1. Justify and integrate the appropriate research paradigms, methods and processes within the context of a small-scale law research study.

2. Develop, implement and manage an independent programme of extended law research, evidencing an in-depth understanding of ethical concerns and advanced scholarship.

3. Critically analyse and synthesise material from many sources (academic and practical) to assist your work and to clarify the law problem(s) under investigation, demonstrating originality in the application of knowledge and understanding to new or existing complex problems.

Communicate in a structured written format appropriate to the presentation of a masters dissertation.

One 15,000 word piece of written work

(Assessing Learning Outcomes 1 to 4).

The dissertation is a substantial piece of independent legal research on a topic of the student’s choice relating to a law subject. Regular contact with the specified supervisor is essential.

Any area of independent study considered relevant and approved by the Dissertation module leader in consultation with the student and subject supervisor.

The Module has no prescribed syllabus, as the primary topic of the dissertation will vary from student to student, according to their research proposal, as moderated by the members of staff acting as supervisors. The chosen topic of interest must relate to a law subject and approved by the module leader and allocated supervisor.

The module will cover:
Developing a workable legal research question
Researching and analysing primary and secondary sources.
How to write a literature review
Choice and justification of research methodology
OSCOLA referencing
Advanced features of Word for managing a long document effectively

This module provides an opportunity to undertake research under the supervision of an experienced member of the team. Students will work independently and investigate a relevant research topic, which they can opt to align to their work within a legal field or choose from a prescribed list of academic research topics.

The focus of the Dissertation module is on independent directed study.

This Dissertation will be a piece of independent research, amounting to 15,000 words (excluding footnotes and bibliography), carried out by the student under the supervision of a member of the Law School team.

Students will be expected to make regular contact with their supervisors as appropriate.

Tom Clark and others, Social Research Methods (6th edn, OUP 2021)
James Holland and Julian Webb, Learning Legal Rules (10th edn, OUP 2019)

Wayne Booth and others, The Craft of Research (3rd edn, University of Chicago Press 2008)

In addition to the above texts, students will have access to texts and other publications via a well stocked library.

Legal databases:
- Westlaw and Staffordshire University online library