Legal Research and Writing Skills PG (11445.2)

Please note these are the 2026 details for this unit
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Legal Research and Writing Skills PG
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods Online real-time
 UC - Canberra, Online
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Business, Government & Law
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Canberra Law School Post Graduate Level Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905)
Band 5 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
In this capstone unit, students will develop advanced legal research and writing skills to reflect on the theoretical, practical and professional skills and knowledge acquired throughout their degree studies and demonstrate this in a significant real-world project.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Apply advanced skills in legal research and writing to navigate real-world problems;
2. Critically reflect on one's academic learning and the development of skills throughout one's degree and consider ongoing development into one's professional life;
3. Display research rigour and drive and use organisational skills to plan and manage a professional project; and
4. Understand and evaluate legal research metholodogies and paradigms, including Indigenous approaches to research.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - use Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload


Prerequisites

11751 Legal Methods and Skills G AND 11752 Legal Systems G

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

6621 Advanced Legal Research and Writing PG

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 UC - Canberra, Online Study Block 2 17 March 2025 Online real-time Dr Alison McLennan
2025 UC - Canberra, Online Study Block 6 27 October 2025 Online real-time Ms Tess Rooney
2026 UC - Canberra, Online Study Block 2 16 March 2026 Online real-time Dr Alison McLennan
2026 UC - Canberra, Online Study Block 6 26 October 2026 Online real-time Ms Tess Rooney
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

Required Text 

Jay Sanderson, Drossos Stamboulakis, and Kim Kelly, A Practical Guide to Legal Research (Lawbook, 5th ed, 2021).

This text is available to read online via the Library or Canvas site. E-books and hard copies can be purchased from Thomson Reuters or other book sellers.

The following text may also be useful:

Terry Hutchinson, Researching and Writing in Law (Thomson Reuters, 4th ed, 2018). 

This text is available in e-book and hard copy from the Library and the e-book is available via the Canvas site.

Other readings will be supplied on Canvas. 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Extensions
Extension requests should be submitted via the Assignment Extension Form Drop Box on Canvas (not via email).
Please note that requests will only be granted if they comply with the UC Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedures. In particular, all requests must be made within the required timeframe and be accompanied by the required documentation.

Artificial Intelligence
Students are not permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit, except for Studiosity Writing Feedback Plus.

GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:
1. the Unit Convener has authorised GenAI use for that assessment 
2. the student uses GenAI in the way that the assessment instructions allow
3. the student fully acknowledges their use of GenAI, with proper citations, references and a GenAI Acknowledgement Statement in line with the assessment instructions.

Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not permitted for that assessment. Students must still provide the required GenAI Acknowledgement Statement to indicate whether GenAI has or has not been used in the preparation of the assessment. If unsure, students should seek advice from the Unit Convener.

The GenAI for Students Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

Expectations of students include:

  • You are responsible for managing your academic progress and working to achieve the unit learning outcomes.

  • You are expected to be familiar with information relevant to your units and course as per the information made available to you. This includes the Unit Outline, Canvas site and assignment instructions.

  • You have a responsibility to participate actively and positively in the teaching-learning process and comply with the requirements of your course.

  • You are required to treat all University staff and fellow students with respect and courtesy in all interactions and communications.

See Student Charter for more information.

Participation requirements

Students are expected to complete weekly in-class exercises and participate in discussion activities. 

Required IT skills

Word processing and basic internet skills (such as the use of databases) are required.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Next step

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