Legal Research Project
Overview
This unit provides students with a capstone supervised research experience. Students will research and write a substantial research paper on a topic approved by their academic supervisor. The unit gives students the opportunity to work closely with an academic with expertise in the student’s field of enquiry. It allows for engagement with a substantive area of law to plan, research and write a research paper that is relevant to current legal issues. The unit will also expose students to various legal research methodologies.
Requisites
200 credit points
01-June-2025
03-August-2025
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the legal issues relating to an area of the law chosen by the student, in consultation with an academic supervisor, by identifying a research problem
- Design and plan a research proposal, including the development of research questions, and assimilate scholarly material from a range of sources to convince a reader of the need for the research
- Produce a research paper through the evaluation and synthesis of relevant factual, legal and policy issues against the backdrop of the chosen theoretical propositions or legal methodologies that adequately addresses the research problem
- Plan research time effectively
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 12.50 | 12 weeks | 150 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Research Proposal | Individual | 20 - 30% | 1,2,4 |
| Research Report | Individual | 70 - 80% | 1,3,4 |
Content
Under the supervision of an academic member of staff the student will identify a research topic relevant to the chosen legal field, develop a succinct research proposal and research and assemble an original dissertation.
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.