As part of the program to develop graduate students’ skills in the research phase, the College of Law at Al-Qadisiyah University organized a specialized scientific workshop entitled “Legal Documentation of References / Different Systems.” The lecture was delivered by Assistant Professor Dr. Sinan Abdul Hamza and moderated by Lecturer Dr. Ali Hamza Jabr.

The workshop aimed to clarify the importance of accurate scientific documentation in legal research and its impact on ensuring academic integrity. It also aimed to familiarize graduate students with the various documentation systems (APA, MLA, Chicago, OSCOLA), highlighting the differences between them in terms of structure and methodology. It also highlighted the legal specificity in referencing legislative, judicial, and jurisprudential sources. It also aimed to develop researchers’ skills in drafting footnotes and preparing a list of sources in accordance with the academic standards adopted in scientific journals. It also aimed to promote a culture of adherence to a sound scientific methodology in preparing legal theses and dissertations.

The workshop concluded that sound legal documentation represents a fundamental pillar of the quality of scientific research, as it reflects the level of accuracy and objectivity in academic work. It also demonstrated that the difference between Documentation systems are not limited to the formal aspect, but extend to the philosophy of presenting legal information and the method of reasoning based on it. The workshop emphasized the need to adopt a unified documentation system within law schools, consistent with the requirements of international scientific research.