Abstract
The abstract is a concise, clear outline of your core argument. It should convey your research question and research findings in not more than about 200 words. It is the hook with which you pull in the reader. Although the first thing to appear after the title, the abstract is usually the last thing to be written, upon a thorough reflection of the purpose, content and conclusions of the dissertation. A good abstract can be very useful for the reader, but it is by no means essential. Do not write an abstract if you do not feel comfortable doing so. If you do, avoid the common mistake of using the abstract to outline the structure of your dissertation; this should go in the introductory section or chapter.
Introduction
The introduction should provide an answer to the following questions:
What is the purpose of the dissertation?
The introduction should clearly state the purpose of the dissertation and the main analytical tasks you plan to undertake.
Why is the issue relevant?
Demonstrate why the issue is being discussed in the dissertation. If you are making comparisons with another area or legal system, you need to explain why the comparison is pertinent and your rationale for using the chosen comparator.
How is the dissertation structured?
Outline for the reader the structure and content of the dissertation so that he or she knows what to expect. In the final paragraph of your introduction, outline the sections or chapters and briefly explain what each of them covers.
Context/Background
It is always useful to provide some historical background to the problem you aim to examine, for instance by identifying the relevant law, regulations or cases. You can also refer to the doctrinal debate on the topic, highlighting, wherever pertinent, areas of controversy.
Analysis
While placing your topic in its wider context is mainly a descriptive action, you should make an effort to go beyond the description of a particular topic and engage in some analysis.
However, it is in the analytical section of the dissertation that you have the chance to demonstrate your ability to think independently, make an argument and engage in original analysis of your topic. This is the opportunity to analyse legal concepts, examine the scope of their application and normative consequences and discuss how the law is applied in practice.
Conclusions
A strong dissertation will contain well-argued conclusions which are supported by preceding analysis and descriptive materials. The conclusions should form a substantial part of the dissertation, rather than being confined to a few sentences at the end.
Bibliography
Because you are expected to include full footnotes, a bibliography is not required. If you choose to include a bibliography, it is not included in the word count.
Citation
The dissertation must be fully referenced. There are several approaches to citing authorities, but the standard in legal writing is footnotes or endnotes, not in-text citation. Many UK journals use the Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA). Guides to and examples of OSCOLA and other full footnote citation systems are widely available, online and in print. You can choose any system you like, but you must be consistent throughout the dissertation.
The purpose of citation is three-fold: to acknowledge the source of an idea, an argument, a quotation or other material; to demonstrate that you have done the research; and to make it easy for the reader to check the source, either for accuracy or to read further. For these reasons, regardless of the referencing system used, a number of pieces of information should be included in each reference.
When citing a book, you should include:
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the full name(s) of the author(s);
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the title and edition of the work;
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the publisher and year of publication; and
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the page(s) from which the idea, information or quotation is taken.
When citing a journal, you should include:
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the full name(s) of the author(s);
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the title of the article;
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the title, publication year, volume and issue number of the journal; and
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the page(s) from which the idea, information or quotation is taken.
When citing a law or regulation, you should include:
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the full title and/or official reference;
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the publication and/or effective date; and
• the article(s) or section(s) from which the information is taken.
When citing a case, you should include:
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the full title of the case;
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the year of judgment;
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the volume number of the reporter or the case number (if there is one);
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the judge, where relevant; and
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the page(s) or section(s) from which the idea, information or quotation is taken.
When citing a report, you should include:
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the full title;
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the publication date;
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the report number;
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the author and/or institution issuing the report; and
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the page(s) or section(s) from which the idea, information or quotation is taken.
When citing a webpage, you should include:
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the name of the author and/or organisation publishing the webpage;
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the title of the website and the page;
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the date on which the information was published (if available);
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the full web address (URL); and
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the date on which the webpage was last viewed.
In general, URLs should only be included for materials and information available only on the internet; use the general citation formats above wherever possible, as these facilitate searches across platforms.
Writing Style, Spelling and Grammar
When writing:
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use the correct tense and avoid switching from one tense to another without reason;
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make sure that nouns and verbs agree in number;
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avoid repetitious and informal language;
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remember the difference between descriptive and normative language (subjective or
judgmental). When making value judgments, make sure they flow from your
argument and are backed up by evidence;
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make use of all the tools and resources available for improving your spelling and
grammar, including the Critical Thinking and Writing in Law Programme; and
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edit and proofread your draft.
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