Directed Research

Directed Research is an extraordinary opportunity for upper-level students to research problems and prepare a substantial written work product under the direction and supervision of a full-time faculty member. With Directed Research, the topic, trajectory and scope of a student’s research and work product are set by the professor. Directed Research may (or may not) involve working collaboratively with the professor on a jointly-authored written scholarly article, brief, or course materials, for example. Directed Research is a semester-long commitment with a workload comparable to a traditional 1-credit or 2-credit course, as the case may be (e.g., typically 3 hours per week for a 1-credit course or 6 hours per week for a 2-credit course, without taking into account final exam preparation and completion). Directed Research is different from Guided Research (LAW 723). Guided Research is the appropriate option for a student who has an independent desire to research a topic selected by the student and not otherwise covered within the parameters of the current curriculum. Guided Research, unlike this Directed Research course, permits the student a high degree of choice, specifically with respect to topic, and the student is expected to work mostly independently under the supervision of a faculty member. Directed Research, in contrast, is a more structured and collaborative endeavor. Students enrolled in Directed Research are expect to meet with the instructor frequently for the purposes of reporting, discussing, sharing research findings, receiving guidance, and facilitating collaboration, as appropriate. Directed Research instructors are encouraged to provide, and students should expect to receive, guidance in conducting legal research and completing citations that are appropriate to the subject matter. Directed Research is an intensive learning experience that is intended to enhance and improve a student’s research, writing and oral presentation skills. It is also an opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member and receive individualized feedback. The faculty member in turn receives the research assistance of a student on a project of mutual interest. Where appropriate, the faculty member should provide appropriate authorial attribution (e.g., co-authorship, or “with” credit) to the student and, in any event, should acknowledge the student’s contributions to any work product that is published or produced. Grading: Students receive a standard letter grade for Directed Research. Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs are required. Students ordinarily must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the time of enrollment in Directed Research, but if not, the student ordinarily should have a 3.33 (B+) average in the particular subject matter in which the research will be taken. If not, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may exercise discretion in deciding whether or not to permit the student to enroll in Directed Research.