An Overview of

Writing Research
Paper 1 &2
Presented on 24th JULY 2020 via KENET Online
Conference Meeting
2PM -3PM
by:-
Ms. Jackline M. Mwangi & Mr. Georgiadis Khaseke
 Objectives of this presentation

• To explain and elaborate key issues in writing research paper 1

&2 .
• To give students an opportunity to ask questions where an issues
is not clear.
• To record the presentation for future reference for current ,
future students and members of faculty
• Reference Material – Moni Wekesa, Research Methods For
Lawyers & Other Professional ( Sportslink Limited 2016)
 Preliminary Pages
• Cover Page
• Declaration & Certificate of Supervision
• List of International Laws ( For citation refer to OSCOLA 6 th ed)
• List of National Laws (For citation refer to JKUAT Research Paper 1 &2
guidelines)
• Case Law (For citation refer to JKUAT Research Paper 1 &2 guidelines)
• Abbreviations
• Table of Contents
 Introduction
• General overview of the research study.
• Provide the state of knowledge on the topic of research.
• Focus on various views by different researchers.
• Leads to the statement of the problem.
• Last paragraph should indicate the research issues.
 Statement of the Problem
• Outline the problem to be discussed in the research topic.
• Show the existing knowledge gap that leads and requires further
research
• This section must be written in the researcher’s own words
• There should be no citation.
• Should be one paragraph with about six sentences.
• Written in researcher’s own words no footnotes or plagiarism
 Research Objectives
• Derived from the statement of the problem’
• Should not be more than four.
• They are the goals to be achieved in finding a legal solution to the
statement of the problem.
• The objectives must be met in one or two chapters of your
research paper 2.
• Must be short, measurable, achievable and clearly written.
• Written in researcher’s own words no footnotes or plagiarism
 Research Questions
• Guides your research
• Lays out out what you want to find out
• Helps you focus your work
• Each research question must be answered in a chapter or two
• Should not be less than 2 and not more than 4.
• Written in researcher’s own words no footnotes or plagiarism
 Hypothesis

• Tentative answer to the central research question

• Written in researcher’s own words no footnotes or plagiarism
• Not more than one paragraph / five sentences
 Significance & Rationale of the
Study

• Who is likely to benefit from this research ? ( the

recommendations, who will they benefit ? The state … people
(who specifically)… law reform
• Why this study ? ( correct distortions in existing literatures, fill
knowledge gap, give new knowledge)
• Written in researcher’s own words no footnotes or plagiarism
• Not more than five sentences. One paragraph
 Limitation of the Study
• Answers the question – What impacted the nature of the study.
( Time, finances )
• Written in researcher’s own words no footnotes or plagiarism
• Not more than one paragraph / five sentences
 Scope of the Study
• Answers the questions why certain research methods were used
(collection and analysis)
• Answeres the question why certain geographical coverage ( … a
study of Kenya ,… County … with a Comparative Study of South
Africa & Rwanda)
• Written in researcher’s own words
• Not more than five sentences
 Theoretical Framework
• Identify, define, discuss and evaluate theories relevant to your
research.
• Helps explain and back up your assumptions and expectations…
• Helps to test and support your hypothesis / recommendations.
 Literature Review

• Overview of scholarly work in your area of study and research

questions
• It requires you to collect , evaluate, analyze and critique work
from scholars that relate to your research question.
• Give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject and
knowledge gap that warrant your research.
 Research Methodology
• Procedures for collecting and analyzing data.
• Ask yourself – How will I collect data ?
( qualitative vs. quantitative , primary vs. secondary data ,
descriptive vs. experimental)
• Ask yourself – How will I analyze the data ?
( statistical analysis vs. thematic analysis)
Tentative Chapter Breakdown
• Last section of the research proposal… comes before the
bibliography
• Contains the chapters and titles to the chapters
• Under each chapter the student must state what research
objective and research question will be addressed and
how it will be addressed.
 Research Paper 2
• This research paper will contain the research proposal as
chapter 1 ( minus the literature review) and other
chapters as suggested in the tentative chapter breakdown.
 Introduction of a Chapter
• Must inform the reader which research question will be
answered
• How will the research question be answered
• How will the chapter be structured
• What research objective will be achieved
 Conclusion of a Chapter
• A summary of what research question and research
objective were addressed in the chapter
• A brief of the answer to the research question
• Transition to the next chapter
 Bibliography
• Secondary sources of law – OSCOLA 4th edition
• (Authored books, edited books, book chapters, online and hard
copy journal articles, websites, blogs, newspaper articles,
interviews , thesis, reports, conferences…)
• Should be arranged in sub-topics…
• Names of authors should appear in alphabetical order.
• Always begin with the first name of the author while in
footnotes you begin with the surname of the author
 THE END

THANK YOU
For questions or more information please contact
[Link]@[Link] or gkhaseke@[Link]