The course is designed to expose an overview of research methods used in contemporary social research. The course is dedicated to the elements of social research which include: formulation of concepts and theories; formulation of research questions; data collection; data analysis; literature review; and writing conclusions. In addition, we will consider the practical use of research in the field of law and examine the ethics of research in the social field. The main aim of the course is to prepare students, who are starting a career in the field of law, with the basic knowledge to conduct scientific research on legal and non-legal aspects. During the development of the course, a project will be analyzed, with 2000 words, and detailed answers will be given to questions such as: • is this an example of a sufficiently developed project in the field of law? • is this a great example for a project in the field of law? At the end of the semester, students will be able to distinguish between primary sources and secondary sources, effectively use different research techniques, and further develop skills for scientific research in the social field. The course will assist students in drafting research proposals aiming at preparing them for the dissertation process.

The course is designed to achieve the following objectives: • First, to develop in students the basic knowledge of how to carry out, with their capacity, a scientific research. • Second, to develop in students effective techniques and strategies for research in the field of law. • Third, to develop in students the ability to judge how to choose and evaluate different research methods. • Fourth, to possess sufficient competence (a) to critically read a research essay (b) to critically evaluate scientific papers (c) to qualitatively evaluate works in the field of law that are exposed in the media. • Finally, to develop in students the ability to work in a team during scientific research.