Dissertation Writing Guidance 2018-2019

This document gives an overview of the dissertation-writing process and the responsibilities
for students and supervisors. Please read it carefully.

General points

• LLM students wishing to write a dissertation can take one of two options: (1) Write a
dissertation worth 40 credits (code 7FFLX001), which cannot exceed 10,000 words; OR
(2) Write a 60-credit dissertation (code 7FFLA903), which cannot exceed 15,000 words.

• All permanent and visiting members of the Law Faculty in the College can be
approached by students to request supervision. It is at the staff member’s discretion
to accept to supervise or not. Please note, PhD students cannot supervise
dissertations.

• Permanent staff members do not have to accept more than 8 supervisees, but they may
do so if they wish. Visiting staff members cannot accept more than 8 supervisees, save
for in exceptional circumstances.

Four “milestones” during the process of dissertation writing

Milestone 1

Tuesday, 11 December 2018 A student’s working title, current pathway selection, and supervisor
must be approved

Students will approach staff members to agree to supervise and establish a working title
indicating the broad area of research. While students do not yet have to produce a sharply
delineated proposal, they are encouraged to refer to the document appended to this (Appendix
1) to guide them in their research.

Students must indicate via a form available on KEATS, by 11 December 2018, what their working
title and pathway are and who will supervise. Students must have permission from the staff
member before completing the form. The Professional Services team will email the named
supervisor to confirm agreement.

Please note that this is just an initial indication of your topic. We expect that you will adopt your
topic as your research furthers.

Workshops for each pathway will be organized to assist students with this milestone. Workshops
will typically take place for each pathway in November or December. Workshop details will be
advertised to students via email the weekly update. Students on the General/Tailored LLM are
invited to attend the workshop that is most relevant to their topic.
Milestone 2

Friday 1 March 2019 - student produces a research plan

By Friday 29 March 2019 supervisor provides feedback on that plan

Students must submit a research plan to KEATS by 1 March 2019.

Students are encouraged to use the document in Appendix 1 to guide them in the process of
identifying a feasible avenue for research. The Dissertation Research Plan should follow the
structure outlined in Appendix 2. After the research plan has been handed in, it is the
responsibility of the supervisor to provide written comments, which may be followed up by
meeting the student either face- to-face or through Skype. This must happen by no later than 29
March 2019.

Workshops will be organised in January to prepare students for this second milestone.
Students on the General/Tailored LLM are invited to attend the workshop that is most
relevant to their topic.

Milestone 3

Friday 28 June 2019 - student submits one chapter (max 2,500 words)
Before 1 August 2019 supervisor provides detailed written feedback and holds a meeting

Students submit one chapter of their dissertation by 28 June 2019 at the latest. By that time a
student should have also completed their literature research, developed a detailed structure, and
set out the main argument(s).
Students must submit the dissertation chapter by both uploading to KEATS and emailing the
chapter directly to their supervisor.

See Appendix 3 for the Format of your LLM Dissertation.

Before 1 August 2019, the supervisor must provide detailed written feedback on this
chapter and have a meeting with the student in person or by Skype.

Dissertation writing workshops will be organised between March and June. Students on the
General/Tailored LLM are invited to attend the workshop that is most relevant to their topic.

Milestone 4

2 September 2019 Submission of the dissertation

Students must submit their dissertations in two ways: (1) Submit via KEATS on the dissertation
module page. Students will find a submission folder named for their supervisor and must upload
their document in the correct folder AND (2) Submit one hard copy to the Law Enquiries Office
(Room -1.17, Somerset House East Wing). This may be delivered in person or posted by the
deadline. Additional information on submission will be available closer to the deadline.
APPENDIX 1

Points to consider in writing your research plan

1) What is my topic and what is my proposed research question?

Try to explain the line of inquiry, the question/s you raise, the problem you address, as clearly as
possible, in 3-4 sentences.

2) Why Now?
Explain the “trigger”, as it were, for your research. A new law, a recent case, a scholarly debate, an
event, development, or crisis.

3) What are others saying?

Identify (some of) the voices in the debate around your topic & questions. Identify the
arguments and who is making them. Leave yourself out.

4) What is my hypothesis?
Even if it might change over the course of the research.

5) What is the nature of my text?

For example, a stand-alone law review contribution, a response to an ongoing debate, a blog
entry. Think about what methodologies you will use, e.g. comparative research, interdisciplinary,
empirical research, ethnographic fieldwork, data collection, and interviews? (Will you need ethical
approval for your research?)

6) Where is my topic likely to be in, say, five years from now?

APPENDIX 2
LLM Dissertation Research Plan 2017/18

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION – 1 March 2019

Please include the following details and dissertation information at the beginning of your document:

STUDENT NAME:
STUDENT NUMBER:
DISSERTATION TITLE:
DISSERTATION PATHWAY:
NAME OF YOUR DISSERTATION SUPERVISOR:

Structure of Dissertation Research Plan

The Dissertation Research Plan should be no longer than 1500 words and should consist of the
following:

1. Outline of Research: Written in academic prose, showing which preliminary sources (for
example, court decision, statute, academic article or book, international convention or
treaty, etc...) have been consulted. Include how these sources have helped to frame your
research plan and their contribution to analysis and results achieved so far. Also include a
statement concerning the methodology that you will adopt in the essay.

2. Annotated Bibliography: This should reflect your initial survey of relevant literature but
should contain no more than five sources. Describe the significance of each source for your
research.

3. List of Further Sources: List sources which you have consulted or intend to consult, based
upon your initial survey of the literature in your annotated bibliography.
APPENDIX 3
The Format of your LLM Dissertation

Important: Your name must NOT appear anywhere throughout the text of the dissertation.

Your dissertation should contain the following:

Coversheet (Template on KEATS)

Abstract
Table of contents
Text
Bibliography

Format
Your writing project must be word processed as a Microsoft Word document. The font should be
Calibri (Body), Arial or Times New Roman, size 12, with 1.5 line spacing. Pages must be numbered. We
recommend that the paper copy of the dissertation be printed on both sides. It is not necessary to bind
the hard copy of the writing project; however, it does need to be securely fastened. If you intend to
bind the dissertation, ring-bound, with a clear plastic cover, is preferred.

Citation guide
Your citation style must be footnote-based. This means that citations of books, articles, statutes, cases
etc. should appear in footnotes to your text. Please do not use Harvard style referencing (where full
citations appear in a bibliography). We recommend you use OSCOLA (see
http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/publications/oscola.php), however you are free to choose any other citation
style that respects the requirement to use a footnote system, provided it is clear and consistent.

Word count
The dissertation is limited to a maximum of 15,000 words if you are completing a 60-credit
dissertation, or 10,000 words if you are completing a 40-credit dissertation. All footnotes are
included in the word count, and so are appendices if they cover substantial points that could have
been made in the body of the text. The coversheet, abstract, table of contents and the bibliography
are not included in the word count. Dissertations which are over the word limit (even by one word)
will be subject to a penalty deduction. This deduction will be one point of the awarded dissertation
mark for every 500 words more than the word limit, as in the tables below. This is an uncapped
policy.
Assessment Word Deduct Deduct Deduct Deduct Deduct Deduct Etc.
limit 1 2 3 4 5 6
mark marks marks marks marks marks

Dissertation 15,000 15,501 – 15,501 - 16,001 - 16,501 - 17,001 - 17,501 - Etc.

(60 credits) 15,500 16,000 16,500 17,000 17,500 18,000

Assessment Word Deduct Deduct Deduct Deduct Deduct Deduct Etc.

limit 1 2 3 4 5 6
mark marks marks marks marks marks
Dissertation 10,000 10,001 - 10,334 - 10,667 - 11,000 - 11,334 - 11,667 – Etc.
(60 credits) 10,333 10,666 10,999 11,333 11,666 11,999