Students shall structure their research in a case study which frames their research question, applies their research, synthesizes and predicts the outcome of facts to the situation and explains how a result was reached. The goal of the paper is to thoroughly explain the law in a way any person seeking to implement the same or a similar initiative could understand the expectation, and to further explain the application of the law to the case study research question.
To Complete the Task: The study should address the following items:
- Define the question (survey question) so any reader will understand the matter.
- Explain the legal framework around the issue
- Identify any pertinent laws or statutes discovered
- Explain the expectations of the statute in common language
- Secondary sources, if used, should be used to further support the expectation of the legal framework
- Apply the researched legal frame work to the initiative presented:
- Apply the primary sources to the question presented
- What does the law say should happen? Can the initiative be allowed? Why or why not?
- How are facts of the initiative similar to the facts of the cases that were researched?
- How are the facts of the question presented different from the researched cases?
- Reference the secondary sources as support for the position the initiative takes in making a hypothesis
- Explain how the facts could be arranged for the administration/public to properly met expectation or could have done things different to achieved a different and intended result
- This can be a praising (client wisely did X; had they done Y, the result would have changed to ….)
- This can be constructive criticism (client did X, but committing act Y would likely have yield the following alternative results..)
- Both of the above!
Students may include a brief (one to two pages, max) opinion on the politics of the law researched: how could the law be improved; what flaws exist in the law which should be addressed; why is the law an acceptable compromise of potential harms. Any discussions of the politics of the law MUST contain references to sources. Commenting on amending the law is purposefully limited: the intent to the overall assignment is to understand and work within laws, rather than advocate for changing laws.
All research must be cited. Student citation form can be selected, but must remain consistent. Citations may be organized on separate paper and will not be counted toward the page limit.