Legal Definitions - scope note

A scope note is a brief summary that appears after a title and explains what the subject matter of a document or article includes and excludes. It helps readers understand what they can expect to find in the document and what they should not expect to find.

When using a legal digest, such as the Century and Decennial Digests, a scope note appears after each topic title. The scope note includes two paragraphs. The first paragraph briefly describes the subject matter included under the title. The second paragraph explains what related matter has been excluded and directs the reader to the proper title where they can find that information. For example, if a searcher is looking for information on "Contracts," the scope note may exclude information on "Torts" and direct the reader to a different title where they can find information on that topic.

Another example of a scope note is in a library catalog. When searching for a book, the catalog may include a scope note that briefly describes the book's subject matter and any related topics that are excluded from the book.

These examples illustrate how a scope note can help readers quickly understand what information is included and excluded in a document or article, saving them time and effort in their research.