Normative and Empirical Research Methods: Their Usefulness and Relevance in the Study of Law as an Object

Legal research is either normative or empirical. The results of normative law research are prescriptive in nature: the norms provide a prescription as to how one should behave in accordance with the norms. Normative legal research involves the study of the law as an object and removes any non-legal material from the scope of this research. In contrast, empirical legal research focuses on the application of laws in society. This research paper analyses this dichotomy between normative and empirical research and assesses its relevance and usefulness in legal research.