Syllabus for
Doctor of Philosophy (Law)
Academic Year (2020)
1 Semester - 2020 - Batch
Course Code
Course
Type
Hours Per
Week
Credits
Marks
RLW131
METHODS OF RESEARCH IN LEGAL STUDIES
Discipline Specific Elective Courses
4
4
100
RLW131 - METHODS OF RESEARCH IN LEGAL STUDIES (2020 Batch)
Total Teaching Hours for Semester:60
No of Lecture Hours/Week:4
Max Marks:100
Credits:4
Course Objectives/Course Description
This course is consisting of four units. Unit 1 deals with introduction to legal research, identification and formulation of Research Problem. Unit 2 deals with Preparation of Research Design. Unit 3 explains about collection and analysis of data and Unit 4 deals with preparation of research report and specific legal writings
The course will provide students with a complete understanding of research methodology adopted in conducting legal research. The course will also focus on developing the legal writing skills of students in order to enable students to write concisely and precisely. This course intends to acquaint the students of law with scientific methods of investigation into law.
Course Outcome
At the end of the course scholars will be able to:
1. explain in detail about legal research methodology
2. formulate research problem
3. prepare a proper research design
4. collect data
5. to cite various sources, and
6. draft a research proposal
Unit-1
Teaching Hours:15
INTRODUCTION, IDENTIFICATION AND FORMULATION OF RESEARCH PROBLEM
Nature, objectives, aims and significance of Legal research
Types of Legal Research
Current trends in Legal Research
How is legal research different from research in social sciences?
Meaning & Definition of Research Problem
Steps in problem identification
Formulation of Legal Research Problem
Unit-2
Teaching Hours:15
PREPARATION OF RESEARCH DESIGN
Component Parts of a Legal Research Design
Framing of Hypothesis and Research Questions
Literature review and its significance
Salient Features of a Research Design
Delimitation, Plan and Proposed Methodology
Unit-3
Teaching Hours:15
COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Steps to Select the Data Base for Research
Assemblage of Appropriate Techniques for Data Collection
Suitability and Selection of Tools for Research Operation
Meaning, Quality and Nature of analysis in Legal Research
Unit-4
Teaching Hours:15
PREPARATION OF RESEARCH REPORT AND SPECIFIC LEGAL WRITINGS
Features of a Legal Research Report
Quality of Theoretical Descriptions and Statistical Presentations
Modes of Citation and Elucidation
Essentials and Kinds of Legal Writing: Research Papers, Project Reports and Thesis Writing
Need of E-Resources in Legal Research
Tools and Techniques of writing and publishing of research paper.
Text Books And Reference Books:
1.Jain. S. N. “Legal Research and Methodology”, Journal of the Indian Law Institute, 14:4 (Oct. – Dec. 1972) 487-500.
2.Grossman, Legal research: historical foundations of the electronic age ([edited by], New York: Oxford University Press, 1994)
3.Bajpai S.R., “Methods of Social Survey Research”, Kanpur, Kitabghar (1972).
4.Mike McConville and Wing Hong Chui (Eds) Research Methods for Law (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press: 2012).
5.The Oxford Handbook of Empirical Legal Research (Oxford University Press: Oxford:2012).
6.S.K. Verma and M. Afzal Wani (Eds.) Legal Research and Methodology, ILI Publication 2nd edition 2001 (2015 Reprint)
7.John W. Creswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, Sage Publications, (2002)
8.Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, The Craft of Research (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing), University of Chicago Press (2008)
9.Grade J Williams and Hatt K Paul, Methods in Social Research, Mc Gaw-Hill Book Company, London- Singapore (1985) reprint
10.Kothari C.K. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, Wilsey Eastern Limited, New Delhi (2009)
Essential Reading / Recommended Reading
1.Jain. S. N. “Legal Research and Methodology”, Journal of the Indian Law Institute, 14:4 (Oct. – Dec. 1972) 487-500.
2.Grossman, Legal research: historical foundations of the electronic age ([edited by], New York: Oxford University Press, 1994)
3.Bajpai S.R., “Methods of Social Survey Research”, Kanpur, Kitabghar (1972).
4.Mike McConville and Wing Hong Chui (Eds) Research Methods for Law (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press: 2012).
5.The Oxford Handbook of Empirical Legal Research (Oxford University Press: Oxford:2012).
6.S.K. Verma and M. Afzal Wani (Eds.) Legal Research and Methodology, ILI Publication 2nd edition 2001 (2015 Reprint)
7.John W. Creswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, Sage Publications, (2002)
8.Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, The Craft of Research (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing), University of Chicago Press (2008)
9.Grade J Williams and Hatt K Paul, Methods in Social Research, Mc Gaw-Hill Book Company, London- Singapore (1985) reprint
10.Kothari C.K. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, Wilsey Eastern Limited, New Delhi (2009)
Evaluation Pattern
SCHEME OF VALUATION:
CIA I – Class Test / Assignment / Presentation – 10%