Free UK law study video
Law Dissertation: Bibliography vs Research Log
A law dissertation bibliography and research log do different jobs. Record how each source helps answer your question, alongside accurate references.
Try the method
Your bibliography contains twenty entries. Pick one and write three research-log sentences: question, passage and next step.
Compare your answer
State the question the source helps answer; identify a passage and its limits, distinguishing the author's view from yours; identify the next unresolved gap to search. A research log complements the bibliography rather than replacing required citation.
- Keep the source details needed for your bibliography.
- Record the proposition, passage, limits and uncertainty.
- Use the research log to identify your next search.
Sources and further reading
Use the original guidance alongside your course instructions. A source collection may have gaps; ask your law librarian if you cannot find an authority.
Accessible transcript
What the video says
Saved twenty sources and cannot remember why? A bibliography records what you used. A research log also records what you were trying to find out. For each source, note the question it helps answer, the relevant passage, its limits and your next step. Separate the author's position from your own interpretation. Record the search and date where currency matters. Use the log to identify a genuine gap, not to keep reading indefinitely. Your dissertation argument should drive the next search. Quick check. Does having more sources prove relevance? No. Connect each source to your question. Try the free exercise at durmah.ai.
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Responsible-use note: this lesson supports study method, not submission-ready work. Check the original authority, the law applicable to your course and your institution's rules. Visuals and narration are AI-generated.
