Introduction to Legal Research Basic Conceptual Issues The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines research as "a careful study of a subject, especially to find or discover new facts about it." As a result, research entails gathering data for a specific purpose, which typically dictates the kind of research conducted and the methods used. In a similar vein, legal research would entail gathering legal materials with the intention of uncovering new information that would add to the body of knowledge on a particular legal subject or field.