Research can be thought of as a guide, helping you find useful facts and insights when you’re writing or studying a topic. For anyone working with corporate law or writing stories about the legal world, good research makes all the difference. It turns a story or study from something basic into something powerful and well-informed. This post will walk you through how to find what you need to know, choose the best sources, and bring them into your writing smoothly. Whether you’re focusing on real cases or crafting a fictional legal thriller, these tips will help you find your way.
How Do I Know What to Research?
The first step to effective research is setting clear goals for what you want to learn or write about. For example, if you’re interested in corporate fraud, think about the specific aspects you want to explore. You might ask questions about how companies hide their financial wrongdoings or how lawyers defend these cases. Once you have a focus, break it down into smaller, manageable questions. This helps keep your research organized and prevents you from spending too much time on topics that don’t fit your goal (Carreyrou, 2018). Focusing your questions also makes it easier to find relevant and useful information.
Where Do I Find Sources?
Finding reliable sources is a key part of any research project. For legal topics, databases such as Westlaw, LexisNexis, and HeinOnline are excellent for accessing case studies, statutes, and scholarly articles. If you’re looking for real-world examples, books like Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (2018), which discusses the Theranos scandal, are valuable resources for understanding corporate fraud and ethical challenges. Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind’s (2003) The Smartest Guys in the Room offers a detailed account of the Enron scandal, providing context for complex corporate crimes. Trusted news outlets, public libraries, and expert interviews also offer great information to deepen your understanding.
How Do I Know If a Source Is Good for My Project?
To determine if a source is credible, check its authorship and where it was published. Trustworthy sources often come from legal scholars, established journalists, or reputable institutions. McLean and Elkind’s (2003) The Smartest Guys in the Room is a well-known investigation into Enron’s collapse and is respected for its accuracy and depth. Ask yourself if the source directly relates to your topic. For a project on corporate law, a scholarly journal article on corporate accountability may be more useful than a news article with less detail (Coffee, 2020). Also, consider the date of publication, as newer sources may better reflect current legal trends and practices.
How Do I Use Sources in My Writing?
Incorporating sources effectively strengthens your writing by providing evidence and context. Use quotes to emphasize important ideas but try not to rely too heavily on them. Too many quotes can take away from your own voice. Instead, explain the source’s ideas in your own words and use quotes sparingly to highlight key points. For example, in a study of corporate misconduct, you might summarize John Coffee’s (2020) key arguments from Corporate Crime and Punishment before using a quote to illustrate a specific idea. Be sure to cite sources properly, so your readers can track where the information came from (APA, MLA, or another format). This may not be necessary in most fiction works. However, it is still great practice to show attribution for your inspiration.
Where Can I Find More Information?
To look more into corporate law and storytelling, consider exploring several valuable resources. Coffee’s (2020) Corporate Crime and Punishment offers an in-depth look at corporate crime and how businesses avoid legal consequences. Carreyrou’s (2018) Bad Blood details the fraud at Theranos, offering insights into whistleblowing and the risks that come with it. For more context, Hope and Wright’s (2018) Billion Dollar Whale explores the 1MDB scandal and corporate corruption, while Hilts’ (1996) Smoke and Mirrors reveals the tactics used by Big Tobacco to hide health risks. Public libraries, university collections, and law reviews are also excellent places to expand your research.
References
Carreyrou, J. (2018). Bad blood: Secrets and lies in a Silicon Valley startup. Knopf.
Coffee, J. C. (2020). Corporate crime and punishment: A legal primer. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Hilts, P. J. (1996). Smoke and mirrors: The truth about the tobacco industry cover-up. Perseus Publishing.
Hope, B., & Wright, T. (2018). Billion dollar whale: The man who fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the world. Hachette Books.
McLean, B., & Elkind, P. (2003). The smartest guys in the room: The amazing rise and scandalous fall of Enron. Portfolio.