RRLLB81/103/2/2023
Tutorial Letter 103/2/2023
Research Report
RRLLB81
Semester 2
Department of Criminal and Procedural Law
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.
, Contents
SECTION A: PREPARING ASSESSMENTS 02 AND
03…………………………………..……………………………………………………………………….5
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 5
2 LEGAL RESEARCH ..................................................................................................................... 6
3 THE RRLLB81 RESEARCH JOURNEY ....................................................................................... 6
4 THE RESEARCH JOURNEY FROM SELECTING THE TOPIC TO SUBMITTING
ASSESSMENT 2 .......................................................................................................................... 7
4.1 Selecting a topic ........................................................................................................................... 7
4.2 Formulating your own research question, title, and research aim/hypothesis in respect of the topic
you chose ..................................................................................................................................... 8
4.3 Researching the topic you have chosen........................................................................................ 9
4.3.1 Types of sources ........................................................................................................................ 10
4.3.1.1 Primary sources .......................................................................................................................... 10
4.3.1.2 Secondary sources ..................................................................................................................... 10
4.3.2 Accessing reliable sources of legal information ........................................................................... 11
4.3.2.1 A word of caution on the use of the Internet as a source of information ...................................... 11
4.3.2.2 Databases for reliable, authoritative and persuasive sources of law ........................................... 12
4.3.3 Evaluation of sources.................................................................................................................. 13
4.4 Construct an outline .................................................................................................................... 14
4.5 Drafting Assessment 2 ................................................................................................................ 16
4.5.1 Adding content to your report outline .......................................................................................... 16
4.5.2 Components/elements of your draft (and final) research report(s)............................................... 16
4.5.2.1 Front cover ................................................................................................................................. 16
4.5.2.2 Declaration of authenticity ........................................................................................................... 18
4.5.2.3 Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 18
4.5.2.4 Keywords .................................................................................................................................... 19
4.5.2.5 List of abbreviations and acronyms ............................................................................................. 19
4.5.2.6 Table of contents ........................................................................................................................ 20
4.5.2.7 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 20
4.5.2.8 Body / Middle chapters ............................................................................................................... 21
4.5.2.9 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 23
4.5.2.10 Bibliography .......................................................................................................................... 23
4.6 Some observations concerning legal writing ............................................................................... 24
4.6.1 Keep it clear and simple .............................................................................................................. 24
4.6.2 Hallmarks of good academic legal writing ................................................................................... 24
4.6.2.1 Clear ........................................................................................................................................... 24
2
, RRLLB81/103/2/2023
4.6.2.2 Concise....................................................................................................................................... 24
4.6.2.3 Formal ........................................................................................................................................ 25
4.6.2.4 Substantiated .............................................................................................................................. 25
4.6.2.5 Rational ...................................................................................................................................... 25
4.7 Flow of ideas............................................................................................................................... 25
4.7.1 Bridge sentences ........................................................................................................................ 25
4.7.1.1 The recapitulating bridge............................................................................................................. 26
4.7.1.2 The implication or complication bridge ........................................................................................ 27
4.7.1.3 The question ............................................................................................................................... 27
4.7.2 Transition words and phrases ..................................................................................................... 28
4.7.3 Practical suggestions on how to ensure proper flow.................................................................... 29
4.8 Proofreading, editing and submitting your draft ........................................................................... 29
5 THE RESEARCH JOURNEY FROM AFTER SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT 2 TO
SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT 3 ................................................................................................. 29
5.1 Ongoing revision ......................................................................................................................... 29
5.2 What to expect from the assessment of Assessment 2 ............................................................... 30
5.3 Very important warning concerning Assessment 3 ...................................................................... 31
5.4 Tasks involved in preparing your final research report ................................................................ 31
SECTION B: TOPICS FOR ASSESSMENT 2 AND ASSESSMENT 3……………….33
3
, Dear Student
You must submit two formative assignments for this module (Assessment 1 and
Assessment 2), and one summative assignment (Assessment 3).
• Assessment 1 is a multiple-choice assignment, consisting of fifteen (15) questions. You
must study Tutorial Letter 102/3/2023 and Tutorial Letter LLBALLF/302/4/2022 (School
of Law Referencing Style Guide) in order to be able to do this assignment.
Assessment 1 contributes 25% towards your year mark. Your year mark contributes
40% towards your final mark.
• Assessment 2 is a draft research report. A draft, in this sense, is a preliminary version
of a piece of writing. The work you submit as Assessment 2 will therefore be a
preliminary version of the research report that forms the outcome of this module. The
idea behind this assignment is for us to monitor your progress with the writing of the
final research report. From Tutorial Letter 103/2/2023 (this tutorial letter) you are
required to select ONE (1) topic and base your Assessment 2 AND Assessment 3 on
that topic. From the topic you have selected, you are required to formulate you own
working title or the title of your research report. You may NOT change topics once
you have selected a topic.
Assessment 2 may not exceed 12 pages, excluding the Title Page, Table of Contents,
other preliminary material (such as your list of abbreviations and acronyms) and the
Bibliography. You MUST reference this assignment according to the School of Law
reference style, which is discussed in Tutorial Letter 102/3/2023 and
LLBALLF/302/4/2022.
Assessment 2 contributes 75% towards your year mark. Your year mark contributes
40% towards your final mark.
• Assessment 3 is your final research report and is a revision of your draft research
report.
The final research report (or Portfolio) constitutes the examination. You will submit it
as Assessment 3, and you must submit it using the normal methods of submission,
even though it is the examination for this module.
The final research report may not exceed 15 pages, excluding the Title Page, Table of
Contents, other preliminary material (such as your List of Acronyms and Abbreviations)
and the Bibliography. If you ignore this limitation, the part of your research report that
exceeds the prescribed length will not be marked, and the research report will be
assessed purely on the first 15 pages.
Assessment 3 contributes 60% towards your final mark, while the year mark contributes
the remaining 40%. You must achieve 40% as the subminimum in the examination
(Portfolio/Assessment 3) before your year mark will be taken into account. In other
words, if you do not obtain at least 40% in the examination (Portfolio/Assessment 3),
your year mark will NOT be taken into account when your final mark for the module is
calculated. Your examination mark will then be your final mark.
TO SUMMARISE: There are two formative assessments for this module. Both are
compulsory. The marks for the two assignments constitute your year mark (Assessment 1
contributes 25% towards your year mark, and Assessment 2 contributes 75% towards your
4
Tutorial Letter 103/2/2023
Research Report
RRLLB81
Semester 2
Department of Criminal and Procedural Law
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.
, Contents
SECTION A: PREPARING ASSESSMENTS 02 AND
03…………………………………..……………………………………………………………………….5
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 5
2 LEGAL RESEARCH ..................................................................................................................... 6
3 THE RRLLB81 RESEARCH JOURNEY ....................................................................................... 6
4 THE RESEARCH JOURNEY FROM SELECTING THE TOPIC TO SUBMITTING
ASSESSMENT 2 .......................................................................................................................... 7
4.1 Selecting a topic ........................................................................................................................... 7
4.2 Formulating your own research question, title, and research aim/hypothesis in respect of the topic
you chose ..................................................................................................................................... 8
4.3 Researching the topic you have chosen........................................................................................ 9
4.3.1 Types of sources ........................................................................................................................ 10
4.3.1.1 Primary sources .......................................................................................................................... 10
4.3.1.2 Secondary sources ..................................................................................................................... 10
4.3.2 Accessing reliable sources of legal information ........................................................................... 11
4.3.2.1 A word of caution on the use of the Internet as a source of information ...................................... 11
4.3.2.2 Databases for reliable, authoritative and persuasive sources of law ........................................... 12
4.3.3 Evaluation of sources.................................................................................................................. 13
4.4 Construct an outline .................................................................................................................... 14
4.5 Drafting Assessment 2 ................................................................................................................ 16
4.5.1 Adding content to your report outline .......................................................................................... 16
4.5.2 Components/elements of your draft (and final) research report(s)............................................... 16
4.5.2.1 Front cover ................................................................................................................................. 16
4.5.2.2 Declaration of authenticity ........................................................................................................... 18
4.5.2.3 Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 18
4.5.2.4 Keywords .................................................................................................................................... 19
4.5.2.5 List of abbreviations and acronyms ............................................................................................. 19
4.5.2.6 Table of contents ........................................................................................................................ 20
4.5.2.7 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 20
4.5.2.8 Body / Middle chapters ............................................................................................................... 21
4.5.2.9 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 23
4.5.2.10 Bibliography .......................................................................................................................... 23
4.6 Some observations concerning legal writing ............................................................................... 24
4.6.1 Keep it clear and simple .............................................................................................................. 24
4.6.2 Hallmarks of good academic legal writing ................................................................................... 24
4.6.2.1 Clear ........................................................................................................................................... 24
2
, RRLLB81/103/2/2023
4.6.2.2 Concise....................................................................................................................................... 24
4.6.2.3 Formal ........................................................................................................................................ 25
4.6.2.4 Substantiated .............................................................................................................................. 25
4.6.2.5 Rational ...................................................................................................................................... 25
4.7 Flow of ideas............................................................................................................................... 25
4.7.1 Bridge sentences ........................................................................................................................ 25
4.7.1.1 The recapitulating bridge............................................................................................................. 26
4.7.1.2 The implication or complication bridge ........................................................................................ 27
4.7.1.3 The question ............................................................................................................................... 27
4.7.2 Transition words and phrases ..................................................................................................... 28
4.7.3 Practical suggestions on how to ensure proper flow.................................................................... 29
4.8 Proofreading, editing and submitting your draft ........................................................................... 29
5 THE RESEARCH JOURNEY FROM AFTER SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT 2 TO
SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT 3 ................................................................................................. 29
5.1 Ongoing revision ......................................................................................................................... 29
5.2 What to expect from the assessment of Assessment 2 ............................................................... 30
5.3 Very important warning concerning Assessment 3 ...................................................................... 31
5.4 Tasks involved in preparing your final research report ................................................................ 31
SECTION B: TOPICS FOR ASSESSMENT 2 AND ASSESSMENT 3……………….33
3
, Dear Student
You must submit two formative assignments for this module (Assessment 1 and
Assessment 2), and one summative assignment (Assessment 3).
• Assessment 1 is a multiple-choice assignment, consisting of fifteen (15) questions. You
must study Tutorial Letter 102/3/2023 and Tutorial Letter LLBALLF/302/4/2022 (School
of Law Referencing Style Guide) in order to be able to do this assignment.
Assessment 1 contributes 25% towards your year mark. Your year mark contributes
40% towards your final mark.
• Assessment 2 is a draft research report. A draft, in this sense, is a preliminary version
of a piece of writing. The work you submit as Assessment 2 will therefore be a
preliminary version of the research report that forms the outcome of this module. The
idea behind this assignment is for us to monitor your progress with the writing of the
final research report. From Tutorial Letter 103/2/2023 (this tutorial letter) you are
required to select ONE (1) topic and base your Assessment 2 AND Assessment 3 on
that topic. From the topic you have selected, you are required to formulate you own
working title or the title of your research report. You may NOT change topics once
you have selected a topic.
Assessment 2 may not exceed 12 pages, excluding the Title Page, Table of Contents,
other preliminary material (such as your list of abbreviations and acronyms) and the
Bibliography. You MUST reference this assignment according to the School of Law
reference style, which is discussed in Tutorial Letter 102/3/2023 and
LLBALLF/302/4/2022.
Assessment 2 contributes 75% towards your year mark. Your year mark contributes
40% towards your final mark.
• Assessment 3 is your final research report and is a revision of your draft research
report.
The final research report (or Portfolio) constitutes the examination. You will submit it
as Assessment 3, and you must submit it using the normal methods of submission,
even though it is the examination for this module.
The final research report may not exceed 15 pages, excluding the Title Page, Table of
Contents, other preliminary material (such as your List of Acronyms and Abbreviations)
and the Bibliography. If you ignore this limitation, the part of your research report that
exceeds the prescribed length will not be marked, and the research report will be
assessed purely on the first 15 pages.
Assessment 3 contributes 60% towards your final mark, while the year mark contributes
the remaining 40%. You must achieve 40% as the subminimum in the examination
(Portfolio/Assessment 3) before your year mark will be taken into account. In other
words, if you do not obtain at least 40% in the examination (Portfolio/Assessment 3),
your year mark will NOT be taken into account when your final mark for the module is
calculated. Your examination mark will then be your final mark.
TO SUMMARISE: There are two formative assessments for this module. Both are
compulsory. The marks for the two assignments constitute your year mark (Assessment 1
contributes 25% towards your year mark, and Assessment 2 contributes 75% towards your
4
