Advanced Legal Research and Writing (7019.4)

Please note these are the 2015 details for this unit
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Advanced Legal Research and Writing
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Business, Government & Law
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Canberra Law School Level 4 - Undergraduate Advanced Unit 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)
This unit is designed to enhance the traditional and electronic legal research skills of participants and to place them within an advanced theoretical framework, and to give participants a firm grounding in legal writing.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. The historical development of the dissemination of the law;
2. The sources of law in selected Commonwealth and other foreign jurisdictions and how they are accessed and researched;
3. The nature and relevance of government documentary sources (including extrinsic materials) for legal research and the ways of obtaining such sources;
4. Major legal research methodologies; and
5. The elements of legal drafting through writing and presenting legal agreements.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology


Skills development

This unit focuses on the specific professional legal skills of researching, analysing, and interpreting legal materials, the development of legal arguments, presenting legal solutions and options in a coherent written form, and complying with the conventions and techniques of legal writing.

 

 



Prerequisites

Completion of Legal Systems or equivalent. Entry to the LLB program.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
Not available

Required texts

Materials will be provided through the class website.

In addition, these texts are recommended and available in the Co-op and Library:

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

Robert Watt and Francis Johns, Concise Legal Research (Federation Press, 6th ed, 2009)

The following texts may also be useful:

Michèle M Asprey, Plain Language for Lawyers (Federation Press, 4th ed, 2010)

Bruce Bott and Ruth Talbot-Stokes, Nemes and Coss' Effective Legal Research (Lexis Nexis, 6th ed, 2015)

Peter Butt and Richard Castle, Modern Legal Drafting: A Guide to Using Clearer Language (Cambridge University Press, 2nd ed, 2006)

Elmer Doonan and Charles Foster, Drafting (Cavendish Publishing Limited, 2nd ed, 2001)

Ross Hyams, Susan Campbell, and Adrian Evans, Practical Legal Skills (Oxford University Press, 4th ed, 2014)

James D Lester and James D Lester Jr, Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide (Pearson, 15th ed, 2015)

Sue Milne and Kay Tucker, A Practical Guide to Legal Research (Thomson Reuters, 2nd ed, 2010)

Ross Hyams, Susan Campbell, and Adrian Evans, Practical Legal Skills (Oxford University Press, 3rd ed, 2007)

James D Lester and James D Lester Jr, Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide (Pearson, 14th ed, 2012)

 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

If applying for an exension, please follow the instructions on the Assignment Extension Form on the Student Forms page carefully. Applications for extension must be submitted to the Unit Convenor at the earliest possible opportunity in the case of circumstances considered to be unanticipated, extenuating, and exceptional (see reasons 1-6 on page 3 of the form). For anticipated events or circumstances that have a defined time period (see reasons 7-14 on page 4 of the form), notification must be lodged no later than 5 working days before the scheduled due date of the assignment. Your application will not be processed without the required information, your signature and relevant supporting documentation. Please provide this to the Unit Convenor by email.

If there are extenuating circumstances which mean you need a deferred exam, please apply to the Unit Convenor for a deferred exam. Please refer to the Assessment Policy and the Assessment Procedures. These require documentary evidence to be provided with your application. Please provide this to the Unit Convenor by email, along with a summary of the reasons for seeking a deferred exam.

If you do not submit all assessment items you may receive a grade of NC (a fail result based on failure to complete one or more of the assessment requirements) for the unit.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

Review of drafts

The Unit Convenor will not be able to review draft assignments, but is happy to address specific questions at a mututally convenient time or, in the case of minor and straightforward questions, by email.

Participation requirements

Participation in class activities and quizzes, either face to face or online, accounts for 15% of the assessment in this unit. 

Required IT skills

Basic internet and word processing skills.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None