Some applications of manual and computer technology to legal research in law libraries: An experimental investigation.

摘要

The study attempts to be a careful investigation of computer legal retrieval of information as opposed to standard manual systems of legal research. It compared manual and computer research techniques and the results obtained from each from selected legal problems. It also compared their speed, accuracy, and user level of satisfaction. It looked at accuracy and effectiveness to assess the significance of computerized legal research methods.;Six major hypotheses are stated in the null form and are used as a basis for the study. They are: (1) There is no significant difference between the speed of legal information retrieval done manually or by computer. (2) There is no significant difference between the accuracy of legal information retrieval done manually or by computer. (3) There is no significant difference between the number of search words used in both methods. (4) There is no significant difference between the level of user satisfaction in the two methods. (5) There is no significant difference between the user's number of cases retrieved in the two methods. (6) There is no significant difference between the independent variable task and the following descriptive words, (a) accurate, (b) boring, (c) complete, (d) quick, (e) restrictive, and (f) satisfying.;The effect of the independent variable task (method of research) and its effect on the dependent variables, i.e. speed, accuracy, number of search words, satisfaction rating, and the number of cases were analyzed. The ANOVA tests were performed on the hypotheses to provide analyses of variance. The level of significance was 0.05. The findings were that the students conducting Lexis research received a higher accuracy rating, used a larger number of search words, retrieved a larger number of cases, and when asked to rate the word quick in describing their work gave quick a higher rating as compared to the manual research students.;Under the auspices of the University of North Carolina School of Law, this experiment was administered to all of the students taking the Law Libraries and Legal Information course for the spring 1990 school term. The students conducted two searches on predetermined topics. Half of the class conducted the manual searches with the other half conducting Lexis searches.