Law Librarian’s Beef: High-Tech Law Students Do ‘Wal-Mart’-Style Research
The law library director for Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law says law students today are more impatient and less likely to take the time to find complete answers to legal questions.
DeCarlous Spearman talked about her observations in an interview with the Houston Chronicle.
“Students now want quick, fast answers—yesterday,” Spearman told the newspaper. “But they have no idea how to get the complete answers, or what it takes to get the entire picture. Technology’s taken that from the student body and even faculty members.
“I call it the microwave age: If it can’t go in and come out ready in five minutes, they don’t want it. But that’s not enough. Research isn’t always quick. Complete research has to be comprehensive.
“Sometimes one source won’t do it. But today students want what I call Wal-Mart research—one-stop shopping. Students 12 years ago were more patient. They mixed book research with Lexis or Westlaw.”
Apparently some students take to legal research better than others. Spearman said several law students have gone on to work in law libraries or in Texas Southern’s law library.
