Scientific Research Methodology

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:8.00

Study Course Accepted:02.02.2024 12:30:25

Study Course Information
Course Code:		JF_406		LQF level:		Level 6
Credit Points:		2.00		ECTS:		3.00
Branch of Science:		Law		Target Audience:		Juridical Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Kitija Bite
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:		Faculty of Social Sciences
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:		Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szfrsu[pnkts]lv
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		9	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		18
Classes (count)		7	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		14
Total Contact Hours								32
Part-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		4	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		8
Classes (count)		1	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		2
Total Contact Hours								10
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
General knowledge of the state and law.
Objective:
Develop an idea of conducting research work in law and promote students’ independent research work.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Science. The nature of the research work.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Starting the research work.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
3	Types of a research problem.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
4	Choosing a topic and formulating the research question. Research plan.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	study trip
5	Choosing a research design. Time planning for the research.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
6	Methodology.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
7	General scientific research methods.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
8	Analysis of legal provisions. Methods of interpretation of legal provisions.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
9	Research development and results. Presenting the results.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Science. The nature of the research work.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Starting the research work.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
6	Methodology.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
7	General scientific research methods.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
9	Research development and results. Presenting the results.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Students are required to master the materials in e-studies. Students’ knowledge is regularly tested during the course: tests, group work, active participation in seminars. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.
Assessment Criteria:
50% Compulsory attendance: 20%. Participation in seminars: 20%. 4 tests passed: 20% Individual home assignment [introduction to research work]: 20%. Written examination: 20%. The examination is taken by those students who have fulfilled the course requirements. The final assessment for the study course is an average mark.
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):		Exam (Written)
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		- name and describe science branches in Latvia; - names the types of research design; - arranges the stages of the research in a logical order; - outlines the conditions of the Methodological Rules for the basic requirements for research design; - identifies types of academic honesty; - name 4 types of legal problem and describe each of them; - defines the types of sources and the possibilities of finding them for scientifically reliable sources; - describes the topic and topic differences; - reproduces the logic of the content chapters from the sample; - identifies 11 elements of research methodology; - names methods and methods of interpretation of legal norms, knows how to handle them; - describes the nature of scientific writing style; - name the features of other writing styles; - describes the essence of the final research work; - summarizes the research results from the sample; - recognizes the stages of presenting the research result.
Skills:		- explains and argues the choice of research design for legal science research; - explains and justifies the necessity of the sequence of research stages; - explains the essence of the Methodological Rules and recognizes errors in their non-observance; - recognizes violations of academic honesty in practical situations; - identifies the type of legal problem in a specific situation; - recognizes and knows how to find scientifically reliable sources; - can formulate topics and topic names in examples; - can formulate a simple table of contents from a sample; - can explain the use of methodology in study work I; - knows how to arrange the elements of the methodology in the correct order and is able to describe this order; - able to describe differences in methods and methods of interpretation of legal norms; - recognizes the scientific writing style in the text; - is able to explain the mechanism of formation of the conclusion of the research work; - is able to select research results from the sample to be forwarded for presentation; - knows how to identify the most important research results that characterize the topic; - able to lay out the final content in a presentation sample (PPTX); - able to work in a team, discuss, argue and present research results.
Competencies:		- resolves practical violations of academic integrity and does not allow them in their activities; - describes a specific legal problem for its topic; - knows how to find and use scientifically reliable sources for his topic; - plans and describes the research methodology for the chosen topic; - modifies the methods and methods of interpretation of legal norms for the topic of his research work; - knows how to design a research paper in accordance with the requirements of the Methodological Regulations; - analyzes foreign text, finding methodology errors and correcting them; - practically knows how to present the results of research work using a sample (PPTX).
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Pētnieciskā darba izstrādāšanas, noformēšanas un aizstāvēšanas metodiskie noteikumi: RSU Juridiskās fakultātes Domes 17.06.2021. sēdes noteikumi. Pieejams: http://www.rsu.lv/fakultates/juridiska-fakultate - aplūkots 20.08.2016.
2	Pētniecība. Teorija un prakse/Aut.kol. K.Mārtinsones, D. Kamerādes zin.red. Rīga, RaKa, 2016, 546 lpp.
3	Zinātniskā rakstīšana un pētījumu rezultātu izplatīšana/Aut.kol. K.Mārtinsones un A.Piperes zin.red. Rīga, RSU, 2018
4	Zinātniskās rakstīšanas skola. D. Laiveniece. Liepāja, LiePa, 2015.
Additional Reading
1	Kā uzrakstīt diplomdarbu. U. Eko. Rīga, Jāņa Rozes apgāds, 2006.