' &
)& "#
&
*&
#"
&
+&
$"
"$
&
,&
#
#$
"$"$$&
-&
"
&
.& " &
& '
$
'
&
)&
$
!
%
&
$
& "
$$
&
&
*&
&
+& "
&
&
"
$
&
"
&
,&
'
$
&
& '
$
!
!&
*'
"
)$"$
(
'
+'
"#
!
$
)
'
,' #
$
)
"'
-'
'
'
(
'
*'
$
&
'
$
'
$
'
'
+'
#
'
'
(
"
'
*' "
"
$
' "$
'
"%
' "%
' "
+'
$
(
$'
'
(
(
"'
*'
$
"$
$
'
+'
#
"
$
!
'
,'
$
"'
% &
%
'%
%
(%
%
)%
%
'%
!
"
"
"
%
(%
"
%
% &
%
'%
"
%
(%
# !
"
"
%
)%
%
*%
!
"
$
%
!
"
%
!
%
% &
"
%
'%
%
.( (
/( !)
%!
(
0(
!
#
'
( %
( %
( %
(
%
( %#%
)%%#%%
)#(
( )
(
-( #!#%
#(
.( $%%%
%
%#%(
( #
&
( %%
"# %!(
( )
##!!#,
%
%#(
-( !!$*%%+
(
.( #%#%
#(
/( # #%#%#%%
!
%
#%
! (
"
%
&
%
'
"
"
%
&
'
(
!
%
#
$
105 West Adams Street, Suite 3300
Chicago, Illinois 60603
P: 312.939.4764
F: 312.431.1097
aallhq@aall.org | www.aallnet.org