LAW 298A/B : Legal Research, Writing and Communication

Law

2023 Semester One (1233) / Semester Two (1235) (10 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Legal research, writing, mooting and other requirements, as determined by the Dean of Faculty of Law.

Course Overview

1.Legal Research: you will use a range of print and electronic sources,  systems, and processes for legal research. These resources cover primary sources of law (case law and legislation) as well as secondary sources (journal articles, textbooks and other materials).

2.Legal Writing: your focus will be on the language used, and the structures of different forms of legal writing for law school. You will consider what constitutes good academic writing  and you will practise using the structures and strategies of effective legal analysis

3. Communication: you will actively contribute to class discussions with your classmates and practise the skills of informed dialogue, and presenting persuasive argument/counter-argument

Course Requirements

Restriction: LAW 299 To complete this course students must enrol in LAW 298 A and B

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Laws

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate and apply effective legal research strategies including but not limited to using the Moys library classification system (Capability 1.2, 2.1, 3.2, 4.3 and 5.2)
  2. Demonstrate effective communication strategies (Capability 2.1, 2.3, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)
  3. Use effective writing techniques and styles appropriately pitched for purpose and audience. (Capability 2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1)
  4. Develop a strategy for extracting legal principles from case law judgments (Capability 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 4.1)
  5. Practise analysing hypothetical fact scenarios to identify the rights, duties and powers attaching to different parties and the questions of law arising from these facts. (Capability 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 4.1 and 4.3)
  6. Identify and analyse the individual elements and sub-elements of legal rules derived from statue and common law. Practise applying these legal rules to the material facts of hypothetical scenarios to generate reasoned conclusions. (Capability 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Online Test #1: Legal Research 10% Individual Coursework
Online Test #2: Legal Research 10% Individual Coursework
Case Note 20% Individual Coursework
Analysis Essay 40% Individual Coursework
Oral Argument 20% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Online Test #1: Legal Research
Online Test #2: Legal Research
Case Note
Analysis Essay
Oral Argument
This course is assessed by Coursework only. 
You MUST 
1. complete and submit ALL FIVE assessments to be eligible to pass this course;
 AND also
2. submit both Essays (I and II) through the following online tools before you uploading them for marking: 
(i)  Turnitin (first) then 
(ii) grammarly.com (second)



Workload Expectations

NOTE: This course is scheduled differently from all other LLB Part II core courses:

1. Enrolment 

You MUST enrol in the same group / workshop time for BOTH semesters one AND two.  If you do not, your enrolment will automatically be DROPPED and so you may therefore lose your preferred timeslot.

2. Class Schedule / Attendance / Assessments

There are two parts to LAW 298: Part A - Legal Research (on line learning Modules) and Part B - Legal Writing and Communication (in person, small group workshops) During Semester One you will start BOTH Parts A and B: 

Part A -Legal Research:  5 x online 'self-study modules' which you complete by self-study over the first  weeks of semester 1. These are assessed through two online quizzes (10 marks each/total 20%). Each quiz is 'open' for one month, you can complete it at any time within that month, and so NO EXTENSIONS ARE AVAILABLE. 

Part B- Legal Writing:  8 x two-hour, in person workshops (not recorded) which you attend  every SECOND week.  Writing assessments are spread throughout semesters 1 and 2. Oral Argument will be assessed through your participation and presentations at workshops. You must therefore attendance your workshops for these assessment marks (20%). 

3. No Recordings

Workshops are NOT RECORDED. This is run in a small group seminar format so that  you can talk freely and openly about your experiences as a law student.

4. Making Connections with other Law Students

On this course you will work closely together in a small group of about 20 students with whom you will go through Law School.

5. Course Overview 

(A)  Legal Research : 1 x introductory class,  5 x on line learning modules,  2 x on line research quizzes (20%) 

(B) Legal Writing and Communication : 8 x 2-hour workshops (once every second week), 2 x essays (60%) and  oral argument (20% assessed during workshops).  

This is a 10-point course and the total workload guideline for this course is 100 hours.

and finally ....

You MUST put both legal writing essays through Turnitin and then grammarly.com before you upload your essays for marking.

You MUST complete ALL FIVE coursework assessments to pass this course.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is necessary at scheduled workshops to receive credit for the oral argument component of the course.
The course includes live group discussions. There are no recorded lectures on this course. Workshops will not be available as recordings.

The activities for the course are scheduled on a non-standard timetable. Part A is online only and Part B is in person every second week.

You must enrol into both semesters of this course at the same time otherwise your enrolment will be dropped automatically.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Download: 
(i) grammarly.com 
Using this tool is a requirement for both essays on this course. 
We recommend that you use this tool for ALL of your written work at Law School.
(ii) The New Zealand Law Style Guide (Third Edition)
(iii) online legal dictionary e.g. thelawdictionary.org  OR  legal.thomsonreuters.com

Recommended Text:
The Elements of Style (by William Strunk Jr & E.B. White)

Course Materials: 
Workshops materials are uploaded regularly onto the University's online learning platform, Canvas (in 'Modules' )

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

This course is not evaluated through SET. Your constructive feedback will be invited through a survey at the end of the course.

Other Information

In order to complete this course, you must submit all five assessments.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

The rules in the Student Academic Conduct Statute 2020 apply to this and ALL courses you will study at Auckland University. 

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

There are over 20 small groups on this course so each group will not be asked to select a representative. Instead, we will seek two representatives: one from those groups scheduled in 'week one' and one from 'week two' groups.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

The small group format of the LAW 298 Writing and Communication workshops gives you a place to build supportive relationships with your peers and your instructor. One important goal of these workshops is to give you a safe, creative, and inclusive environment in which to talk through some of the issues facing first year law students. 

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

NOTE: There are no tests and no final exam in LAW 298. Since this course is assessed through quizzes and coursework assessment only  
the University's rules relating to Aegrotat and Compassionate Consideration DO NOT APPLY.

If you have trouble meeting your assessment obligations, seek advice from law extensions BEFORE the assessment due date.

You MUST complete all 5 coursework assessments to be eligible to pass LAW 298.


Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Your behaviour in small group workshops must be respectful so that we can create an appropriate learning environment in which ALL students are comfortable and able to participate. 

We therefore encourage you to read the Student Charter and be very clear about your obligations as a student of this University.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 02/02/2023 11:05 a.m.