AP/SOSC 3364 3.00
Designing Research In Law & Society
This course concentrates on the design and execution of interdisciplinary research in the field of law and society. Students will design an independent and original research project by choosing a topic, conducting a literature review, drafting a proposal, completing the appropriate forms to obtain ethics approval, and developing appropriate research instruments such as surveys or interview questionnaires. Participants will work with primary and secondary materials including (depending on the nature of the research project), archival and government documents.
The skills developed in the course are essential for those wishing to conduct field research in socio-legal studies and will aid those who draw on the wider literatures of the social sciences to support social action and the development of public policy. While the chief emphasis of this course will be on acquiring the ability to formulate a sustainable research project, this course will also provide students with the background they need to critically evaluate research findings and reports conducted by others. This will be particularly important for those contemplating careers or professional undertakings that rely on the collection and analysis of empirical evidence.