Page 14 - RESEARCH HANDBOOK FOR LL.M. AND PHD

2. Present Study
A. Statement of the Problem: (At least 200 words)

Clearly state the problem to be undertaken. Make a clear statement/narrative highlighting the exact
coverage and purview of the problem under investigation. Make a mention of the issues, which would
be actually investigated in the research. The key issues about the problem in theoretical and applied
context of the concerned discipline should be specified. The specific aim of the project, its rationale,
including the rationale of the approach adopted for studying the problem should be specifically
mentioned. (Refer to Annexure — X for template).
B. Conceptual Context:
There may be concepts, propositions and doctrines in the proposed study, which need to be defined for
the purpose of the study in hand. Make operational definitions of all such usages.
The scholar is expected in this section to introduce and contextualize the ’general research area’. Such
contextualization is to provide the researcher an opportunity to link a specific social and legal problem
to a body of socio-legal theory.

3. Methodology :

A. Objectives :
State categorically the measurable objectives (preferably not more than five) of the research to be
undertaken. Example:
1. To study the available infrastructure and manpower to enforce labour law in the city of
Chandigarh.
2. To examine the factors (social and economic) in child labour etc.

B. Hypothesis/ Research questions:
Make crisp statements ( e.g. one each for all objectives) entailing not more than twovariables describing
the presumed relationship or influence on each other (’length of experience of judge is positively linked
with his capacity to dispose the cases’, ’relaxation in regulatory mechanism in international trade sector
caused a spurt in economic crimes’). Additionally or alternatively, research questions may also be
framed to investigate the issues slated for the research. Hypotheses are advisable where the researcher
has fairly good idea of issues, concepts and their relevance to the proposed research.

Research Hand Book | 3