ABSTRACT
This chapter gives law student some practical guidance on how to go about carrying out empirical research and how to structure a dissertation that includes empirical research. Setting up/planning empirical research, conducting it, and analysing the results will take more time than library-based research. When law student are discussing consent at the beginning of the research project, they should also explain confidentiality, and how they will ensure that their input remains confidential. Before law student embark on research that includes human participants, they should always consider whether their research could result in harm. All participants must be fully informed of the study and what is being asked of them in order to make a fully informed decision about whether or not to participate in the research. Public opinion cannot be measured in a dissertation-sized study. At times, students plan to do research that includes evaluating public opinion on a topic such as reintroduction of the death penalty.
