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Dissertation

Module description

In this module, you will produce a dissertation of 12,000 words on a legal or socio-legal topic of your choice. Your supervisor will guide your research and writing according to an individually agreed framework, but you are largely expected to determine your own deadlines and define your own work programme in order to meet the final submission deadline set by the Law School. 

The module convenor will finalise the allocation of supervisors/ supervisees and will provide general guidance about supervision arrangements.

Note:
The module cannot be taken together with the Comparative Law Dissertation module (LAW3047), nor with the Research Paper modules (LAW3151A and LAW3151B)

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of the Dissertation module is to give you the opportunity to develop further your independent research and argumentation skills, and to acquire knowledge on a discrete set of legal issues chosen by you. The module also aims to encourage and inspire you to engage critically with legal research and scholarship on a specific research question. It provides particularly good practice in carrying out and presenting legal research if you are considering post-graduate degrees.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Identify, define and construct a critical analysis of a discrete research topic in Law;
• 2. Identify and define key research questions and hypotheses about the chosen research topic;
• 3. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the selected legal issues acquired through independent research and study;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Integrate and assess information from a comprehensive range of relevant legal materials;
• 5. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of a range of complex legal issues and their contextual implications, where relevant;
• 6. Evaluate critically the materials considered and used for the Dissertation;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Plan and undertake tasks efficiently, to reflect critically on the learning process and to make effective use of feedback from the supervision process;
• 8. Work independently, to manage time efficiently and meet strict deadlines;
• 9. Develop and structure an argument over a sustained piece of writing and in an effective manner;

Syllabus plan

You will choose your research area at the end of your second year and fill in the form that is sent to you by email. You are expected to use the summer months to do some background reading, but no written work is expected of you. No supervision takes place over the summer.

You will confirm the research question at the start of term 1 of your final year. The allocation of supervisors is confirmed by the module convenor at the start of term.

This module is essentially facilitated through individual supervision. From September to submission in March, you will have a number of meetings with your supervisor, following a schedule set out in the module handbook.

There will be a combined total of six 1.5 hour sessions of taught content, although students will not necessarily have to engage with all of this. In addition, there will be six 2 hour peer support sessions, where students will have the opportunity to discuss their progress in a supportive environment, facilitated by a postgraduate student.

ELE is used to provide you with materials and to enable the module convenor to communicate with you throughout the duration of the module.

You will have to keep a ‘learning log’ to reflect on your research as it progresses. This is a formative part of the module (i.e. non-assessed) and you are encouraged to write regular entries in your journal each week to monitor and reflect on how your research is developing. As a rough guide you may wish to write 200 words in your reflective learning log per week. You and your supervisor may wish to discuss this during supervision meetings.

NOTE: If you think that as part of your research you will need to carry out interviews, issue questionnaires or undertake any other form of interaction with people, you MUST discuss this with your supervisor and ensure ethical compliance. Any such research may only proceed once ethics clearance has been acquired.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

It is expected that students who fail their dissertation will re-submit it on the same topic to reflect on and learn from the feedback they will have received on the dissertation originally submitted. Any derogation from this will have to be discussed with and approved by the module convenor.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

-       R Huxley-Binns et al, Unlocking legal learning, (Hodder Arnold 2005), ch.5 

-       M Salter and J Mason, Writing Law Dissertations: an Introduction and Guide to the Conduct of Legal Research (Longman, 2007) 

-       M McConville, Research Methods for Law (Edinburgh University Press, 2007)

-    R Banaker and M Travers, Theory and Method in Socio-Legal Research (Hart, 2005)

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Yes, there will be one joint ELE page with Comparative Dissertation LAW3047A

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

ELE - http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/ 

Key words search

Law; Dissertation