INTRODUCTION TO SOCIO-LEGAL AND POLITICAL RESEARCH
LST3SLR
2016
Credit points: 15
Subject outline
In this subject, students become familiar with the basic principles and tools used to carry out research in Legal Studies and Politics. Specific objectives include: Learning what makes socio-legal and political research distinctive; how to write research proposals; how to create a literature review; how to critique scholarly work; how to create and develop an original argument; and how to select suitable research methods to test it (including a selection of qualitative and quantitative research methods typically used in socio-legal and political inquiry)
School: School of Humanities & Social Sciences
Credit points: 15
Subject Co-ordinator: Raul Sanchez-Urribarri
Available to Study Abroad Students: Yes
Subject year level: Year Level 3 - UG
Exchange Students: Yes
Subject particulars
Subject rules
Prerequisites: 30 credit points of second year Legal Studies or Politics subjects and 30 credit points of any second year Humanities or Social Sciences subjects or subject coordinator's approval.
Co-requisites: N/A
Incompatible subjects: LST2SLR, LST3RML, LST2RML, SOC2MSR, SOC3MSR
Equivalent subjects: N/A
Special conditions: This subject is Core for the LBLS-Bachelor of Legal Studies degree, and must be completed at EITHER second or third year.
Learning resources
Readings
| Resource Type | Title | Resource Requirement | Author and Year | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Readings | Weekly readings available via LMS and/or e-reserve in the library. | Prescribed | N/A | N/A |
Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes
01. Become familiar with how original research questions, research topics and basic theoretical elements are formulated - create an original research question
- Activities:
- Discussion with students in the one (1) hour tutorials about their research questions and/or research topics. Assessment via research proposal, critical essays and research plan.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
02. Identify and critique the distinctive features of socio-legal and political research
- Activities:
- In-class discussion about socio-legal and political research designs, and critiquing research designs carried out in published and unpublished works. Assessment via research proposal and research plan.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
03. Learn different research methods, assess their relative merit, and identify the most suitable for their research plan
- Activities:
- Practical discussions about a selection of quantitative and qualitative methods, plus tutorials with supervised exercises to learn the foundations of the methods. Assessment via review essays and research plan.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
04. Learn to critique sophisticated scholarly work and write a comprehensive literature review
- Activities:
- Detailed lecture on how to develop an original literature review, and special sessions on how to find, compile and analyze relevant literature. Assessment via review essays and research plan.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
- Writing(Writing)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
Melbourne, 2016, Semester 1, Day
Overview
Online enrolment: Yes
Maximum enrolment size: N/A
Enrolment information:
Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Raul Sanchez-Urribarri
Class requirements
TutorialWeek: 10 - 22
One 1.0 hours tutorial per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.
LectureWeek: 10 - 22
One 2.0 hours lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.
Assessments
| Assessment element | Comments | % | ILO* |
|---|---|---|---|
| one 1,000-word research proposal (about topic, research questions and hypotheses) | 25 | 01, 04 | |
| one 1,000-word review essay (critiquing two research papers) | 25 | 02, 04 | |
| one 2,000-word research plan (summary of theory, literature review and research strategy) | 50 | 01, 02, 03, 04 |