Module LAWM687 for 2017/8
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
LAWM687: Socio-Legal Research Skills
This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation on essay plan | 15 minutes | 1-14 | Verbal feedback |
| Practical data exercies | x 2 | 1-14 |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 reflective logs | 25 | 1,500 - 3,000 words each | 1-14 | Written feedback |
| Essay plan | 25 | 1,000 words | 1-14 | Written feedback |
| Essay | 50 | 3,750 words | 1-14 | Written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 reflective logs | 3 reflective logs (1,500 - 3,000 words each) | 1-14 | Next reassessment period |
| Essay plan | Essay plan (1,000 words) | 1-14 | Next reassessment period |
| Essay | Essay (3,750 words) | 1-14 | Next reassessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Banakar, R. and Travers M. (eds.) An Introduction to Law and Social Theory (Hart Publishing, 2002).
Banakar, R. and Travers M. (eds.) Theory and Method in Socio-Legal Research (Hart, 2005).
Bryman A. Social Research Methods, 3rd ed, 2008
Bryman, A (ed.) (1988) Doing Research in Organisations (Routledge)
Bulmer, M. (ed.) (1982) Social Research Ethics (Macmillan)
Creswell, J Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Method Approaches (Sage: 2002)
De Vaus, D. Surveys in Social Research, 3rd Edn,1996.
Ewick and Sibley, The Common Place of Law: Stories from Everyday Life (Chicago University Press 1998), Chapter 1 and 2
Glaser, B. and A. Strauss (1967) The Discovery of Grounded Theory (Weidenfeld and Nicolson)
Harrington, Christine and Barbara Yngvesson (1990) "Interpretive Sociolegal Research", 15 Law and Social Inquiry 135
Jay R and Hamilton, A. Data Protection Law and Practice, Sweet and Maxwell, 1999
Maclean, M. and H. Genn (1979) Methodological Issues in Social Surveys (Macmillan)
Pallant, J. SPSS Survival Manual: A Step by Step Guide to Data Analysis Using SPSS for Windows (Version 15) 3rd ed, 2007.
Ragin, C. TheComparative Method, (Berkley: University of California, 1987
Samuel, G. Epistemology and Method in Law (Aldershot, Ashgate, 2003)
Sarat, A. Off to Meet the Wizard: Beyond Validity and Reliability in the Search for a Post-empiricist Sociology of Law (1990) 15 Law and Social Inquiry 155-170
Shapiro and Stone, "Testing, Comparison, Prediction", Chapter 4 of On Law, Politics and Judicialization, OUP 2002
Silverman, Doing Qualitative research: A practical handbook Sage, 2000.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. Grounded theory in practice, 1997.
Thomas, P. (ed) Socio Legal Studies (Aldershot, Dartmouth) 1997
Trubek, D. and Esser, J. "Critical Empiricism in American Legal Studies: Paradox, Program or Pandora's Box?" 14 Law and Social Inquiry 3
Mason, J. Qualitative Researching, 2nd Edn, Sage, 2002.
Punch, M. (1986) The Politics and Ethics of Fieldwork (Qualitative Research Methods Series, Sage University Press)
Socio-Legal Studies Association, Statement of Ethical Practice, 2002
Social Research Association Code of Research Ethics
Van Hoeke (2004) Epistemology and Methodology of Comparative Law (Hart Publishing)
Ward, A. (1995) Copyright Ethics and Oral History (Oral History Society, Department of Sociology, University of Essex)
