Course Title: Research and evaluate legal research method
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2020
Course Code: JUST5748
Course Title: Research and evaluate legal research method
School: 650T Vocational Business Education
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6141 - Advanced Diploma of Legal Practice
Course Contact: Callie Harvey
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5772
Course Contact Email: callie.harvey@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Alana Ryan
alana.ryan@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 50
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to source, correctly cite and document legal and legislative information relevant to a wide range of areas of legal interest in order to support the work of a legal office, practice or associated context.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VU21632 Research and evaluate legal research method |
Element: |
1.Analyse a fact situation, identify the research questions raised and identify and propose the legal categories to which those questions relate. |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Analyse a fact situation in relation to case study material and identify and discuss the research questions raised with reference to subject matter and persons involved. 1.2 Apply case study material to examine and evaluate legal categories to which a research question may relate with reference to cause of action (or defence) and remedies sought. |
Element: |
2.Analyse and evaluate sources of legal information |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Identify sources of legal collections and examine and discuss the legal materials held by those libraries 2.2 Determine government or community organisations that may be a source of legal information 2.3 Identify, access and evaluate sources of legal information on the Internet |
Element: |
3.Determine and apply the format for the citation of sources of legal information |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Identify and detail conventions in legal citation 3.2 Determine and apply the method of citing cases 3.3 Assess and specify the methods of citing Acts of Parliament, regulations and other delegated legislation 3.4 Determine the methods of citing secondary sources of legal information |
Element: |
4.Determine and apply techniques for searching for legal information in computer databases |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Distinguish between the different ways of searching for computer-based information, including full text searching and hypertext navigation, and apply to practice 4.2 Determine and apply methods of free text searching for information 4.3 Evaluate the use of hypertext for text searching and navigation with reference to access mechanisms, cross referencing, navigation functions and working with the text |
Element: |
5.Identify, access and utilise secondary sources of legal information |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1 Identify and source relevant textbooks and legal encyclopaedias 5.2 Source relevant indexes to legal periodicals 5.3 Research and utilise relevant on-line, computer-based resources with reference to full-text electronic databases and Internet 5.4 Search secondary sources and locate and analyse legal information relevant to practice |
Element: |
6.Determine and apply methods of searching for case law |
Performance Criteria: |
6.1 Determine and apply methods of finding case law on a particular subject 6.2 Specify and apply methods of finding the subsequent history of a case 6.3 Determine and apply methods of finding case notes and case citations |
Element: |
7.Determine and apply methods of searching for legislation relevant to case study material |
Performance Criteria: |
7.1 Determine and apply methods of finding legislation on particular subject/s, taking into account any amendments made to that legislation 7.2 Determine and apply methods of finding whether legislation has been reprinted 7.3 Access, and analyse for application, resources available to establish whether legislation has been judicially considered in relation to annotation services and full-text electronic databases 7.4 Search for and analyse legislation relevant to case study material. |
Element: |
8.Determine and apply methods of finding delegated legislation |
Performance Criteria: |
8.1 Specify and apply methods of finding delegated legislation on particular subject/s, taking into account any amendments made to that legislation 8.2 Determine and apply methods of finding whether delegated legislation has been reprinted 8.3 Describe, and analyse for application, resources available to determine whether delegated legislation has been examined judicially with reference to annotations and full-text electronic databases 8.4 Search for and analyse delegated legislation relevant to case study material |
Learning Outcomes
Details of Learning Activities
A range of learning activities are planned for this course including self-paced and collaborative classroom-based activities.
The self-paced activities will be delivered through various technology platforms and may include your contribution to wikis and discussion threads, reflective journals, quizzes and interactive sessions.
The collaborative classroom-based activities will include group discussions, group problem-solving activities and opportunities to practice your skills in a simulated/real workplace environment.
We expect you to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities.
Teaching Schedule
Induction Session
Prior to training commencement a program level induction session will be conducted that comprises the following:
- Program overview and requirements
- MyRMIT/Canvas
- Overview of assessment requirements
- Pre-Training Review including:
- Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfers
- Assessment of current skills and knowledge
- Competency Criteria
- Plagiarism
- Appeals
- Extensions
- Feedback
- Privacy
- Submission requirements
- Resubmission policy
- Where to get support
- Student responsibilities
(The following schedule is subject to change)
Course Schedule: JUST 5748 Research and Evaluate Legal Research Method, Semester 1, 2020 | ||
Week No.Commencing |
Topic: |
Activities and tasks/Assessment |
1February 10 |
TOPICS: What is Legal Research? Legal Categories and analysis of a fact situation In Class Learning Activity:
|
|
2February 17 |
TOPICS: Finding Sources of Legal Information Boolean Searching In Class Learning Activity: Computer searching techniques |
|
3February 24 |
TOPICS: Legal Citation In Class Learning Activity: Citation methods for referencing sources of legal information |
Online Quiz |
4March 2 |
TOPICS: Online searching In Class Learning Activity: Legal Citation – Internet materials |
Distribute Assessment 1 – Research Table Online Quiz |
5March 9 |
TOPICS: Researching Secondary Sources of Law: Law Journal Articles In Class Learning Activity: Legal Citation: Secondary Sources (Law Journal Articles) |
Online Quiz |
6March 16 |
TOPICS: Researching Secondary Sources of Law: Textbooks In Class Learning Activity: Legal Citation: Secondary Sources (Textbooks) |
Online Quiz |
7March 23 |
TOPICS: Researching Secondary Sources of Law: Legal Encyclopaedias In Class Learning Activity: Legal Citation: Secondary Sources legal encyclopaedias |
Online Quiz |
8March 30 |
TOPICS: Finding Case Law In Class Learning Activity: Legal Citation: Case Law |
Online Quiz |
9April 6 |
TOPICS: Finding Judicial Considerations of a case In Class Learning Activity: Case Study |
Online Quiz |
Mid-Semester Break | ||
10April 20 |
TOPICS: Finding and Updating Legislation - Part 1 In Class Learning Activity: Legal Citation: Legislation |
Online Quiz |
11April 27 |
TOPICS: Finding and Updating Legislation - Part 2 In Class Learning Activity: Legal Citation: Legislation |
Online Quiz DUE: Assessment 1 – Research Table You will receive the feedback for this assessment. If required, resubmission for this assessment is due by the end of week 14.
|
12May 4 |
TOPICS: Finding Delegated Legislation In Class Learning Activity: Case Study |
Online Quiz |
13May 11 |
TOPICS: (Revision and bringing knowledge and skills together) In Class Learning Activity: Case Study Feedback for Assessment Task 1 |
Online Quiz |
14May 18 |
Class Test |
Assessment 2: Supervised Open Book Class Test |
15May 25 |
Resubmissions |
|
16June 1 |
Resubmissions |
|
17June 8 |
Grade Entry |
|
The nominal hours associated with this are a guide only and represent the total teaching time and student effort required to successfully complete this course. This may include not only scheduled classes but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
Recommended:
Melbourne University Law Review Association, Australian Guide to Legal Citation (Melbourne University Law Review Assoc Inc, 3rd ed, 2010)
NOTE: This is a VERY important resource for this course and will also be of assistance to you in all other courses throughout this program.
Copies of AGLC4 are available directly from the Review for AU$24.99 per copy. Copies of AGLC3 are also available for AU$9.99.
Domestic orders can be placed online: https://law.unimelb.edu.au/mulr/aglc/orders (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Additional resources can be found in Canvas.
Overview of Assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
In order to demonstrate competency in this unit, you must provide evidence of:
• identifying and categorising research questions arising from a particular fact situation
• identifying and applying legal research methods and techniques relevant to a particular subject or case
• documenting researched information using correct citation and documentation formats
• knowledge of legal research methods and techniques including documentation and citation protocols
Context for assessment
Assessment must ensure:
• activities are related to a legal practice context
• activities are related to laws, regulations and procedures currently operating across the jurisdictions relevant to this qualification
You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed.
You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning effectiveness and final performance in the course.
Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.
Assessment Tasks
You are required to complete 2 tasks. You must successfully complete all 2 tasks to be deemed competent in this course.
Task 1: Legal Research Assignment: Research Table
Due: Friday, 1 May 2020
Summary and Purpose: In this research assessment you will prepare a Legal Research Table. Your ability to find relevant and up to date information and to correctly apply the citation conventions will be assessed. This is an individual assessment. Some class time will be given to complete this task but majority should be completed in your own time.
Assignment Instructions: The objective of this assignment is to allow you to apply in practice the skills taught in class and to apply them to an essay topic or case study question. You will be given a topic that you will have to research.
You should reference by using footnotes (refer Australian Guide to Legal Citation). You will also need to prepare a bibliography listing all resources from your research.
Your research must be presented as a Legal Research Table.
Task 2: Final test
Due: Wednesday, 20 May 2020
Summary and Purpose: Your ability to demonstrate that you have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to independently undertake legal research is assessed in this test. You will be required to locate and examine legal sources and correctly cite and document legal and legislative information.
Assignment Instructions: 2 hour, open book test.
Assessment Matrix
The assessment matrix that maps all the assessment is available on Canvas.
Other Information
Resubmissions (VET Programs)
If you are found to be unsuccessful (Not satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) in a Course Assessment Task you will be allowed one resubmission. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission.
If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.
Penalties for Late Submission
Late submissions of assignments without special consideration or extension will automatically be considered a re-submission (see above).
Extensions, Special Consideration and Adjustment to Assessments
Extensions:
Extensions are available for unforeseen circumstances of a short-term nature.
An application form must be submitted to the school at least one working day before the due date of the assessment.
Extensions can be approved for a maximum of one week (seven calendar days) past the due date for an assessment. (Where students need an extension exceeding one week they must instead apply for special consideration.)
Special consideration:
Special consideration is available for unexpected circumstances outside students’ control. These include but are not limited to: unexpected short-term ill health, and unavoidable family, work, cultural or religious commitments.
An application for special consideration is made in advance of an assessment wherever possible but will normally be accepted within five working days after the assessment date
For more information, see the Special Consideration page of the RMIT website.
Adjustments to Assessment:
RMIT provides several adjustments to assessment for students experiencing ongoing or long-term circumstances. Find the right one for your circumstances here.
Changes to the Assessment Scheme
Where a change to assessment approved by the dean/head of school changes an assessment due date, students will be given at least five working days’ notice of the new due date.
Feedback
You can expect to receive marks and feedback on in-course assessment work in time to improve your performance in related assessment tasks later in the course.
Academic Integrity and Misconduct
Students demonstrate academic integrity in their assessment practices by:
- engaging with assessment activities in an honest way;
- providing accountability for the authorship and originality of work submitted;
- acknowledging the work of others and the re-use of original work.
Academic misconduct is addressed in accordance with the Student conduct policy
Assessment involving research with human participants, their information or their tissue, or animal subjects is carried out in accordance with the Staff ethics and integrity policy.
For further information see the Academic Integrity website.
Review and Appeal
A student may request a review of an assessment result or appeal a final course grade in accordance with the Conduct of assessment and appeals section of the Assessment Processes.
Grade Criteria
You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying.
The following grades are available for this course.
CA - Competency Achieved
NYC - Not Yet Competent
DNS - Did Not Submit for assessment
Course Overview: Access Course Overview