4 METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF ESSAYS (1) Stage 1: carefully reflect on the question • What is being asked? • How many issues are raised? This is an exercise in basic English comprehension. The question has to be deconstructed. It is very useful to convert it into a tree diagram that can be annotated as texts are collected. The actual essay question must be constantly borne in mind as texts are read and research is conducted. (2) Stage 2: search for relevant texts Locate: (a) legal rules; (b) legal discussion/decisions in: • cases; • textbooks; • articles. Once the issues raised by the question have been discovered and preliminary reading undertaken in the textbook, it is useful to scan the following: handouts from tutors, articles mentioned in the footnotes or endnotes in set textbooks, databases or relevant indices of law journals, databases or current law citator for up to date cases, legislation, etc. (3) Stage 3: carefully read, note, organise and reflect on the material collected As you locate material that is relevant, photocopy it and highlight it, or make notes. Extract arguments presented and then reconsider the question. The first task is reading, asking the basic questions detailed below, whilst at the same time recalling the actual issues detailed in the essay question you are doing the research for. Otherwise relevant details in your material could be overlooked. Recall that you were introduced to the three reading techniques of skimming, scanning and detail in Chapter 6. Each of these techniques will be deployed as you approaching reading through your material. As you read texts you need to ask yourself questions which differ according to the text you are using. For example (a) Law cases: • What are the facts? • What legal rules have been applied and why? • What aspects of this case are relevant to my essay? • How do the arguments presented assist in relation to the essay?

DOI link for 4 METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF ESSAYS (1) Stage 1: carefully reflect on the question • What is being asked? • How many issues are raised? This is an exercise in basic English comprehension. The question has to be deconstructed. It is very useful to convert it into a tree diagram that can be annotated as texts are collected. The actual essay question must be constantly borne in mind as texts are read and research is conducted. (2) Stage 2: search for relevant texts Locate: (a) legal rules; (b) legal discussion/decisions in: • cases; • textbooks; • articles. Once the issues raised by the question have been discovered and preliminary reading undertaken in the textbook, it is useful to scan the following: handouts from tutors, articles mentioned in the footnotes or endnotes in set textbooks, databases or relevant indices of law journals, databases or current law citator for up to date cases, legislation, etc. (3) Stage 3: carefully read, note, organise and reflect on the material collected As you locate material that is relevant, photocopy it and highlight it, or make notes. Extract arguments presented and then reconsider the question. The first task is reading, asking the basic questions detailed below, whilst at the same time recalling the actual issues detailed in the essay question you are doing the research for. Otherwise relevant details in your material could be overlooked. Recall that you were introduced to the three reading techniques of skimming, scanning and detail in Chapter 6. Each of these techniques will be deployed as you approaching reading through your material. As you read texts you need to ask yourself questions which differ according to the text you are using. For example (a) Law cases: • What are the facts? • What legal rules have been applied and why? • What aspects of this case are relevant to my essay? • How do the arguments presented assist in relation to the essay?

4 METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF ESSAYS (1) Stage 1: carefully reflect on the question • What is being asked? • How many issues are raised? This is an exercise in basic English comprehension. The question has to be deconstructed. It is very useful to convert it into a tree diagram that can be annotated as texts are collected. The actual essay question must be constantly borne in mind as texts are read and research is conducted. (2) Stage 2: search for relevant texts Locate: (a) legal rules; (b) legal discussion/decisions in: • cases; • textbooks; • articles. Once the issues raised by the question have been discovered and preliminary reading undertaken in the textbook, it is useful to scan the following: handouts from tutors, articles mentioned in the footnotes or endnotes in set textbooks, databases or relevant indices of law journals, databases or current law citator for up to date cases, legislation, etc. (3) Stage 3: carefully read, note, organise and reflect on the material collected As you locate material that is relevant, photocopy it and highlight it, or make notes. Extract arguments presented and then reconsider the question. The first task is reading, asking the basic questions detailed below, whilst at the same time recalling the actual issues detailed in the essay question you are doing the research for. Otherwise relevant details in your material could be overlooked. Recall that you were introduced to the three reading techniques of skimming, scanning and detail in Chapter 6. Each of these techniques will be deployed as you approaching reading through your material. As you read texts you need to ask yourself questions which differ according to the text you are using. For example (a) Law cases: • What are the facts? • What legal rules have been applied and why? • What aspects of this case are relevant to my essay? • How do the arguments presented assist in relation to the essay?