Templates & Worksheets

1. Template 1.1 – Research Plan Worksheet (Module 1)

Use this at the start of any significant research task (including module assessments and the capstone project). It is designed to prevent unfocused searching and to capture your initial thinking in a structured way.

A. Basic Information

·        Working title / topic:

·        Date:

·        Your name:

B. Problem Definition

1.     Briefly describe the legal problem or issue (2–4 sentences):

2.     What is the central legal question you are trying to answer?
(Formulate as a question, e.g. “To what extent…?”, “Is… compatible with…?”, “How should… be interpreted?”)

3.     Are there any sub‑questions?

·        (i)

·        (ii)

·        (iii)

C. Jurisdiction and Scope

1.     Primary jurisdiction(s):

2.     Relevant time period (e.g. post‑2010 case law, current legislation only, historical analysis from 19XX):

3.     Any relevant international or regional instruments or bodies (e.g. ECHR, CJEU, African Court):

D. Key Concepts and Keywords

List the main legal concepts and potential search terms, including synonyms:

·        Concept 1:

·        Keywords / phrases:

·        Concept 2:

·        Keywords / phrases:

·        Concept 3:

·        Keywords / phrases:

E. Anticipated Sources

1.     Primary sources (statutes, cases, treaties):

·        Likely statutes / codes:

·        Likely leading cases:

·        Relevant treaties or international instruments:

2.     Secondary sources:

·        Textbooks and monographs:

·        Journal articles:

·        Law reform reports / NGO reports / policy papers:

F. Databases and Platforms

List which tools you will use and for what purpose:

·        Subscription databases (e.g. Westlaw, LexisNexis, HeinOnline):

·        Open‑access resources (e.g. BAILII, legislation.gov.uk, court websites):

·        Other (e.g. institutional repositories, NGO archives):

G. Search Strategy (Initial)

1.     First searches to run (with indicative search strings):

·        Search 1:

·        Search 2:

·        Search 3:

2.     Filters to apply (court level, date range, jurisdiction, document type):

3.     Criteria for relevance (what makes a source worth keeping?):

H. Timetable

Indicate how you will allocate your available time:

·        Preliminary reading (background, textbooks/overviews):

·        Detailed case and legislation research:

·        Secondary literature and policy materials:

·        Planning and outlining written work:

·        Drafting and revising:

I. Notes / Risks / Questions

·        Potential difficulties (e.g. limited foreign language skills, access issues):

Specific questions for your tutor/supervisor:

2. Template 2.1 – Case Note / Case Analysis Template (Module 2)

Use this to record and analyse key cases. It is suitable both for your own notes and as a starting structure for the Case Analysis Brief.

A. Case Details

·        Case name:

·        Neutral citation:

·        Law report reference(s):

·        Court:

·        Date of judgment:

·        Judge(s):

B. Procedural History

·        How did the case reach this court (appeal from which court/tribunal, judicial review, etc.)?

·        Any earlier significant decisions in the same litigation?

C. Material Facts

Summarise the facts that are relevant to the legal issues (avoid unnecessary background):

D. Issues

List the main legal questions the court had to determine:

1.      

2.      

3.      

E. Decision / Outcome

·        Who was successful (claimant/appellant/defendant/respondent)?

·        How did the court answer each issue?

F. Ratio Decidendi

In your own words, identify the key legal principle(s) that were necessary for the decision:

·        Ratio 1:

·        Ratio 2 (if applicable):

Where helpful, include pinpoint references (paragraph numbers).

G. Obiter Dicta

Note any significant statements that are not strictly necessary to the decision but may be influential:

H. Reasoning

Explain the court’s reasoning in more detail:

·        How did the court interpret relevant statutes or rules?

·        Which earlier cases were followed, distinguished, or overruled?

·        What policy considerations, values, or principles were invoked?

I. Precedent and Subsequent Treatment

·        Position in the hierarchy (binding force) within the jurisdiction:

·        Known subsequent treatment (followed, distinguished, overruled, criticised) – based on citators or later cases:

J. Significance and Commentary

Your own evaluation:

·        What is the significance of this case in the development of the law?

·        Did it change, clarify, or confirm existing law?

·        Do you find the reasoning persuasive? Why / why not?

How is this case relevant to your current research or assessments?

3. Template 3.1 – Statutory Interpretation Worksheet (Module 3)

Use this for workshop exercises and for any piece of work involving detailed analysis of legislation.

A. Provision and Context

1.     Statute / instrument (full title and year):

2.     Section(s) or article(s) under consideration:

3.     Brief description of the legal context (what area of law / problem does this relate to?):

B. Text of the Provision

Copy or summarise the relevant text (or attach separately) and highlight key terms:

C. Breakdown into Elements

Identify the elements or conditions in the provision:

1.     Element 1 (e.g. conduct requirement):

2.     Element 2 (e.g. mental element, circumstances):

3.     Element 3 (e.g. defences or exceptions):

D. Internal Aids

List any internal aids that assist with interpretation:

·        Definitions section references:

·        Long/short title:

·        Preamble, if present:

·        Headings / sub‑headings:

·        Schedules:

E. External Aids (if applicable)

Note any external materials consulted:

·        Parliamentary debates / explanatory notes (with references):

·        Law reform commission reports:

·        International instruments being implemented:

·        Relevant case law interpreting this or similar provisions:

F. Interpretative Approaches

For any ambiguous or contested terms, record how different interpretative approaches might apply:

·        Literal approach – ordinary meaning:

·        Golden rule – would literal meaning lead to absurdity? If so, how might it be modified?

·        Mischief rule – what problem was the legislation intended to cure? How does that inform interpretation?

·        Purposive approach – what is the wider purpose of the statute or scheme? How should the provision be read to advance that purpose?

G. Application to Facts (Hypothetical or Real)

If you have a factual scenario:

1.     Briefly state the key facts:

2.     Apply each element of the provision to the facts, step by step:

·        Element 1:

·        Element 2:

·        Element 3:

3.     Identify any uncertainties or alternative interpretations and how a court might resolve them:

H. Provisional Conclusion

State, with reasons, your provisional conclusion on how the provision should be interpreted and applied to the facts:

4. Template 4.1 – Methodology Justification Outline (Module 4)

Use this template to plan and draft your Methodology Justification assessment and to design the methodology section of your capstone project.

A. Working Title and Research Question

·        Working title:

·        Main research question:

·        Any sub‑questions:

B. Objectives and Scope

1.     What are the main objectives of your research? (e.g. clarify, evaluate, compare, propose reform):

2.     What is the scope?

·        Jurisdiction(s):

·        Time period:

·        Subject focus (e.g. specific provision, type of case, group affected):

C. Methodological Approach

Indicate your primary approach(es) and explain briefly:

·        Doctrinal / black‑letter:

·        Comparative:

·        Socio‑legal / empirical:

·        Critical (e.g. feminist, critical race, post‑colonial):

Explain why this approach (or combination) is suitable for your question:

D. Sources and Data

1.     Primary legal sources:

·        Cases:

·        Legislation / regulations:

·        Treaties / international instruments:

2.     Secondary legal sources:

·        Textbooks / monographs:

·        Journal articles:

·        Law reform / policy reports:

3.     Empirical or socio‑legal data (if any):

·        Existing studies and datasets:

·        New data you propose to collect (interviews, surveys, document analysis) – subject to feasibility and ethics:

E. Methods of Analysis

Describe how you will analyse your materials:

·        Doctrinal analysis (e.g. synthesis of case law, interpreting legislation):

·        Comparative technique (e.g. functional comparison, context‑sensitive analysis):

·        Qualitative methods (e.g. thematic coding of interview transcripts or documents):

·        Quantitative methods (e.g. basic descriptive statistics from datasets):

·        Theoretical or conceptual frameworks (e.g. human rights principles, feminist theory):

F. Ethical and Practical Considerations

1.     Ethical issues (especially for empirical work):

·        Need for ethical approval?

·        Informed consent and confidentiality (if relevant):

·        Sensitivity to vulnerable groups or topics:

2.     Practical constraints:

·        Time, word limit, access to data, language barriers:

G. Limitations

Reflect honestly on limitations:

·        What will not be covered (and why)?

·        What types of claims cannot be made (e.g. no broad statistical generalisations from a small qualitative study)?

H. Justification Summary

In a short paragraph, bring the elements together:

·        Why is this methodology appropriate and defensible for your research question?

What kind of contribution do you aim to make (doctrinal clarification, policy insight, critical perspective, etc.)?

5. Template 5.1 – Annotated Bibliography Template (Module 5)

Use this for the annotated bibliography assessment and also as a tool for managing your reading for the capstone project.

A. Project / Topic Title

·        Working title or question guiding your selection of sources:

B. Source Entries

For each source, use the following sub‑template.

Source [Number]:

1.     Full OSCOLA Citation

(Provide the citation as it would appear in a footnote.)

2.     Type of Source

·        Primary (case / legislation / treaty) or secondary (book / article / report), etc.

3.     Summary (Content and Argument)

·        2–4 sentences summarising the main argument, findings, or legal position:

4.     Authority and Reliability

·        Court level or status (for cases);

·        Reputation of journal or publisher (for scholarship);

·        Standing of institution (for reports):

5.     Relevance to Your Project

·        How does this source help to answer your research question or clarify the law?

6.     Limitations / Perspective

·        Any notable biases, gaps, jurisdictional limits, or datedness?

Repeat this entry format for each source (typically 5–10 items). You may group entries under sub‑headings such as “Primary Sources” and “Secondary Sources”, or by theme.

6. Template 8.1 – Capstone Project Planning Sheet (Module 8)

Use this to plan your capstone research project and to monitor progress.

A. Project Details

·        Provisional title:

·        Your name:

·        Supervisor / convenor (if applicable):

B. Research Question and Aims

1.     Final (or near‑final) research question:

2.     Key aims (3–5 bullet points):

·         

·         

C. Scope and Boundaries

·        Jurisdiction(s):

·        Time period:

·        Areas included and explicitly excluded:

D. Methodology Snapshot

·        Primary approach (doctrinal, comparative, socio‑legal, critical, mixed):

·        Brief statement of method (2–3 sentences):

E. Core Sources

1.     Primary legal sources (at least preliminary list):

·        Statutes / key provisions:

·        Leading cases:

·        Treaties / international materials:

2.     Key secondary sources (e.g. 5–10 core books/articles/reports):

F. Provisional Structure (Headings)

Outline the main sections of your paper (these can be revised later):

1.     Introduction

2.      

3.      

4.      

5.     Conclusion

G. Timeline and Milestones

Set target dates (adapt to your institution’s calendar):

·        Topic and question finalised by:

·        Detailed research and reading completed by:

·        First full outline completed by:

·        First draft of main body completed by:

·        Full draft (including introduction and conclusion) completed by:

·        Final revisions and citation checks completed by:

·        Oral presentation rehearsal by:

·        Submission and presentation date(s):

H. Risks and Contingencies

Identify potential obstacles and mitigation strategies:

·        Access to sources (e.g. alternative databases, library visits):

·        Time pressures (e.g. other modules, work commitments):

·        Conceptual difficulties (e.g. complex case law, theoretical materials):

I. Reflection Notes

Use this space periodically to record:

·        What is going well;

·        What needs adjustment (question, scope, structure);

·        Points to discuss with your supervisor or tutor.

These templates are intended as living tools. Modify and reuse them across different projects during and after this course. Over time, you may develop your own variants that reflect your personal working style while maintaining the rigour and structure emphasised throughout the programme.