Dr Jacco Bomhoff NAB 6.09

This course is compulsory on the Master of Laws and Master of Laws (extended part-time study). This course is not available as an outside option.

This half unit course on Legal Research and Writing has a taught component focusing on research and writing skills and a 10,000 word stand-alone dissertation, to be written in a substantive law area of the student’s choice.

The two components will be carefully integrated. Over the course of this half unit, students should gain a better understanding of:

• The nature of research in general; the distinctive features (if any) of legal research and the range of questions and research methodologies to be found within legal scholarship
• Doing legal research, including research design, resource identification and searching for relevant materials; legal referencing and citation skills.
• Writing skills, relating to both the process of writing, as well as the end product; presenting findings to different audiences etc.

Topics for the lectures will be: (1) Choosing your dissertation topic; (2) Research methods; (3) Writing skills; (4) Library skills. 

The two tutorials will have a 4-on-1 format and will focus on: (1) Preparing your research proposal; (2) Writing skills.

Teaching will consist of: (a) Four 120 minute lectures in LT; (b) One 60 minute tutorial in LT and one 60 minute tutorial in ST; (c) One 120 minute library workshop.

Students will be invited to submit one page of writing for the tutorial on 'Writing skills'.

Booth, Colomb & Williams, The Craft of Research (3rd ed, 2008, Uni of Chicago Press)

Bintliff, 'Context and Legal Research' (2007) Law Library Journal 249

Franklin, 'Theory Saved my Life' (2005) New York City Law Review 599

Osbeck, 'What is "Good Legal Writing" and Why Does it Matter?' U of Michigan Public Law Working Paper No. 252 (23 Sep, 2011).

Khan, 'A Compendium of Legal Writing Sources' (2011) Washburn Law Journal 395.

Dissertation (100%, 10000 words) post-summer term.