Legal ResearchLaajuus (2 cr)

Objective

Purpose of the course

The purpose of the course is to acquaint the student with the method of legal research and the basics of empirical legal research and thus support the student's legal thesis.

Course competencies:
Learning to learn:
- you know how to acquire, critically evaluate and appropriately apply the national and international legal knowledge base and practices
- you take responsibility for your own and the group's learning and for sharing what you learn

Proactive development:
- you know how to apply existing legal knowledge in development and utilize research and development methods.

Ethics:
- you are able to take responsibility for yourself functionally and its consequences and reflect on them in accordance with the professional ethics and values of the field.
- you understand the principles of good scientific practice and act in accordance with them.

Course objectives
As a student, you will be familiar with the legal research method that supports the legal thesis, as well as the various stages of the development and research processes of empirical and legal legal research, development and research excerpts, and the most common options for data collection and analysis.

You know how to choose a legal research method and a legal research extract suitable for your thesis, as well as data collection and analysis methods.
You are familiar with Jamki's thesis process, you know how to prepare a thesis topic proposal and a plan in which you justify the methodological choices you have made. You know the research ethics principles of the thesis and act in accordance with them and the principles of good scientific practice.

Content

Law research

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Adequate 1
The student knows the basics of legal and empirical legal research. He knows how to acquire research information about his own development or research area. The student knows the main research and development methods of legal research and can describe their differences. The student knows the ethical principles related to the thesis and the principles of good scientific practice and acts in accordance with them.

Satisfactory 2
The student knows how to acquire information related to legal and empirical legal research. He recognizes the application possibilities of these. The student knows the ethical principles related to the thesis and the principles of good scientific practice and acts in accordance with them.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good 3
The student can independently acquire information related to legal and empirical legal research and evaluate it. He knows how to choose the development or research method suitable for his thesis. The student knows the ethical principles related to the thesis and the principles of good scientific practice and acts in accordance with them.

Very good 4
The student can independently acquire information related to legal and empirical legal research and evaluate it critically. The student knows how to choose a development or research sample and method suitable for his own development or research work and justify his choice. The student knows the ethical principles related to the thesis and the principles of good scientific practice and acts in accordance with them.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent 5
The student knows how to acquire knowledge related to legal and empirical legal research and is capable of source criticism. He can analyze information related to legal and empirical legal research and justify the choice of development or research methods for his thesis. The student knows the ethical principles related to the thesis and the principles of good scientific practice and acts in accordance with them.

Materials

Lecture materials, articles.
Recommended literature:
Husa, J., Mutanen, A. & Pohjolainen T. 2008. Kirjoitetaan juridiikkaa. Ohjeita oikeustieteellisten kirjallisten töiden laatijoille. 2., uudistettu painos. Helsinki: Talentum.
Aarnio, A. 2011. Luentoja lainopillisen tutkimuksen teoriasta. Helsingin yliopiston oikeustieteellisen tiedekunnan julkaisut. Helsinki: Unigrafia Oy Yliopistopaino.