Grade Level: First Year Law Students in their Second Semester

Number of Students: 20 – 25 (broken down into two groups of 10 – 12 students)

Relevant Characteristics

§    Most students (80%) will

o       Be in their early 20’s

o       Have little experience with Shepardizing a case

o       Have little experience evaluating the validity of a case

o       Have little experience evaluating the validity of a case

§    A few students (20%) will

o       Be older than their early 20’s

o       Have some experience with Shepardizing using an on-line service

o       Have some experience evaluating the validity of a case

o       Have some experience evaluating the validity of a case

o       These students likely come from other legal jobs

§    All students

o       Likely have no experience using books to Shepardize

o       Likely not highly motivated for their first attempt at this task

Motivational Profile (Incoming Motivation Levels):

Attention:                                         Low

Comments:  Students will likely find this assignment tedious and boring.

Relevance:                                       Low

Comments:  Students will likely not think this is a relevant assignment as it is a task that is generally now done on the computer.

Confidence:                                     Low                            

Comments:  Students will likely have no confidence initially, as the task is difficult.

Satisfaction Potential:                  High

Comments:  Completing the task will make the students feel successful and satisfied.