LLM Dissertation Handbook 2024-25 | GU

Contents

• Introduction
• Aims and learning outcomes of dissertation Overview........
• Aims of the dissertation
• Learning outcomes of the dissertation. Responsibilities
• Supervisor's responsibilities.
• (i) Contact with the supervisor.
• (ii) Range of other learning methods.
• Student's responsibilities
• Timetable
• Your research timetable.
• Submitting your dissertation.
• Oral presentation.
• Structure of the dissertation.
• Order of sections........
• Title Page
• Candidate Declaration.
• Acknowledgements & Dedication..
• Table of Contents.
• List of Tables..
• List of Figures..
• List of Abbreviations.
• Abstract.
• Introduction.
• Discussion of Substantive Materials broken down into headings.
• Discussion and Recommendations.
• References and Footnotes..
• Appendices.
• Guide to the correct use of grammatical tenses.
• Format of the dissertation.......
• Guidelines on the required format for submission of the dissertation
• Appendices
• Appendix A: Details of the marking scheme
• Appendix B: Dissertation Report Form..
• Appendix C: Sample LLM Dissertation Submission Cover Sheet..
• Appendix D: Guidelines on citation and referencing using the OSCOLA
• System...
• Appendix E: Sample pages..

Introduction

The LLM Research Dissertation involves an in-depth exploration of a specialised area or issue central to International Law, International Commercial Law or International Human Rights Law, depending on which programme you have chosen. Drawing on substantial relevant research, literature, concepts and techniques, you will need to combine international legal theory and practice. Through the research proposal, you will have already devised the research question - this must then be expanded upon using appropriate methodologies and relevant literature, empirical research etc.

Through your research proposal, you have already devised the research question - you must now critically review relevant literature, design and apply an appropriate research strategy, and write up and present your dissertation report. You will be supported by your supervisor, who will monitor and review your progress throughout the research process.

Aims and Learning Outcomes of Dissertation

Overview

The research dissertation is a major component of the LLM degree and as such, is worth 30 of the 90 credits awarded for the degree at level 9. Before commencing the dissertation, you will be required to complete the Advanced Legal Research and Writing module (note, you will need to pass the research proposal element of this module before you can progress with your dissertation). Thus, at the point of commencement of the dissertation, you should have a well-developed research proposal, have been appointed a supervisor and have had the benefit of the Advanced Legal Research and Writing module. The Advanced Legal Research and Writing module will:

• Inculcate within the student the ability to utilise a range of research tools, including law reports, journals, electronic databases, textbooks etc. and in particular, demonstrate a familiarity with the utilisation of international legal materials and the use of OSCOLA referencing system.
• Have prepared the student for project management and planning, and in particular, enable the student to demonstrate ability in the gathering, analysis and professional presentation of research findings.
• Foster an ability within the student to correctly identify, select and apply research methodologies and techniques.
• Enable the student to enhance and develop detailed communication skills.

Before undertaking substantive work on the dissertation, you will have completed the compulsory modules i.e. Law of International Organisations and International Human Rights Law if seeking to attain an award of an LLM in International Human Rights or have completed the compulsory modules Law of International Organisations and International Commercial Law if seeking to attain the award of an LLM in International Commercial Law. You will also have undertaken the module in Advanced Legal Research and Writing and will be studying three elective modules in semester two.

Aim of the Dissertation

The Dissertation Process is Designed to:

• Provide you with an opportunity to apply International Commercial Law or International Human Rights Law skills and knowledge to a professional level research project.
• Allow you to make a significant/original contribution to your chosen field of enquiry.
• Provide you with an opportunity to develop strategic questions, source relevant information, and sharpen your analytical skills and critical thinking processes through the adoption of a systematic approach to problem solving. Advance your written presentation and communication skills.

Learning Outcomes of the Dissertation

Knowledge and understanding. Through completing the dissertation, you will:

• Demonstrate sophisticated research techniques to investigate, analyse and evaluate legal principles, policies and rules to resolve complex international legal problems in the chosen topic of your dissertation.
• Apply advanced theoretical knowledge and in-depth critical thinking to suggest credible and creative solutions to various international legal problems in the chosen topic of the dissertation.
• Critically analyse and evaluate in-depth the topic of the dissertation, whether in the international commercial or human rights fields and the philosophical, political and economic structures underpinning the area.
• Demonstrate an integrated, systematic and critical awareness of seminal original work within the various subject elements of the dissertation.
• Synthesise and conceptualise a holistic picture within the dissertation of the various international law elements, whether commercial or human rights oriented.
• Demonstrate both critical awareness of current legal problems in the area and reveal new insights into the topic as informed by academic writing at the forefront of the international legal field in the chosen topic of the dissertation.

Skills, qualities and attributes. Through completing the dissertation, you will:

• Develop advanced, reasoned arguments, challenge assumptions and reach sound, informed judgments relevant to the subject matter of the dissertation.
• Source, evaluate and synthesise complex international legal data in a systematic fashion relevant to the subject matter of the dissertation.
• Visualise and advocate creative and novel solutions to complex international legal issues and problems arising from the subject matter of the dissertation.
• Exercise sophisticated skill and judgment in evaluating complex legal problems in an international legal environment arising from the subject matter of the dissertation.
• Evaluate own academic and professional performance and take responsibility for self- directed, continuous learning and personal and professional development.
• Demonstrate mastery in communicating ideas effectively and argue, advocate, present and persuade with clarity and accuracy.

It is worth pointing out that these learning outcomes form the basis of the assessment criteria for the dissertation. So, to complete the dissertation successfully, you must demonstrate that you have achieved these learning outcomes through the dissertation and its presentation. 

For more information on the marking scheme, see Appendix A.

Draft Submissions

There will be two deadline dates when students should submit their incremental drafts to a Turnitin link on the Dissertation Moodle page.

30th May 2025-minimum 5,000-word submission 
30th June 2025 - minimum 10,000-word submission 
30th July 2025 - minimum 15,000-word submission 
[These dates are subject to change]

Timetable

Your Research Timetable

As your dissertation is an ongoing project starting in the Advanced Legal Research and Writing module in semester one, the research process should be at an advanced stage by the end of May, and you should be writing up in June and July. Bear in mind, however, that you should anticipate writing more than one draft of your dissertation, as all legal writers write many drafts before submitting work for publication. This process of refinement is a necessary step in the preparation of substantive legal work that will be read and scrutinised by others.

Submitting Your Dissertation

Once you have completed your dissertation and it has been agreed upon by your supervisor, you must submit your work to the Law Faculty for marking. Below you will find all the details you need for submitting your dissertation.

Submit to: Turnitin Link on the Dissertation Moodle page. You do not need to submit a hard copy.

When:3pm on Wednesday 14th August 2025 [date subject to change].

You may submit your work before this date if agreed with your supervisor and the Law Faculty.

Required number of copies:

One soft copy in .doc to be uploaded to Moodle. This copy will be checked for plagiarism under Turnitin, which is the anti-plagiarism software used by the Faculty.*

*Please also note that you will be required to sign a declaration regarding plagiarism. Your attention is drawn to Section J6 of the College's Quality Assurance Manual, which deals with Plagiarism and other forms of Academic Misconduct.

Oral presentation: A Viva Voce

Dissertation Candidates will be invited to an oral presentation (a Viva Voce examination) on their work. A viva voce is a formal event where Candidates provide a brief overview of their dissertation. It is followed by questions from a panel. Candidates can be asked about any aspect of their dissertation as submitted. Candidates do not need to provide slides or anything similar; it is a conversation with the panel. Candidates should not need notes, as it is their research. However, Candidates can have a short note with limited reminders as a prompt.

Candidates will meet with a panel in person on campus in mid/late August 2025, post the dissertation submission date. The viva is expected to last about 15-20 minutes. Candidates must attend on time and will not be allowed in if they are late. This will be on campus and alternate arrangements will not be made. [date is subject to change].

Candidates should bring a drink of water.

Please note that the viva is not marked. It is for the Faculty to determine that the Candidate did the research and that the Candidate understands it.

Example Questions:

All the questions will relate to the research and how the Candidate conducted the project. Common examples of questions include questions like:

• Why did you decide to research this area?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of your research?
• Discuss your literature review/methodology/findings/recommendations.
• Explain your findings. Why are they interesting?

The purpose of the viva is not to aggressively cross-examine the Candidate. If the Candidate does not know how to best answer a question, it is OK to say so. The Candidate can also ask the Panel to come back to the question later. The Viva is conversational in tone.

Structure of the dissertation

Order of sections

When putting together your written dissertation, you should follow a particular format - this is a typical format adopted for postgraduate theses and essentially represents a logical sequence of sections:

a) Preliminary pages:

• Title Page
• Candidate Declaration
• Acknowledgements
• Dedication (optional)
• Table of Contents
• Lists of Tables (if any)
• List of Figures (if any)
• List of abbreviations (if any)
• Abstract

b) Main body of work - for many theses, this is as follows:

Introduction
Discussion of relevant substantive materials broken down into several chapter headings 
Conclusion & (perhaps) Recommendations

Please note, however, that this structure is very basic. The primary purpose of your dissertation is to frame a research question clearly and then attempt to provide a fully structured and reasoned answer to that question.  Sometimes, students choose a topic that they will have touched on in one of the taught modules on the LL.M. and will then go on to demonstrate academic rigour in the research and analysis of the legal issues raised by the research question. Evidence of extensive, independent, and probing research will be required, as will relevant sophisticated critical legal analysis and the ability to synthesise the ideas explored in the investigative process.

c) Reference material

Bibliography 
Appendices (if any)

Title Page

This page contains the title of your dissertation; your name, a statement regarding the qualification for which the dissertation is submitted, the institution to which the dissertation is submitted, and the year of submission (see Appendix E for a sample Title Page).

Your dissertation title should contain the fewest possible words that adequately describe your research. Avoid unnecessary words such as "study of", "investigation on" and "observation of".

The Title page should be laid out to show the following information (see Appendix E):

• Full title of the dissertation centred in the top third of the page.
• Degree, subject, and the institution centred in the middle third of the page.
• Your name and the year centred in the lower third of the page.

Candidate Declaration

This is a declaration signed by you (the candidate) that claims the work as your own (see the sample Candidate Declaration page in Appendix E). This is also signed by your supervisor.

Acknowledgements & Dedication

The purpose of the Acknowledgements section is to recognise and express thanks to those people (including institutions) from whom you have received guidance and assistance during the research and writing-up process. Acknowledgements should be expressed simply and tactfully. You may also dedicate your work to a person/persons, if you choose.

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents lists in sequence, with the corresponding beginning page numbers, the titles of all relevant parts of the dissertation. These include the titles of chapters, sections and subsections as appropriate, references or literature cited and appendices, together with the titles of the preliminary pages.

List of Tables

This lists the exact titles or captions of all tables in the text in the order that they appear in the dissertation and the beginning page for each. The tables should be numbered in sequence, using Arabic numerals (1, 

List of Figures

This is a listing of all tables and any illustrative materials (including figures, photographs, images etc.) in the order they appear in the dissertation, and with page numbers. All figures should be numbered in sequence, using Arabic numerals (1, 3.4 etc.).

List of Abbreviations

This is a list of commonly used abbreviations in the dissertation (if any) so that the reader can reference them easily.

Abstract

The abstract is a short, stand-alone statement that explains the essential information about your research. In 350 words or less, the abstract should tell the reader the objective, methods, results, and conclusions of your research in a clear, nonrepetitive style using as few technical/specialised terms as possible.

Points to remember when writing your abstract:

• The purpose of your abstract is to provide the reader with a snapshot of what information the project contains - abstracts are frequently published in journals or online databases without the rest of the project and should therefore exist as a standalone statement that clearly describes all of the essential information.
• The basic elements which should appear in the abstract are the objective, methods, results, and conclusions.
  Don't include any background information, literature review, reference to other literature or a detailed description of the methods you used.
• The abstract should be concise and clear, use direct wording and avoid the use of specialised terms-write for an audience who is not a specialists in your chosen subject.
• The abstract should begin with a definitive statement of the primary result, e.g. "In this dissertation, it was shown that...."
• From a formal perspective, abstracts are usually written in the third person. Abstracts are written in the past tense (see 5.17 below).
• Abstracts should be no longer than 350 words - this word limit strictly adheres to both in academia and legal publishing.
• Abstracts should be single-spaced (not 1.5 spaced as in the rest of the dissertation - see 6.1 below).
• The abstract should be the last part of the dissertation that you write, as you will need to summarise the essential information from your whole dissertation. Don't attempt to write your abstract before you've finished writing up!

Writing Your Abstract:

First, highlight the objective and the conclusions as detailed in your Introduction and key Discursive chapters. Next, select the key information in your methodology and highlight your main results. Compile this information into one paragraph and delete any unnecessary words, phrases and information. Begin your first sentence with "In this dissertation..." or "This study..." so that you are presenting new information-your findings - first. Finally, read over it and check it against the above list of bullet points. A last piece of advice is to put it aside for a few days and read it again to see if you are still satisfied with how it reads. For reference purposes, it would also be helpful to look at published abstracts in online databases and journals.

Introduction

The purpose of the introduction is to provide the reader with sufficient background information to understand and evaluate the results of your research without needing to refer to previous publications on the topic. It should contain the nature and scope of the problem investigated and the objective(s) and justification of the research. It should also describe the layout of the rest of the dissertation. The Introduction is also the proper place to define any specialised terms and concepts used in the dissertation.

Discussion of Substantive Materials broken down into headings

In this section, typically encompassing 2-4 chapters, you would deal with the substantive issues raised by your dissertation topic broken down into appropriate headings. The student might also include at this juncture any appropriate methods used.

Discussion and Recommendations

Your results need to be compared and interpreted with those in previously published works. The implications of your results as well as possible practical applications must be discussed and appropriate conclusions drawn. Your conclusions should state the deduction from the findings and present the significance of the study, and how the situation described in the beginning of the dissertation has changed because of your research. In other words, your conclusions must address the research question posed by you at the beginning of your dissertation. At this point, and with reference to your conclusions, you must make recommendations for future work/research in the area.

References and Footnotes

All references cited in the preceding sections of the dissertation must be listed. There are several methods of citing references, but the College requires the OSCOLA Referencing Style. Consistent use of the OSCOLA Referencing Style is essential. You have already received coaching in citation and correct referencing using the OSCOLA Style, and the corresponding notes from the Student Intranet are reproduced for your convenience in Appendix D of this Handbook.

Footnotes should be printed at the end of the same page upon which they appear and should be both relevant and brief. Numbering of references in text should be printed after any punctuation marks, e.g.... end of sentence.1"

Appendices

Appendices include material which applies to the dissertation as a whole or a particular chapter, e.g. questionnaires, data sheets, etc. Their function is to keep the main body of text in the dissertation uncluttered, and references to them should be made at the appropriate place in the text. Raw data on which the research is based should be included in the appendices. Each appendix should be identified using a letter of the alphabet or an upper-case Roman numeral (page numbering in the appendices should include this (see 6.1 below).

Guide to the correct use of grammatical tenses

A simple guide is to use the present tense when referring to previously published work and the past tense when referring to your present results. In the dissertation, you will normally go back and forth between the present and past tenses. Most of the abstract should be in the past tense because you described what you did and what you found. On the other hand, most of the Introduction, Literature Review, and Discussion should be in the present tense because these sections usually refer to previously published works.

Format of the Dissertation

Guidelines on the required format for submission of the dissertation

Pagination & numbering:

• All preliminary pages, beginning with the Title Page, should have page numbers in lower case Roman numerals (i, ii; iii, etc.).
• The main text of the dissertation and the References section should have page numbers in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.).
• Page numbering ends at the Appendices, where the pages are numbered differently, showing Appendix letter/number+the page number eg, page 10 in Appendix A would be A10, etc.
• Page numbers (whether in the preliminaries, main text, references or appendices) should be located in a consistent position throughout the dissertation.
• Ensure that page numbers, headers and footers are away from the edge.

Spacing:

The text must be single-sided and 1.5 line-spaced, except for the following, which should be single-spaced:

• Abstract
• Footnotes
• Quotations longer than three lines
• References
• Tables
• Appendices, such as questionnaires, letters, etc.

Margins:

Your page margins should be set out as follows: 4cm left margin to allow for binding; 2cm margin on the outer side, and 2.5cm top and bottom margins.

Font size:

The font for dissertations is Times New Roman 12 font.

Figures:

Illustrations, figures, photographs, maps, graphs, etc., should be numbered in Arabic numerals. Text references are to be made in brackets and should precede the figure. Where they are your work, the source of any tables, photographs, etc., should be appropriately acknowledged and referenced correctly.

Length:

Dissertations should be a maximum of 20,000 words in length. This word limit excludes preliminary pages, footnotes, bibliography and appendices.