Doctrinal and Non-Doctrinal Research are two distinct but complementary approaches to legal research, employed by legal scholars, lawyers, and researchers to study and analyse various aspects of law.
Doctrinal research
(i) is defined as research into legal doctrines through analysis of statutory provisions and cases by the application of the power of reasoning.
Print PageLegal research employs two primary methodologies: doctrinal and non-doctrinal. Each approach offers unique insights into the law, with differing focuses, purposes, and methods. Understanding these methodologies is crucial for conducting thorough and impactful legal research.
Doctrinal Legal Research: Unpacking the Law from Within
Doctrinal legal research, often characterized as "traditional" or "black-letter" research, centers on analyzing legal rules, principles, and doctrines as they exist within the legal system. It is an internally-focused approach that seeks to clarify, interpret, and systematize the law through close examination of legal texts.
Key aspects of doctrinal research
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