Unit description
Introduces students to a law library and develops the skills necessary to locate use and apply law reports, statutes, and secondary legal sources, using both computer assisted legal research and hard copy methods. Students also examine the principles of good legal writing, including an understanding of the use and preparation of legal research material, and an introduction to drafting using 'plain' legal language to prepare legal documents.
Unit content
Part 1: Legal writing and academic skills
Topic 1 Researching and understanding Australian laws
Topic 2 Writing style: using plain language
Topic 3 Legal writing
Topic 4 Legal problem solving and law exams
Topic 5 Understanding cases
Topic 6 Understanding legislation
Part 2: Legal research
Topic 7 Methods of legal research
Topic 8 Computerised legal research methods
Topic 9 Secondary sources & commentary
Topic 10 Secondary sources & updating
Topic 11 Finding and noting up cases
Topic 12 Finding and updating legislation
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
Learning outcomes and graduate attributes
GA1: Intellectual rigour,
GA2: Creativity,
GA3: Ethical practice,
GA4: Knowledge of a discipline,
GA5: Lifelong learning,
GA6: Communication and social skills,
GA7: Cultural competence| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | GA1 | GA2 | GA3 | GA4 | GA5 | GA6 | GA7 |
|---|
| 1 | demonstrate increased confidence in their use of the basic technologies in an online learning environment. | | | | | Lifelong learning | | |
| 2 | employ techniques of effective written communication and use plain legal language to draft legal documents clearly, concisely and accurately. | | | | | Lifelong learning | | |
| 3 | demonstrate knowledge and application of academic integrity. | Intellectual rigour | | | | | | |
| 4 | demonstrate competence in computerised research skills and knowledge of legal research methods, tools and techniques. | | | | Knowledge of a discipline | | | |
| 5 | efficiently and accurately identify and retrieve legal and non-legal resources relevant to the resolution of legal issues. | | | | Knowledge of a discipline | | | |
| 6 | evaluate and clearly articulate in writing the results of their legal research. | | | | | Lifelong learning | | |
| 7 | demonstrate an ability to apply their legal research results to solve legal problems. | Intellectual rigour | | | | | | |
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- demonstrate increased confidence in their use of the basic technologies in an online learning environment.
- employ techniques of effective written communication and use plain legal language to draft legal documents clearly, concisely and accurately.
- demonstrate knowledge and application of academic integrity.
- demonstrate competence in computerised research skills and knowledge of legal research methods, tools and techniques.
- GA4:
Knowledge of a discipline
- efficiently and accurately identify and retrieve legal and non-legal resources relevant to the resolution of legal issues.
- GA4:
Knowledge of a discipline
- evaluate and clearly articulate in writing the results of their legal research.
- demonstrate an ability to apply their legal research results to solve legal problems.
Prescribed texts
Session 1
- Bott, B & Talbot-Stokes, R, 2015, Nemes & Coss’ Effective Legal Research, 6th edn, LexisNexis Butterworths, Chatswood NSW. ISBN: 9780409339208.
- Corbett-Jarvis, N & Grigg, B, 2017, Effective Legal Writing: A Practical Guide, 2nd edn, LexisNexis Butterworths, Chatswood NSW. ISBN: 9780409343205.
- This resource can be purchased in hardcopy or downloaded from http://mulr.law.unimelb.edu.au/go/aglc where it is available in Read-Only Adobe: Melbourne University Law Review, 2010, Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 3rd edn, MULR Association Inc, Melbourne. ISBN: 9780646527390.
Session 2
- Bott, B & Talbot-Stokes, R, 2015, Nemes & Coss’ Effective Legal Research, 6th edn, LexisNexis Butterworths, Chatswood NSW. ISBN: 9780409339208.
- Corbett-Jarvis, N & Grigg, B, 2017, Effective Legal Writing: A Practical Guide, 2nd edn, LexisNexis Butterworths, Chatswood NSW. ISBN: 9780409343205.
- This resource can be purchased in hardcopy of downloaded from http://mulr.law.unimelb.edu.au/go/aglc where it is available in Read-Only Adobe: Melbourne University Law Review, 2010, Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 3rd edn, MULR Association Inc, Melbourne. ISBN: 9780646527390.
Prescribed texts may change in future study periods.