Dissertation - LAW00021H

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  • Department: The York Law School
  • Credit value: 40 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23

Module aims

  • To introduce students to the process of formulating and developing questions suitable for advanced legal research, and designing research programmes around those questions
  • To introduce students to the process of supervised independent research
  • To transfer to students the skills needed to complete a substantial piece of legal research

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module students should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

  • Identify a legal issue that has the potential to be the subject of legal research
  • Develop a research proposal for one such issue, and design a programme for executing the proposal
  • Carry out independent research on a topic related to law
  • Evaluate and apply relevant theoretical and methodological frameworks
  • Identify, locate and use relevant primary sources
  • Critically analyse and engage with a wide range of the secondary literature relevant to their topic
  • Construct coherent and logical arguments at an advanced level, addressing theoretical, doctrinal and policy issues relevant to their chosen issue
  • Present their findings with a high level of written proficiency, both at length and in a brief format, making use of appropriate referencing techniques
  • Reflect critically on their own learning in the course of the research process

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 85
Essay/coursework 15

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 85
Essay/coursework 15

Module feedback

There are opportunities for formative feedback through the supervision process

Indicative reading

  • G. Holborn, Butterworths Legal Research Guide (2nd edition, 2001. Butterworths)
  • M. Salter and J. Mason Writing Law Dissertations: An Introduction and Guide to the Conduct of Legal Research (2007, Longman)
  • G. Griffin, M. McConville and Wing Hong Chui, Research Methods for Law (Research Methods for the Arts and Humanities) (Research Methods for the Arts and Humanities (2007, Edinburgh University Press)
  • A. L. Parrish and D.T. Yokoyama, Effective Lawyering: A Checklist Approach to Legal Writing and Oral Argument (2007. Carolina Academic Press)
  • S Halliday (ed), An Introduction to the Study of Law (W. Green, 2012)