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Thursday, May 17, 2007

Course Preparation Project: Part 2: Choosing Supplemental Materials

After choosing a casebook, the selection of a statutory supplement may seem like an afterthought.  After all, the term "supplement" gives the impression of an add-on, a garnish -- something of lesser importance.  But statutory supplements generally contain very important material: statutes, regulations, and/or restatements that have been edited down to focus on the core substance.  For some subjects, the materials in the statutory supplement may be the focus of the course.  And profs often assign other types of supplemental materials, such as treatises and scholarly treatments of the subject from a interdisciplinary perspective.

This second part of the course preparation project concerns choosing a statutory supplement.  Here are some thoughts to consider:

  • Does the casebook I chose include a supplement?  If so, are there better options that I should choose instead?  If there is no supplement, where do I go to find one?
  • Should I assign a supplement, or should I simply direct students to look up statutes, regulations, and restatement provisions online?  If I assign a supplement, should it required or recommended?
  • What other materials should I consider beyond a statutory supplement?  Would assigning a treatise be helpful?  Are there scholarly books on the subject that would be worthwhile to consider in class?  (If so, should they be assigned or put on reserve?)

As before, I'll be breaking down the posts by different subjects.  The overall course preparation project is discussed here.  The initial post on casebook selection is here.  Links to individual casebook posts by subject area are provided in this post.  Thanks for your participation.

Posted by Matt Bodie on May 17, 2007 at 03:23 PM in Teaching Law | Permalink

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