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National Law University, Orissa

Course: Research Methodology (LLM)

The Structure o LegalResearch

Abhik Majumdar

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Topics Covered:

1.Introduction

2.Conceptualisation

3.Methodolog!. Chapterisation

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1. Introduction

"istinction bet#een introduction andmethodolog components must be maintained

Introduction introduces the topic

Addresses

$ature o% topic

&peci%ic area ou seek to #ork in

&peci%ic problem ou seek to address

'our approach (optional)

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2. Conceptualisation

Conceptualisation v. Methodolog

"i%%erence bet#een conceptualising a paper*dissertation+and #riting methodolog re,uirements

-oth need to be done separatel

Approach I advocate is+ engage in a conceptual eercise+

then etrapolate ideas to eisting methodolog %ormats

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2.1 Conceptualisation

Three things ou need to clari% to our o#nsatis%action:

Whatou #ant to do in this paper*dissertation

Howou propose to go about it

Whyour area+ and our approach (i.e. the/ho#0 component) are relevant

Chapters

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2.1 Conceptualisation

&T %ormula

&ourcing

Treatment

rocessing

rimar and secondarsources need to be speci%ied

6hat is primar and #hat issecondar depends on

circumstances rimar 7 ra# data+ data that

has not been processedthrough interpretation orcommentar

&econdar 7 interpretation orcommentar o% primar data

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2.1 Conceptualisation

&T %ormula

&ourcing

Treatment

rocessing

8suall %or la# scholars:

rimar sources

&tatutes

9udgments 4%%icial documents

&econdar sources:

-ooks

Articles

Con%erence apers

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2.1 Conceptualisation

&T %ormula

&ourcing

Treatment

rocessing

ither descriptive or evaluative

"escriptive treatments seek toanalse sourced data toascertain #hat the la# is on a

particular point valuative treatments seek to

evaluate a la# in terms o%some eternal standard (i.e.#hether it is good*bad+

just*unjust*+ e%%ective*ine%%ectiveetc.)

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2.1 Conceptualisation

&T %ormula

&ourcing

Treatment

rocessing

Applies to both descriptive andevaluative treatments

Can be o% several tpes:

"octrinal:

Analse la# %rom #ithin sstem

Comparative:

Compare #ith other legalsstems

istorical Trace historical development

&ociological*mpirical

Ascertain impact on societ

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3. Methodolog &cope

;imitations

uestions

Testing o% pothesis*?alidation o% =esearch >uestions

Collection o% In%ormation

?alidation o% In%ormation

resentation o% In%ormation

Analsis and Interpretation o% In%ormation

Chapterisation

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3. Methodolog

&cope ;imitations uestions

6hat

o#

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3. Methodolog

Testing o% pothesis*?alidationo% =esearch >uestions

Collection o% In%ormation

?alidation o% In%ormation resentation o%

In%ormation

Analsis andInterpretation o%

In%ormation

o#

&ourcing

Treatment

rocessing

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!. Chapterisation

Identi% chapters (usuall three)