Business and technology qualifications, Levels 3-6, in Brussels. Explore qualifications
Portal login

Legal Research Methods

IBL706

Course CodeIBL706
ECTS

Course Description

The unit aim is to allow learners to develop key knowledge, understanding and skills relating to legal research and theoretical and methodological problems associated with legal studies. Learners will be able to cover key topics relating to a research problem, conducting literature reviews, referencing, data collection and analysis techniques, and drawing conclusions from the analysed data.

Course Objectives

The unit aim is to allow learners to develop key knowledge, understanding and skills relating to legal research and theoretical and methodological problems associated with legal studies. Learners will be able to cover key topics relating to a research problem, conducting literature reviews, referencing, data collection and analysis techniques, and drawing conclusions from the analysed data.

Key Topics

  1. LO1: Understand how to conduct legal research.
  2. LO2: Be able to develop legal research approaches.
  3. LO3: Be able to critically review literature relevant to a legal topic.
  4. LO4: Be able to design legal research methodologies.
  5. LO5: Be able to plan and prepare a legal research project.

Course Outline

WeekTopics
1Foundations of Legal Inquiry
2Topic Selection and Research Aims
3Doctrinal Legal Research
4Socio-Legal Research and Legal Ethics
5Theoretical Frameworks in Legal Scholarship
6The Critical Literature Review
7Methodological Design and Evaluation
MidtermMidterm evaluation
9Data Collection and Analysis in Legal Studies
10Project Planning and Research Management
11Proposal Finalisation and Researcher Reflexivity
12Applying Legal Research Methods in practice: case studies
13Assignment workshop: research, planning and referencing
14Assignment workshop: drafting, feedback and improvement
15Review and coursework completion
FinalFinal assessment and submission

Learning Outcomes

  1. LO1 Understand how to conduct legal research.
  2. 1.1 Identify the criteria required to conduct legal research.
  3. 1.2 Define key issues in the proposed research.
  4. 1.3 Assess the diversity of research methods used in socio-legal studies.
  5. 1.4 Evaluate ethical dimensions of socio-legal approaches.
  6. 1.5 Analyse features of the blackletter approach to doctrinal legal research.
  7. LO2 Be able to develop legal research approaches.
  8. 2.1 Choose a relevant legal research project topic.
  9. 2.2 Create appropriate research aims and objectives with justification.
  10. 2.3 Formulate a detailed plan for the research project.
  11. LO3 Be able to critically review literature relevant to a legal topic.
  12. 3.1 Critically analyse different theoretical approaches to a legal research problem.
  13. 3.2 Create a structured and thorough critical literature review.
  14. LO4 Be able to design legal research methodologies.
  15. 4.1 Critically evaluate relevant research methodologies that can be applied to your chosen research topic.
  16. 4.2 Justify the methodology selected in terms of the research.
  17. 4.3 Propose suitable techniques to use with quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
  18. LO5 Be able to plan and prepare a legal research project.
  19. 5.1 Plan a legal research project and present this as a written proposal.
  20. 5.2 Critically evaluate own skills and knowledge, with reference to the intended outcome of the research project.
Back to programme
Scroll