LLM Winter Writing Program - January 2012

Guidelines for HLS Faculty Supervisors of LL.M. Students

(To be given to the HLS Faculty Supervisor with the student’s completed application.)

The Winter Writing Program (“WWP”) has proved worthwhile for students who seek to devote an intensive period of time to research and writing on an ongoing project, in lieu of taking a winter course.  As interest and participation in the program continue, HLS faculty supervisors may want to take note of certain issues.

Eligibility and Credits

• Placement in the program is in lieu of taking an HLS course for the winter term. In order to meet the minimum residency requirement, the research/writing done during the term must be comparable to completion of a 2-credit course.  The work done during winter term is part of a larger project, typically, the Written Work Requirement.  It is the full project for which the student registers, and it is for the full project that your supervision is requested.
• The program itself does not confer credit.  The following standard HLS writing formats qualify for the WWP, and that credit is registered into winter term: (1) an independent LL.M. Long Paper (worth 3 writing credits); (2) an LL.M. Long Paper in conjunction with a course or seminar (worth 2 writing credits, in addition to the credits for the course or seminar); (3) an optional written work project of 2 or more writing credits.

Application Details

• The application must contain a clear description of a feasible topic and a workable methodology for a research project that you have approved.  Thus, the student must have done the necessary preliminary research to locate and define a topic, identify key courses and formulate a workable approach.  This requirement is meant to assure that intensive directed research and/or writing has commenced and can productively continue.  Students who have progressed with their research prior to the winter term should be able to present at the very least a reasonably detailed outline (or, in some cases, a first draft) by the end of the term.
• Your signature on the application represents that (1) you and the student have discussed the proposal and that you are satisfied that the proposal is well thought out, meets the program’s criteria, and would constitute a worthwhile, law-related Winter term experience for the student; (2) the proposed paper is not similar to any other paper written or now being written by the student for credit; and (3) you have worked or will work out problems or details with the student.
• Please note: Students are responsible for the ethical implications of their research. If a student’s project involves interviews, surveys, or obtaining information about individuals by other means, it may require review by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects. The Law School liaison at the Committee,  Jan Jaeger, Director, IRB Operations (617-496-5593; jjaeger@fas.harvard.edu), can determine whether a student’s project requires review, and assist with the application process.

Travel During the Winter Term

• LL.M. students proposing to conduct research outside of Cambridge during the winter term require special approval.  Your signature on the application of a student who proposes to do research outside Cambridge represents that you have reviewed the proposal and determined that (1) the research is necessary and clearly needs to be done outside of Cambridge (e.g. it involves source material unavailable at HLS, or involves on-site interviewing that is critical to the project) and (2) the student’s plans for doing this on-site research are concrete and “do-able” in the short winter term period.

• Please note in particular the need to assure adequate supervision during the winter semester through appropriate arrangements for discussions with the student.

Evaluation

• The work to be completed during winter term is not graded except as part of the overall final paper. The work must be submitted to you by a date you set with the student.  If the work to be completed during the winter term is not the final paper, the final paper is due on April 26, 2013, or by an earlier date if you require.