Advanced Research Seminar 1 (398-1-20)

Instructors

Joanna Grisinger
847 491 3987
620 Lincoln St #201
I am an American legal historian whose research focuses on the politics of the modern administrative state. At Northwestern, I teach courses on law and society, U.S. legal history, gender and the law, and constitutional law.

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L06: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

This is the first part of the two-quarter sequence required for all Legal Studies majors. Over the two quarters, students will conduct original research on a topic of their choosing related to law and legal institutions and complete the Legal Studies thesis. During the fall quarter, students will become familiar with a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches to research in the interdisciplinary field of Legal Studies. Students will also make the necessary progress towards completing their thesis.

Registration Requirements

Legal Studies Majors only

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, student should be able to:

- Critically evaluate the argumentation, methodology, use of evidence, strengths, and limitations of existing research
- Summarize and assess bodies of scholarship and situate one's own research within the scholarship
- Generate original research question and design appropriate strategies to answer the question
- Identify the strengths, limitations, and best-practices of quantitative, qualitative, textual, and archival methods
- Execute independent research projects
- Construct a compelling and well-supported argument
- Identify elements of effective writing in the academic article genre

Teaching Method

Project-based learning with seminar-style discussion during class meetings

Evaluation Method

Written assignments

Class Materials (Required)

All material will be posted on Canvas or available through the library at no cost.

Class Notes

Attendance at first class required, no P/NP option

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: REASON: Pre-registration is not allowed for this class. Please try again during regular registration. Prerequisites: LEGAL_ST 206, LEGAL_ST 207-0 and acceptance to program as major.
Add Consent: Department Consent Required