LAW 298A/B : Legal Research, Writing and Communication
Law
2023 Semester One (1233) / Semester Two (1235) (10 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Course Requirements
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 |
Learning Outcomes
- 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)
- Demonstrate effective communication strategies (Capability 2.1, 2.3, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)
- Use effective writing techniques and styles appropriately pitched for purpose and audience. (Capability 2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1)
- Develop a strategy for extracting legal principles from case law judgments (Capability 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 4.1)
- 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)
- 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 |
5 types | 100% |
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 |
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.