3 Common research-based assignments
There are three common research-based law assignments:
- the problem-based scenario
- the law reform proposal
- the research essay.
The type of assignment you are working on will impact your research strategy, including which legal sources you will consult.
Problem-based scenario
A typical problem-based assignment will provide you with a set of facts and a problem, and ask you to advise your client. When researching the assignment you will focus on finding and applying the legal rules (‘authorities’). Secondary sources may be used as a reference point, but are unlikely to be heavily cited.
Example
Law reform proposal
A typical law reform assignment will ask you to analyse an existing area of law and make recommendations on how to improve the law or discuss the merits of a proposed change to the law. These are some of the most research-intensive assignments, requiring the use of legislative materials, case law and secondary sources. Law reform research is strongly comparative: you will often need to look to other jurisdictions to see how they have dealt with a particular legal issue or problem.
Example
Essay
Essays can be comparative, argumentative or discursive. The research component of a legal essay will depend to a great extent on the exact nature of the topic. Essays are more likely to rely on secondary sources than problem-based assignments.