Academic Year 2025 | LME3701 Legal Research
Methodology – Assignment 3 (Comparative &
Historical) COMPLETE ANSWERS | Semester 2
2025 Submission | Verified UNISA Law Guide
Due November 2025 | Updated Legal Studies
Portfolio for South African Students
Question 1:
What is the primary purpose of legal research?
A) To gather opinions from the public
B) To find and analyze legal precedents
C) To summarize case law
D) To draft legal documents
Correct Answer: B) To find and analyze legal precedents
Rationale: Legal research is fundamentally aimed at locating existing laws, regulations,
and precedents to support legal arguments and decision-making. Understanding and
analyzing these precedents is critical for effectively applying the law.
Question 2:
Which of the following is NOT a primary source of law?
A) Statutes
B) Case law
C) Legal textbooks
D) Constitutions
Correct Answer: C) Legal textbooks
Rationale: Legal textbooks are considered secondary sources of law, as they provide
commentary, analysis, and interpretation of the law rather than the law itself. Primary
sources include statutes, case law, and constitutions, which are the actual laws and
legal principles.
Question 3:
In legal research, what does the term "shepardizing" refer to?
A) Summarizing case law
B) Citing legal statutes
C) Checking the validity of legal precedents
D) Tracking the history and treatment of cases
,Correct Answer: D) Tracking the history and treatment of cases
Rationale: "Shepardizing" refers to the process of using a citation service (like
Shepard's Citations) to verify the current validity of a case and to find out how it has
been treated in subsequent cases, ensuring that legal arguments are based on
authoritative and up-to-date law.
Question 4:
Which research method is most suitable for understanding the historical context of a
legal issue?
A) Doctrinal research
B) Empirical research
C) Comparative research
D) Qualitative research
Correct Answer: A) Doctrinal research
Rationale: Doctrinal research focuses on the analysis of legal principles and doctrines
through case law and statutes. It is particularly effective for exploring the historical
context of legal issues, as it delves into the evolution of legal thought and the
development of laws over time.
Question 5:
What is the significance of a "legal brief"?
A) It is a summary of legal statutes
B) It serves as a legal memorandum for internal use
C) It is a document that outlines a party's legal arguments
D) It is a persuasive document submitted to a court
Correct Answer: D) It is a persuasive document submitted to a court
Rationale: A legal brief is a written document presented to a court that outlines the
arguments, legal theories, and supporting evidence for a party's case. Its purpose is to
persuade the judge or jury regarding the legal issues at hand.
Question 6:
What is the first step in the legal research process?
A) Identifying the legal issue
B) Finding statutes
C) Analyzing case law
D) Drafting a legal memorandum
,Correct Answer: A) Identifying the legal issue
Rationale: The first step in legal research is to clearly identify the legal issue at hand.
This forms the foundation for all subsequent research activities and ensures that the
search is focused and relevant.
Question 7:
Which research tool is primarily used to locate case law?
A) Legal encyclopedias
B) Online legal databases
C) Law reviews
D) Treatises
Correct Answer: B) Online legal databases
Rationale: Online legal databases like Westlaw and LexisNexis are essential tools for
locating case law efficiently. They provide comprehensive access to a vast array of legal
documents, including case opinions.
Question 8:
Which of the following is a characteristic of qualitative research in law?
A) It relies on numerical data
B) It uses surveys and polls
C) It emphasizes statistical analysis
D) It explores legal experiences and perspectives
Correct Answer: D) It explores legal experiences and perspectives
Rationale: Qualitative research focuses on understanding the meanings and
experiences behind legal phenomena. It often involves interviews, case studies, and
textual analysis rather than numerical data.
Question 9:
What is the main goal of empirical legal research?
A) To collect data on legal practices and outcomes
B) To analyze legal texts
C) To interpret case law
D) To draft legislation
Correct Answer: A) To collect data on legal practices and outcomes
, Rationale: Empirical legal research aims to gather data through observation or
experimentation to understand how laws operate in practice and their effects on
society.
Question 10:
Which citation style is most commonly used in legal writing?
A) APA
B) Bluebook
C) MLA
D) Chicago
Correct Answer: B) Bluebook
Rationale: The Bluebook is the standard citation style for legal documents in the United
States, providing guidelines for citing cases, statutes, and other legal materials.
Question 11:
What is the function of a "headnote" in legal reporting?
A) It summarizes the entire case
B) It provides a legal analysis
C) It serves as an introduction to the case
D) It highlights key legal points
Correct Answer: D) It highlights key legal points
Rationale: Headnotes are brief summaries of the key legal issues in a case, providing
quick reference points for legal researchers to understand the main legal principles
without reading the entire case.
Question 12:
What is a "law review"?
A) A summary of legal statutes
B) An academic journal focused on legal scholarship
C) A compilation of court rulings
D) A directory of legal professionals
Correct Answer: B) An academic journal focused on legal scholarship
Rationale: Law reviews are scholarly journals that publish articles, essays, and notes
on various legal topics, contributing to legal scholarship and discourse.
Methodology – Assignment 3 (Comparative &
Historical) COMPLETE ANSWERS | Semester 2
2025 Submission | Verified UNISA Law Guide
Due November 2025 | Updated Legal Studies
Portfolio for South African Students
Question 1:
What is the primary purpose of legal research?
A) To gather opinions from the public
B) To find and analyze legal precedents
C) To summarize case law
D) To draft legal documents
Correct Answer: B) To find and analyze legal precedents
Rationale: Legal research is fundamentally aimed at locating existing laws, regulations,
and precedents to support legal arguments and decision-making. Understanding and
analyzing these precedents is critical for effectively applying the law.
Question 2:
Which of the following is NOT a primary source of law?
A) Statutes
B) Case law
C) Legal textbooks
D) Constitutions
Correct Answer: C) Legal textbooks
Rationale: Legal textbooks are considered secondary sources of law, as they provide
commentary, analysis, and interpretation of the law rather than the law itself. Primary
sources include statutes, case law, and constitutions, which are the actual laws and
legal principles.
Question 3:
In legal research, what does the term "shepardizing" refer to?
A) Summarizing case law
B) Citing legal statutes
C) Checking the validity of legal precedents
D) Tracking the history and treatment of cases
,Correct Answer: D) Tracking the history and treatment of cases
Rationale: "Shepardizing" refers to the process of using a citation service (like
Shepard's Citations) to verify the current validity of a case and to find out how it has
been treated in subsequent cases, ensuring that legal arguments are based on
authoritative and up-to-date law.
Question 4:
Which research method is most suitable for understanding the historical context of a
legal issue?
A) Doctrinal research
B) Empirical research
C) Comparative research
D) Qualitative research
Correct Answer: A) Doctrinal research
Rationale: Doctrinal research focuses on the analysis of legal principles and doctrines
through case law and statutes. It is particularly effective for exploring the historical
context of legal issues, as it delves into the evolution of legal thought and the
development of laws over time.
Question 5:
What is the significance of a "legal brief"?
A) It is a summary of legal statutes
B) It serves as a legal memorandum for internal use
C) It is a document that outlines a party's legal arguments
D) It is a persuasive document submitted to a court
Correct Answer: D) It is a persuasive document submitted to a court
Rationale: A legal brief is a written document presented to a court that outlines the
arguments, legal theories, and supporting evidence for a party's case. Its purpose is to
persuade the judge or jury regarding the legal issues at hand.
Question 6:
What is the first step in the legal research process?
A) Identifying the legal issue
B) Finding statutes
C) Analyzing case law
D) Drafting a legal memorandum
,Correct Answer: A) Identifying the legal issue
Rationale: The first step in legal research is to clearly identify the legal issue at hand.
This forms the foundation for all subsequent research activities and ensures that the
search is focused and relevant.
Question 7:
Which research tool is primarily used to locate case law?
A) Legal encyclopedias
B) Online legal databases
C) Law reviews
D) Treatises
Correct Answer: B) Online legal databases
Rationale: Online legal databases like Westlaw and LexisNexis are essential tools for
locating case law efficiently. They provide comprehensive access to a vast array of legal
documents, including case opinions.
Question 8:
Which of the following is a characteristic of qualitative research in law?
A) It relies on numerical data
B) It uses surveys and polls
C) It emphasizes statistical analysis
D) It explores legal experiences and perspectives
Correct Answer: D) It explores legal experiences and perspectives
Rationale: Qualitative research focuses on understanding the meanings and
experiences behind legal phenomena. It often involves interviews, case studies, and
textual analysis rather than numerical data.
Question 9:
What is the main goal of empirical legal research?
A) To collect data on legal practices and outcomes
B) To analyze legal texts
C) To interpret case law
D) To draft legislation
Correct Answer: A) To collect data on legal practices and outcomes
, Rationale: Empirical legal research aims to gather data through observation or
experimentation to understand how laws operate in practice and their effects on
society.
Question 10:
Which citation style is most commonly used in legal writing?
A) APA
B) Bluebook
C) MLA
D) Chicago
Correct Answer: B) Bluebook
Rationale: The Bluebook is the standard citation style for legal documents in the United
States, providing guidelines for citing cases, statutes, and other legal materials.
Question 11:
What is the function of a "headnote" in legal reporting?
A) It summarizes the entire case
B) It provides a legal analysis
C) It serves as an introduction to the case
D) It highlights key legal points
Correct Answer: D) It highlights key legal points
Rationale: Headnotes are brief summaries of the key legal issues in a case, providing
quick reference points for legal researchers to understand the main legal principles
without reading the entire case.
Question 12:
What is a "law review"?
A) A summary of legal statutes
B) An academic journal focused on legal scholarship
C) A compilation of court rulings
D) A directory of legal professionals
Correct Answer: B) An academic journal focused on legal scholarship
Rationale: Law reviews are scholarly journals that publish articles, essays, and notes
on various legal topics, contributing to legal scholarship and discourse.
