डॉ. बी. आर. अम्बेडकर विश्वविद्यालय दिल्ली 
| Course Type | Course Code | No. Of Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline Elective | SLG3LS319 | 4 |
Course coordinator and team:
Does the course connect to, build on or overlap with any other courses offered in AUD?
This Seminar course is a gradual progression on the courses done by PhD candidates in the first semester of the course work which includes a course on research methods.
Specific requirements on the part of students who can be admitted to this course: (Pre requisites; prior knowledge level; any others – please specify) None
No. of students to be admitted (with justification if lower than usual cohort size is proposed): Cohort size
Course scheduling: (summer/winter course; semester-long course; half-semester course; workshop mode; seminar mode; any other – please specify) Semester-long
Proposed date of launch: 2025
How does the course link with the vision of AUD and the specific programme(s) where it is being offered?
The course will equip the PhD candidates with necessary theoretical knowledge and research and writing skills which will prepare them for their PhD journey. In encouraging students to explore their research questions and engage with contemporary academic scholarship on their research interest, the course aligns with the university’s overall vision of imagining students as allies in the process of knowledge production.
Course Details:
Summary This 14-week seminar course emphasizes slow and engaged reading, conceptual clarity, and structured academic writing. The idea is to equip students research skill-sets along with conceptual tools with which they will be able to re-visit their research questions and prepare a plan directed towards conducting original legal research. Through a combination of readings curated from socio-legal perspectives, class discussions, written assignments, presentations, and peer feedback, students will refine their research questions, reflect on their archive as well as methodology, prepare an annotated bibliography and a critical literature review, all of which will culminate in their respective research proposals which they will present at the end of the course.
Objectives:
This course seeks to enable students to:
- Develop an understanding of the basic elements of academic writing
- Conduct a focused literature review that highlights key debates, identifies gaps in existing literature, and situates their own research within the field
- Formulate research questions and objectives aligned with appropriate methodological frameworks
- Engage with readings relevant to their research topic to deepen their understanding of relevant theoretical, methodological, or empirical material in their field.
Expected learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Critically read and analyze academic literature in their field
- Frame coherent research questions and objectives
- Build a well-annotated bibliography that evaluates the relevance and contribution of academic sources
- Create a critical literature review for their own work
- Develop the foundation for thesis writing
Overall structure (course organisation, rationale of organisation; outline of each module):
Module 1 (Weeks 1-2): Framing Research Questions and Objectives
The first module introduces students to the process of developing focused research questions and corresponding objectives. We will emphasize the importance of aligning questions with research aims, theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches; and discuss how research interests can be converted into researchable questions. Students will be expected to submit a written brief with finalized research questions and objectives.
Module 2 (Weeks 3-5): Preparing Annotated Bibliography
This module will introduce students to the practice of creating an annotated bibliography which is a systematic, critical, and reflective tool for organizing and synthesizing material. We will discuss how in socio-legal research, annotated bibliography enables the researcher to track conceptual developments, compare key concepts and ideas across disciplines, identify recurring themes, ascertain foundational texts and voices and locate underexplored areas in the field. While underlining the purpose of annotated bibliographies, and enabling them to connect sources to their own research questions, students will also be encouraged to explore different formatting entries through which they will reference their sources.
Module 3 (Weeks 6-8): Conducting Literature Review
Building on the previous module, we will see how an annotated bibliography is a stepping stone towards a critical literature review. This will be a writing intensive module requiring the students to organize and write a coherent, critical literature review tailored to their own research question(s). The discussion will revolve around the purpose and components of an academic literature review, recognizing key debates as well as locating theoretical tensions and empirical gaps in existing scholarship. We will learn the difference between summary and synthesis, understand diverse ways of organising the review (thematic versus chronological), and practice writing strategies to ensure clarity and coherence. Finally, with a focus on the students’ research topics, we will work out a conceptual framework for developing a robust literature review for their own research projects.
Module 4 (Weeks 9-12): Directed Reading and Discussion
This module will offer space to each student to engage deeply with selected readings directly related to their research interests. The idea is to promote active reading and critical engagement with the texts, and promote reading strategies and scholarly dialogue through guided reflection and group discussion. The directed reading will be done as both a group exercise by the entire cohort well as self-directed study by each PhD candidate. As a group, the research scholars will identify 4-5 texts addressing a theme that aligns with the academic interest of the cohort, and together deliberate on the texts and synthesise different arguments. As self-directed individual study, all candidates, in consultation with the course instructor, will propose a detailed plan on their specific topic of inquiry which they be expected to work on and present in the final weeks of the course.
Module 5 (13-14): Presentation of Research and Feedback
The students will present their final research proposals outlining the research problem and context, literature review, theoretical framework, research questions, methodology, and ethical considerations. Students will thus be expected to consolidate their theoretical and practical learning from the course. Based on the feedback from peer group and the instructor, they will be encouraged to reflect on the development of their research ideas, and articulate how their research has evolved over the course of the semester. Each student will receive detailed feedback from the course instructor, in the spirit of constructive critique, for scholarly development, and charting a roadmap for strengthening their research proposals.
Pedagogy:
Instructional strategies:
This is a Seminar course where students will be expected to read and prepare the assigned readings before the class. Every module will begin with a brief lecture where the course instructor will identify and outline the important themes and ideas, along the context(s) to facilitate the flow of discussion in the following classes. There will be in-class presentations and writing exercises based on themes particular to each student’s research topic.
Special needs (facilities, requirements in terms of software, studio, lab, clinic, library, classroom/others instructional space; any other – please specify): classroom, projector, library
Expertise in AUD faculty or outside:
- SLPS faculty members are equipped to transact this course
Linkages with external agencies (e.g., with field-based organizations, hospital; any others): field interaction with practicing lawyers, legal aid projects, civil liberties organizations
Assessment structure (modes and frequency of assessments):
- Research Questions and Objectives memo: 10 %
- Annotated Bibliography = 30 %
- Review of Literature = 30 %
- Presentation of Research Proposal = 30%
If cases of plagiarism come to the light the school will refer the case to the Research Ethics Committee of the school. The Committee will take a decision on the issue based on which the case of the student will be considered, and necessary action will be taken.