Fall Semester 2025 UNISA Assignment: LME3701 Legal Research
Methodology – Complete Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step
Answers and Exam-Focused Study Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
Question 1:
What is the primary purpose of legal research?
a) To find the quickest solution to a problem
b) To gather relevant laws and legal precedents
c) To write articles for legal journals
d) To prepare for non-legal professions
CORRECT ANSWER: b) To gather relevant laws and legal precedents
Rationale: The primary purpose of legal research is to find and evaluate legislation,
regulations, and case law relevant to a specific legal issue or question.
Question 2:
Which of the following is NOT a primary source of law?
a) Statutes
b) Case law
c) Legal encyclopedias
d) Constitutions
CORRECT ANSWER: c) Legal encyclopedias
Rationale: Legal encyclopedias are considered secondary sources as they provide
commentary and summary of laws rather than the laws themselves.
Question 3:
What is "Shepardizing"?
a) A method of time management in legal practice
b) A process for verifying the validity of a legal case citation
c) A technique for interviewing witnesses
d) A method for drafting legal documents
CORRECT ANSWER: b) A process for verifying the validity of a legal case citation
Rationale: Shepardizing is the practice of checking the status of legal cases to see if
they are still good law or have been overruled or distinguished by subsequent cases.
Question 4:
When conducting legal research, which approach is most effective?
a) Starting with primary sources only
b) Using only online databases
,c) Combining primary and secondary sources
d) Ignoring reviewing case law
CORRECT ANSWER: c) Combining primary and secondary sources
Rationale: Effective legal research involves using both primary sources (laws,
regulations, cases) and secondary sources (commentaries, analyses) to gain a
comprehensive understanding of the issue.
Question 5:
What tool can be used to organize and manage legal research materials
effectively?
a) A search engine
b) A legal brief template
c) Reference management software
d) A notebook
CORRECT ANSWER: c) Reference management software
Rationale: Reference management software helps in organizing citations, literature,
and notes, making the research process more efficient and manageable.
Question 6:
Which of the following is a common method for legal research?
a) Surveys
b) Legal analysis
c) Statistical sampling
d) Public opinion polls
CORRECT ANSWER: b) Legal analysis
Rationale: Legal analysis is crucial for interpreting statutes, regulations, and case law
to apply them to specific issues.
Question 7:
What is the significance of legal citation?
a) To prove personal opinions
b) To give credit to author contributions
c) To establish authority and credibility of sources
d) To complicate legal writing
CORRECT ANSWER: c) To establish authority and credibility of sources
Rationale: Legal citation allows researchers and legal professionals to reference
authoritative sources, enhancing the reliability of the research.
, Question 8:
What is a "toxic tort"?
a) A type of civil claim involving environmental harm
b) A criminal charge related to hazardous materials
c) An appeal process in tort cases
d) A legal term for bankruptcy
CORRECT ANSWER: a) A type of civil claim involving environmental harm
Rationale: A toxic tort refers to legal actions for harm caused by exposure to harmful
substances in the environment.
Question 9:
Which of the following documents is essential for legal research?
a) Memorandum of understanding
b) Legal briefs
c) Contractual agreements
d) Employment history
CORRECT ANSWER: b) Legal briefs
Rationale: Legal briefs encapsulate the arguments and research findings relevant to a
specific case, making them vital for legal research.
Question 10:
What is the purpose of a literature review in legal research?
a) To summarize past cases
b) To analyze precedents
c) To provide context and identify gaps in existing research
d) To draft legal arguments
CORRECT ANSWER: c) To provide context and identify gaps in existing research
Rationale: A literature review helps understand what research has already been
conducted and where further investigation may be needed.
Question 11:
What platform is commonly used for legal research?
a) Amazon
b) LexisNexis
c) Wikipedia
d) Google Maps
Methodology – Complete Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step
Answers and Exam-Focused Study Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
Question 1:
What is the primary purpose of legal research?
a) To find the quickest solution to a problem
b) To gather relevant laws and legal precedents
c) To write articles for legal journals
d) To prepare for non-legal professions
CORRECT ANSWER: b) To gather relevant laws and legal precedents
Rationale: The primary purpose of legal research is to find and evaluate legislation,
regulations, and case law relevant to a specific legal issue or question.
Question 2:
Which of the following is NOT a primary source of law?
a) Statutes
b) Case law
c) Legal encyclopedias
d) Constitutions
CORRECT ANSWER: c) Legal encyclopedias
Rationale: Legal encyclopedias are considered secondary sources as they provide
commentary and summary of laws rather than the laws themselves.
Question 3:
What is "Shepardizing"?
a) A method of time management in legal practice
b) A process for verifying the validity of a legal case citation
c) A technique for interviewing witnesses
d) A method for drafting legal documents
CORRECT ANSWER: b) A process for verifying the validity of a legal case citation
Rationale: Shepardizing is the practice of checking the status of legal cases to see if
they are still good law or have been overruled or distinguished by subsequent cases.
Question 4:
When conducting legal research, which approach is most effective?
a) Starting with primary sources only
b) Using only online databases
,c) Combining primary and secondary sources
d) Ignoring reviewing case law
CORRECT ANSWER: c) Combining primary and secondary sources
Rationale: Effective legal research involves using both primary sources (laws,
regulations, cases) and secondary sources (commentaries, analyses) to gain a
comprehensive understanding of the issue.
Question 5:
What tool can be used to organize and manage legal research materials
effectively?
a) A search engine
b) A legal brief template
c) Reference management software
d) A notebook
CORRECT ANSWER: c) Reference management software
Rationale: Reference management software helps in organizing citations, literature,
and notes, making the research process more efficient and manageable.
Question 6:
Which of the following is a common method for legal research?
a) Surveys
b) Legal analysis
c) Statistical sampling
d) Public opinion polls
CORRECT ANSWER: b) Legal analysis
Rationale: Legal analysis is crucial for interpreting statutes, regulations, and case law
to apply them to specific issues.
Question 7:
What is the significance of legal citation?
a) To prove personal opinions
b) To give credit to author contributions
c) To establish authority and credibility of sources
d) To complicate legal writing
CORRECT ANSWER: c) To establish authority and credibility of sources
Rationale: Legal citation allows researchers and legal professionals to reference
authoritative sources, enhancing the reliability of the research.
, Question 8:
What is a "toxic tort"?
a) A type of civil claim involving environmental harm
b) A criminal charge related to hazardous materials
c) An appeal process in tort cases
d) A legal term for bankruptcy
CORRECT ANSWER: a) A type of civil claim involving environmental harm
Rationale: A toxic tort refers to legal actions for harm caused by exposure to harmful
substances in the environment.
Question 9:
Which of the following documents is essential for legal research?
a) Memorandum of understanding
b) Legal briefs
c) Contractual agreements
d) Employment history
CORRECT ANSWER: b) Legal briefs
Rationale: Legal briefs encapsulate the arguments and research findings relevant to a
specific case, making them vital for legal research.
Question 10:
What is the purpose of a literature review in legal research?
a) To summarize past cases
b) To analyze precedents
c) To provide context and identify gaps in existing research
d) To draft legal arguments
CORRECT ANSWER: c) To provide context and identify gaps in existing research
Rationale: A literature review helps understand what research has already been
conducted and where further investigation may be needed.
Question 11:
What platform is commonly used for legal research?
a) Amazon
b) LexisNexis
c) Wikipedia
d) Google Maps
