ATTEMPTING LLM DISSERTATION: SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW Ultimately, LR is not only limited to Chapter 2 or the ‘standard research’. It is an integral ‘academic processes’ applied to all chapters. For instances: Chap 01 – IntroductionThis is in fact, the ‘Title Proposal’. One just can’t obtain a title without knowing the ‘subject matter’ one wish to research. So, intrinsically, one would have a preferred area of law to research upon. Thereon, it is surface reading of the LR from all journals one can lay its hand upon. Group them according to ‘Topic’, which ultimately, forms one’s research objectives. ‘Seaming’ these objectives, forms the ‘Research Aims’, which is your ‘Research Title’ itself. This can be a daunting task of combing the internet/library, downloading, printing and classifying them into ‘boxes’. Very time consuming. Chap 02 – Literature ReviewA special chapter dedicated to LR. While one continue to build up the collection of ‘library’, now, one has to also read the entire collection in detail, among other, in a systematic way, i.e.: For each literature keep a ‘Summary Log’ comprising among other, the ‘topic’; title; author(s); abstract; OSCOLA referencing; summary and reference. This is a ‘second reading’. Keep a ‘register of all the literature’ you had referred to in a matrix comprising of the author; title; and the topic it ought to address your objectives. Revisit all the literature again, and add up another item, the ‘research gap’ as in the ‘Summary Log’, highlighting what these literatures failed to address or its limitations. This is a ‘third reading’. One has to read critically to draw out these ‘knowledge gaps’. Finally, connecting the dots, by building up a narration of how an issue is addressed in one literature, to be ‘defeated’ or ‘supported’ by another literature. This is what is known as ‘Structuring the Chapters’. It should sufficiently provide a mind map as to how one would write the chapter. This is even more daunting as the saying goes, ‘it is a lonely journey, and LR takes 3-times of reading, not just one.’ Some spent years, just building on this part of the journey. Chap 03 – Methodology This chapter is dedicated to the entire deliberation of the Research Methodology, in quantitative research. However, for qualitative legal research, this chapter, one can go straight into addressing the second objective, as the first objective would have been addressed in chapter 2. In attempting to write the ‘body of the thesis’, the following may be applicable, pour over the LR for the respective topic and narrate the matrixes in accordance to:
Chapter 04 – Findings / Chapter 05 – Analysis This chapter 5 is dedicated to the findings of the ‘fieldworks’ for quantitative research. While this chapter 6 is dedicated to analysing the findings of the ‘fieldworks’ against other ‘available models’ for quantitative research. For qualitative, both chapters are dedicated to addressing the other objectives or topics. In addressing such the same, Bloom’s taxonomy approach is applicable. Thus, the LR for the respective topic is heavily relied upon to build up the narration. Chapter 06 – Conclusion Chapter 06 – Conclusion This chapter is dedicated to:
In conclusion, one’s research is all about LR, where before you can create, you ought to research what others had done in a systematic way, through the hierarchy of Bloom’s taxonomy, not the other way around. So, my ‘zen-master’ Sv is correct when he says:
[O]ne of the reasons why you are required to use academic or legal sources is that those works have been peer reviewed before publishing and include a section describing the method of research and its limitations. This is science and must be supported by tried and tested work. This does not mean that the published work is correct. Quite the opposite, it if often incorrect and therefore it is often discredited and dismissed. [Y]ou must aim at presenting ‘critical analysis’ and ‘evaluation’ in every paragraph you write. You cannot present originality (or create) unless you complete this process of analysis and evaluation.
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ATTEMPTING LLM DISSERTATION: WHERE TO START Embarking LLM Dissertation is a steep learning curve. Foremost, one has to deal with ‘research methodology’, a subject warrant an independent study by itself. Second, your supervisor (‘Sv’) who sometimes acted like a ‘zen master’, very little word and it is priceless when he instruct you and you have to come out with the rest of the ‘instruction’. Third, your school preferences, as different level of dissertation required different things and don’t pretend you are writing a PhD research when you are actually dealing with only the LLM. Fourth, your materials, something that I will write about as I move on. THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL (‘RP’) This is the first step that the school require you to submit. Each school has its format, so stick with that. In the RGU, this RP constitute the Chapter-01 of your dissertation. Generally, it requires you to submit the following items for the school’s consideration:
LITERATURE REVIEW (‘LR’) Nobody would jump straight to proposed a title. More importantly is to:
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES (‘A&O’) The ‘area of concerns’ are actually my ‘objectives’. These 4-objectives are my ‘pillars’ to support my ‘research aim’. What is my ‘research-aim’ then? Taking the same act of investigating, I rephrased my aim to also include my objectives as: [T]his research aims to investigate the legal framework and the object of formation of the arbitral appointing body, dispute clause, arbitration rules, the arbitrator’s ethics and professional conduct and the administration of arbitration in the context of construction dispute arbitration in Malaysia taking PAM as a study. RESEARCH TITLE Needless to say, my research title will be called: [I]nvestigation into the legal framework and the object of formation of the arbitral appointing body, dispute clause, arbitration rules, the arbitrator’s ethics and professional conduct and the administration of arbitration in the context of construction dispute arbitration in Malaysia taking PAM as a study. METHODOLOGY The RGU imposed a methodology for Legal Research limited to only ‘doctrinal approach’, meaning qualitative-research based on secondary sources are to be conducted and such ‘doctrinal approach’ forms the basis of limitation in this research.[1] Therefore, the supposing Chapter-03 on Research Methodology is now being irrelevant. ---------------------------------- [1] RGU law School, ‘BSM587 PG Dissertation Handbook 2021-22’ (RGU 2021) p.4: not permitted to undertake any fieldworks or data collection of your own. PROPOSED CHAPTERS Chapters in dissertation are commonly comprise of Introduction, literature review, methodology, results and discussion, conclusions and outcomes (recommendations).[1] However, in view of the limitation set from the onset by the RGU, the chapters are comprised of Introduction, literature review, discussion and conclusions.[2] Since there is a word-limit set at 15,000 words threshold, all Chapters from Chapter-02 onwards shall contain at least one objective. These chapters are the bed-rocks for the objectives and in return, these objectives are the columns upholding the pediment of the research aims or the title of your research.
------------------------------- [1] All Answers Ltd, 'Writing a Law Dissertation - what is expected?' (Lawteacher.net, November 2021) <https://www.lawteacher.net/law-help/dissertation/writing-a-dissertation-what-is-expected.php?vref=1> accessed 1 November 2021. [2] RGU law School, ‘BSM587 PG (Law) Dissertation Guidance Notes’ (RGU 2021) p.7-10. |
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