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Introducing research in law and beyond

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Overview

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This free course, Introducing research in law and beyond, is designed to introduce you to the skills required to develop and complete a legal research project. You will learn about the complexities of research, how to identify a research topic, how to conduct a literature review and how to develop research questions. This course also considers the uses and applications of information and data, research methods, the process of analysing information to draw valid conclusions, and explains how to write up a research proposal.

Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Learning outcomes
  • 1 Preparing for research: the research process
  • 1 Preparing for research: the research process
  • 2 Getting started
  • 2 Getting started
  • 2.1 Generate research ideas
  • 2.2 Brainstorm
  • 2.3 Scan
  • 2.4 Mind maps
  • 2.5 Decision trees
  • 2.6 Using drawing techniques
  • 2.7 Suitability analysis
  • 2.7.1 Is the research question suitable and appropriate?
  • 2.7.2 Is the research question suitable for stakeholders?
  • 2.8 The difference between a topic and a research question
  • 3 Literature review and referencing
  • 3 Literature review and referencing
  • 3.1 The purpose of a literature review
  • 3.1.1 Different types of research
  • 3.1.2 Different sources
  • 3.1.3 Understanding existing research in your chosen area
  • 3.1.4 Explaining relevant concepts and ideas
  • 3.1.5 Contextualising your results
  • 3.2 What to read?
  • 3.2.1 Peer review
  • 3.3 Searching the literature
  • 3.3.1 Plan
  • 3.3.2 Search
  • 3.4 Gather
  • 3.5 Analyse
  • 3.5.1 Critically evaluating documents: the PROMPT system
  • 3.6 Compare
  • 3.7 Referencing
  • 3.8 Using a reference management tool
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements

Reviews

5.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

4.5 rating at OpenLearn based on 8 ratings

Start your review of Introducing research in law and beyond

  • Profile image for Enrique Enriquez
    Enrique Enriquez @EEnriquez
    17
    Having engaged with this course, the structured approach to research design proves exceptionally comprehensive. The methodology for generating research questions through brainstorming and suitability analysis provides a rigorous foundation for any investigative endeavor. A particular strength lies in the detailed guidance on conducting a literature review, emphasizing critical evaluation using frameworks like PROMPT and systematic source comparison. The delineation between primary and secondary research, alongside the necessity of contextualizing findings, clarifies the scholar's task.
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