JAMR 27 Making your Essay Topic Work
Ida Elisabeth Koch
Guest Professor, Lund University
14 November 2014
Instructions for minor essay to be submitted not later than 15 December 2014 at 12:00 to
Therese.Nyholm@jur.lu.se
In principle students can choose any human rights topic for their minor essay. The topic can have a general
or a more substantial character depending on the student’s interest and focus. Thus, it can relate to the
general textbook or to articles provided by lecturers and guest lecturers on substantial human rights issues.
However, if the student early in the course has settled on a certain topic for the major essay it is a good idea
to have this topic approved already at this stage. However, if the topic chosen for the minor essay does not
work, students have the possibility to change topic for the larger essay, which is then to be approved by the
course responsible.
If students prefer to draft an outline for the larger essay instead of writing a smaller essay that will be
accepted by the course responsible. The essay should be written in Timers New Roman and should be no
longer than 2.500 words. Footnotes or endnote are included. Bibliography (not so relevant for the smaller
essay) is not included. The small essay (or outline) is to be submitted to Therése.Fahlström @jur.lu.se not
later than 15 December 2014 at 12:00.
Instructions for final essay to be submitted not later than 16 January 2014
at 12:00 to Therese.Nyholm@jur.lu.se
Larger essay: The students are expected to write an essay on a selected topic which is to be approved by the
teacher responsible for the course. The deadline for submitting topic proposal to Therése.Fahlström
@jur.lu.se is 5 December 2014 at 13:00. The essay should be no longer than 5.000 words and no shorter
than 4.000 words. Footnotes or endnotes are included. Bibliography is not.
The essay will demonstrate the student’s ability to explore a certain human rights issue in greater depth.
The topic needs to be a human rights topic in a broad sense, i.e. a topic covered by the lectures and the
course material. What is required is that students take their own approach to the chosen topic. Thus, a
general essay about the right to education or fair trial which is merely a repetition of a textbook or article is
not recommended. The student is supposed to add something to the text or raise questions to the text.
Continued Instructions for final essay to be submitted not later than 16 January
2014 at 12:00 to Therese.Nyholm@jur.lu.se
That can be done in a variety of ways. Students can choose their own country as subject to further analysis
in a certain human rights context or even compare two or more countries’ ways of protecting a certain right.
Also, students can choose to develop or question human rights notions such as margin of appreciation,
proportionality, justiciability etc. The tripartite typology (respect, protect, fulfil) may also be questioned
(not repeated) and since the course has a treaty crossing character the notion of indivisibility might also be
explored.
Another approach could be to comment on and maybe even criticise case law either from the UN treaty
bodies or the COE treaty bodies. Essays on the African and the Inter American protection system are of
course also most welcome. Also, General Comments from treaty bodies may serve as an inspiration to
students in their choice of topics.
In general, students should not choose a topic which is very broad. Broad topics are not ideal for in depth
analysis within the 5.000 words limit. Students should rather choose a narrow or more specific topic which
will allow for in depth analysis, interpretation or criticism.
Continued Instructions for final essay to be submitted not later than 16
January 2014 at 12:00 to Therese.Nyholm@jur.lu.se
I
There are no specific requirements with regard to the structure of the essay. The paper is deliberately
designated an essay i.e. a more free-style paper. The students may for inspiration with regard to format and
structure have a look at a couple of news-paper feature articles. That also has as an implication that a firm
conclusion is not required. An open ended conclusion which point at new questions and topics to be
analysed on the basis of the essay is absolutely acceptable. You are writing an essay, not a thesis.
The final essay should be written in Timers New Roman and should be no longer than 5000 words and no
shorter than 4000 words. For information about assessment cf. Syllabus for JAMR27.
Introduction
Presentation of topic
Research question/topic
Possible hypothesis
Delimitations
Reasons for choice of topic
Relevance and topicality
Structure of the essay
From outline to index
Outline as a tool, which develops into a product
Helps to navigate
Helps to divide different parts, relate them them to one another
and to place them in a logic order
Makes it possible to write several places at a time
Need for concurrent revision
Pieces of advice
Draft your outline as soon as possible
Take research question as your basis
Keep focused
Take notes
Do not bury yourself in literature
Write from day one (writing produces thinking)
Plagiarism
References
Good (legal) English language
Revision and proof reading
More pieces of advice
Make notes. Write to yourself
Do not overwork. End your day by deciding what’s up for tomorrow
Write everyday- from day one. Most of it will end up in the paper basquet, but
WRITE nevertheless
Writing produces thinking
Language. Keep it simple. If you do not understand what you are writing others will
not either
Conclude along the way if possible
Structure. Example
Introduction
Theory and methodology
Description of the legal sources and (empirical) material
Analysis
Conclusion
Comment: Meant as an example, there are other ways to
structure. A more free-style structure may fit the essay style
better
Bibliography (only references that you have actually used)
Abbreviations. Use consequently after the first mentioning
Acknowledgements
Pagenumbers
Other issues
Footnotes or endnotes
What to put into footnotes
Not too many. Proportion between text and
notes
Conclusion
Summary of result
Have I answered my research question?
Assesment of significance and possible impact
Perspectives