Walden University History of Law and Development of Modern Law Research Paper
The mini thesis paper is a research or thesis paper on a topic of the student’s choice, so long as it is related to the topic of the course (introduction to law or legal analysis.)
The paper must be no fewer than 3,000 words and no more than 5,000 words. The word count does not include the student’s name, the title, or footnote or endnote references.
Students may use their course materials, material acquired from research at a law library or through LexisNexis, any material provided by the school, etc. All situations and events described in the paper must be assumed to take place or to have taken place in an English common law jurisdiction in the United States. Any details that are part of an actual lawsuit or legal dispute should not be included in the paper if they are in any way considered confidential.
The paper must be an original product of the student’s own scholarly work. The sources of any non-original wording must be accurately disclosed and properly referenced. Evidence of originality will be wording that shows that a student is thinking about the legal issues covered in the course, is sufficiently familiar with legal concepts and doctrines of the subject, and is expressing his or her own thoughts and ideas about the sources cited in the paper.
Topic Ideas for the Midterm Mini Thesis Paper
Students may choose one of the topics below or come up with their own.
- Discuss the history of law and development of modern law. This might include an overview of the key terminology for the course.
- Choose one or more legal topics, then research and discuss thoroughly. History, application, important cases, etc. may be included. Students may take advantage of this assignment to learn more about a topic of particular interest, or to more fully understand a complex topic. Choose an important case to discuss. Include the history of the law involved and how the case was significant to the field of law covered in the course. Students should include their own opinions about the case and may want to include prior cases which affected the case being discussed, as well as subsequent cases which were affected. Be careful to make this a thesis paper, not an expanded case brief. Note that since no cases are assigned for this course, students may want to use this assignment as an opportunity to discuss a favorite or current case.
- Choose two or three cases and write a paper which compares or contrasts them. As with the prior suggestion, students may cover the history of the legal issues involved, their own opinions about the cases, and prior and subsequent cases dealing with the same issues.
- Write about legal analysis, legal research, or other lawyering skills you have learned through your studies thus far. Present recommendations or opinions from your course materials and comment upon or apply them in illustrations.
- Research and write about a justice, judge, or attorney who has made a mark in the field of law.
- Write about the views that society has held and currently holds with regard to the law, lawyers, the courts, etc. Consider why the views are held and what causes shifts in these views.
- Write about a current legal issue in the news. Review the positions of all sides and consider the laws which support each view.
