LJU4801 PORTFOLIO EXAM STUDY GUIDE:
100 TOP-TIER QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
Section 1: Research Proposal & Fundamentals (Questions 1-25)
1. What is the primary purpose of a research problem statement in a legal proposal?
A) To list all the sources you will use.
B) To provide a detailed chapter outline.
C) To clearly identify and articulate the specific issue the research will address.
D) To state your personal opinion on the legal matter.
Rating:
Rationale: The research problem statement is the cornerstone of your proposal. It defines the
scope, focus, and justification for your study, guiding all subsequent research activities. Without
a clear problem, the research lacks direction.
2. Which of the following best describes a "research gap" in legal scholarship?
A) A period of time when the researcher takes a break.
B) An area in the law that has been conclusively settled by the courts.
C) An unexplored, underexplored, or contested area in existing literature that your research aims
to fill.
,D) The bibliography section of a research paper.
Rating:
Rationale: Identifying a research gap is crucial for justifying the novelty and contribution of
your study. It shows that your work adds value to the existing body of knowledge.
3. A research question that asks, "How should South African courts interpret section 9
of the Constitution in the context of artificial intelligence?" is an example of:
A) A descriptive research question.
B) A doctrinal research question.
C) A normative research question.
D) A comparative research question.
Rating:
Rationale: This is a normative question because it deals with "how things should be." It
prescribes a future course of action or interpretation, rather than just describing the current law
(doctrinal) or comparing it to another system.
4. The methodology section of a research proposal must:
A) Be a verbose repetition of the introduction.
B) Explain the philosophical approach, research design, and methods for data collection and
analysis.
C) Only list the primary and secondary sources.
D) Predict the exact findings of the research.
Rating:
Rationale: The methodology is the blueprint of your research. It must be robust and detailed
, enough to convince the reader that your approach is systematic, credible, and suitable for
answering your research question.
5. A key objective of a literature review is to:
A) Prove that no one has ever written about your topic.
B) Summarize every single article you find.
C) Situate your research within existing scholarship, showing how your work engages with and
contributes to it.
D) Copy the introductions of several books.
Rating:
Rationale: A literature review is not a mere summary; it's a critical synthesis that identifies
trends, debates, and gaps, thereby establishing the academic context and necessity for your own
research.
6. Which research philosophy is primarily concerned with understanding law as it is
written in statutes and cases, focusing on logic and coherence?
A) Legal Positivism
B) Feminism
C) Critical Race Theory
D) Legal Realism
Rating:
Rationale: Legal positivism separates law from morality and focuses on the objective, systemic
analysis of legal rules as they are formally enacted and adjudicated.
100 TOP-TIER QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
Section 1: Research Proposal & Fundamentals (Questions 1-25)
1. What is the primary purpose of a research problem statement in a legal proposal?
A) To list all the sources you will use.
B) To provide a detailed chapter outline.
C) To clearly identify and articulate the specific issue the research will address.
D) To state your personal opinion on the legal matter.
Rating:
Rationale: The research problem statement is the cornerstone of your proposal. It defines the
scope, focus, and justification for your study, guiding all subsequent research activities. Without
a clear problem, the research lacks direction.
2. Which of the following best describes a "research gap" in legal scholarship?
A) A period of time when the researcher takes a break.
B) An area in the law that has been conclusively settled by the courts.
C) An unexplored, underexplored, or contested area in existing literature that your research aims
to fill.
,D) The bibliography section of a research paper.
Rating:
Rationale: Identifying a research gap is crucial for justifying the novelty and contribution of
your study. It shows that your work adds value to the existing body of knowledge.
3. A research question that asks, "How should South African courts interpret section 9
of the Constitution in the context of artificial intelligence?" is an example of:
A) A descriptive research question.
B) A doctrinal research question.
C) A normative research question.
D) A comparative research question.
Rating:
Rationale: This is a normative question because it deals with "how things should be." It
prescribes a future course of action or interpretation, rather than just describing the current law
(doctrinal) or comparing it to another system.
4. The methodology section of a research proposal must:
A) Be a verbose repetition of the introduction.
B) Explain the philosophical approach, research design, and methods for data collection and
analysis.
C) Only list the primary and secondary sources.
D) Predict the exact findings of the research.
Rating:
Rationale: The methodology is the blueprint of your research. It must be robust and detailed
, enough to convince the reader that your approach is systematic, credible, and suitable for
answering your research question.
5. A key objective of a literature review is to:
A) Prove that no one has ever written about your topic.
B) Summarize every single article you find.
C) Situate your research within existing scholarship, showing how your work engages with and
contributes to it.
D) Copy the introductions of several books.
Rating:
Rationale: A literature review is not a mere summary; it's a critical synthesis that identifies
trends, debates, and gaps, thereby establishing the academic context and necessity for your own
research.
6. Which research philosophy is primarily concerned with understanding law as it is
written in statutes and cases, focusing on logic and coherence?
A) Legal Positivism
B) Feminism
C) Critical Race Theory
D) Legal Realism
Rating:
Rationale: Legal positivism separates law from morality and focuses on the objective, systemic
analysis of legal rules as they are formally enacted and adjudicated.
