LLAW6022 & JDOC6022

General Course Information

1.1 Course details

Course code:	LLAW6022 / JDOC6022
Course name:	Advanced Research Methodology
Programme offered under:	LLM Programme / JD Programme
Semester:	First
Prerequisites / Co-requisites:	No
Credit point value:	9 credits

1.2 Course description

The meetings in this introductory course explore the strategies and techniques available for research and writing in doctrinal and empirical legal studies, and the ways in which various research methodologies relate to the different theoretical approaches that inform research. Attention is also given to the manner in which differing research methods are often combined in practice, and to the skills involved in analyzing data and presenting findings. Students are encouraged to see their findings as potentially making contributions to both empirical knowledge and theoretical understanding.

The course teachers consider what research questions can be asked and which research methods might best help to provide answers to such questions. Because law students are generally already more familiar with doctrinal research, so the course gives greater attention to empirical research. Course teachers look at the skills of questionnaire design, interviewing, participant observation, case studies, documentary research, surveys, sampling, ethical correctness and so on.

By the end of this course, students should have developed a strong understanding of how to identify and address research problems, a good awareness of the empirical and doctrinal research methodologies that they might use in their investigation and analysis, and an enhanced ability to design and implement a research project in the field of legal studies.

1.3 Course teachers

	Name	E-mail address	Office	Consultation
Course convenor	Michael Palmer	mp88@hku.hk; mp@soas.ac.uk	CCT 709	By email

Learning Outcomes

2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course

CLO 1 Develop familiarity with qualitative and quantitative research methods for conducting legal research.

CLO 2 Learn how to ask scholarly research questions concerning the workings of law, using both legal doctrine and social science and related data.

CLO 3 Complete a research proposal including a literature review and overview of methodology.

2.2 LLM and JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Please refer to the following link:

LLM – https://course.law.hku.hk/llm-plo/

JD – https://course.law.hku.hk/jd-plo/

2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course

	PLO A	PLO B	PLO C	PLO D	PLO E	PLO F
CLO 1	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
CLO 2	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
CLO 3	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Assessment(s)

3.1 Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Due date	Weighting	Feedback method*	Course learning outcomes
Research proposal	provisional: 22 Dec 2022	100%		1, 2, 3, 4

*Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher)
1	A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle
2	Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle
3	Individual review meeting upon appointment
4	Group review meeting
5	In-class verbal feedback

3.2 Assessment Detail

To be advised by course convenor(s).

3.3 Grading Criteria

Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf

Learning Activities

4.1 Learning Activity Plan

Seminar:	3 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks
Private study time:	9.5 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks

Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.

4.2 Details of Learning Activities

To be advised by course convenor(s).

Learning Resources

5.1 Resources

Reading materials:	Reading materials are posted on Moodle
Core reading list:	TBA
Recommended reading list:	TBA

5.2 Links

Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/