COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND WRITING

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
LAW 215	A	3	3	0	0	3	5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	NA
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Assoc.Prof.Dr. David J. Felsen dfelsen@epoka.edu.al , Wednesdays 12-1:30 or by appointment
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Compulsory
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Integrated second cycle study program in Law
Classroom and Meeting Time:	Thursdays, 13:45-16:30, D201
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:	yes
Course Description:	KThis course provides students with the basic and main concepts as well as with the necessary tools to independently conduct a research project and to carry out academic writing and presentations. Concepts of what the science of research is and how research is carried out are also covered in this course. Next, the concepts of how to handle a topic as well as of how to develop and evaluate the ideas that researchers have regarding conducting a study are discussed. A special aspect of the course is related to the communication of results and their connection with scientific knowledge. Reading techniques are also given in this course accompanied with techniques on how to improve the writing style by maximizing the structures used. Special issues of oral presentation and communication with interested parties are also addressed in this course.
Course Objectives:	Students are equipped with research strategies and writing skills to succeed in their discipline. They will learn different modes of writing throughout the semester. They will learn how to conduct research and to write research proposals.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	academic writing
2	academic research
3	literature review
4	resume
5	research proposal
6	letter of motivation
7	annotated bibliography
8	academic articles
9	citation of academic work

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Introduction to academic writing
2	Basic academic writing concepts I
3	Basic academic writing concepts II
4	Introduction to academic research: Library visit, data bases, internet, techniques of research
5	Dissecting & understanding academic articles in the social sciences - homework assignment #1
6	Writing a basic literature review - homework assignment #2
7	Writing an annotated bibliography
8	Writing a case study analysis - homework assignment #3
9	Midterm exam
10	Writing a basic resume - homework assignment #4
11	Writing a letter of motivation - homework assignment #5
12	Writing a research proposal I
13	Writing a research proposal II
14	Submission of final student portfolios & research proposal

Prerequisite(s):	Intermediate or higher English skills.
Textbook(s):	Textbook: Alan Meyers, Essays to Research Papers. Longman Academic Writing Series 5. London: Pearson, 2014.
Additional Literature:	Readings will be distributed during the semester on key topics, including on how to organize writing, how to conduct academic research, how to write a literature review, how to write a case study analysis, how to write a resume and motivation letter, and how to write a research proposal.
Laboratory Work:
Computer Usage:	For research and writing
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Students will read efficiently and critically
2	Students will use academic vocabulary and style
3	Students will critically review peer work
4	Students will critically engage with academic litearture
5	Students will write and revise academic papers
6	Students will present academic work to a critical audience

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Integrated second cycle study program in Law Program
1	Fitimi dhe përdorimi i njohurive të avancuara në fushën e drejtësisë dhe jurisprudencës, mbështetur në tekstet mësimore, materialet dhe burimet e tjera shkencore.	4
2	Fitimi i njohurive rreth çështjeve dhe problematikave të fushës së drejtësisë, së bashku me analizën e aspekteve historike, shoqërore e politike.	4
3	Fitimi i njohurive rreth organizimit të shtetit.	3
4	Fitimi i njohurive rreth kapaciteteve të analizës lidhur me konceptet dhe ndarjet kryesore të degëve të së drejtës.	4
5	Përmirësimi i aftësive për të punuar së bashku me disiplinat kryesore të shkencave sociale dhe disiplinat e tjera të cilat janë të lidhura me drejtësinë.	4
6	Fitimi i njohurive rreth drejtësisë duke përthithur terminologjinë profesionale të fushës.	4
7	Përcaktimi i ngjarjeve dhe temave komplekse, nëpërmjet zhvillimit të diskutimeve dhe bërjes së sugjerimeve të reja në përputhje me hulumtimet e fushës.	4
8	Fitimi i aftësive në përdorimin e programeve kompjuterike dhe të teknologjisë së informacionit me qëllim arritjen e qasjes në dijen aktuale.	4
9	Përmirësimi i të menduarit kritik dhe aftësive në kryerjen e hulumtimit në mënyrë të pavarur.	5
10	Fitimi i njohurive për të folur në një gjuhë të huaj në një nivel të mjaftueshëm për të komunikuar me kolegët dhe për të kuptuar zhvillimet bashkëkohore në fushën e drejtësisë dhe të jurisprudencës.	5
11	Fitimi i aftësive për të respektuar vlerat shoqërore, shkencore dhe etike gjatë mbledhjes dhe interpretimit të të dhënave që kanë të bëjnë me zhvillimet shoqërore dhe atyre në drejtësi.	5
12	Ndërgjegjësimi në lidhje me rëndësinë e të drejtave të njeriut dhe mjedisit.	5

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Homework	5	5
Midterm Exam(s)	1	25
Presentation	0	0
Final Exam	1	35
Attendance		15
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	2	32
Mid-terms	1	15	15
Assignments	1	5	5
Final examination	1	25	25
Other	1		0
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

The course will enable students to become more effective academic researchers and more skillful writers