Availabilities:
| Location | Domestic | International |
|---|---|---|
| SCU Online | Term2 | Term2 |
Unit description
Students enrolled in postgraduate legal studies as part of a thesis or coursework program must demonstrate the capacity to engage with legal research at an advanced level. This unit builds on the research skills students gained in their undergraduate program to enable them to understand the methodologies used in legal research as well as formulate and refine a research topic, locate source materials using advanced technologies and present a research proposal, including literature review and any necessary ethics approval. This unit is highly recommended for students who have never completed a legal research methodologies unit.
Unit content
1. nature and objectives of legal research
2. methodologies used in legal and interdisciplinary research
3. managing a research project
4. building advanced skills in legal research techniques
5. conducting research on a specific area
6. practising academic integrity in legal research and writing.
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.
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | |
|---|---|
| 1 | demonstrate advanced knowledge of the nature and objectives of legal research |
| 2 | engage in the methodologies used in legal and interdisciplinary research |
| 3 | use advanced legal research techniques to identify, evaluate, record and manage legal and non-legal materials |
| 4 | engage competently in research in a specialised area of law, locally and internationally |
| 5 | practise academic integrity and ethical behaviour in advanced legal research and writing. |
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- demonstrate advanced knowledge of the nature and objectives of legal research
- engage in the methodologies used in legal and interdisciplinary research
- use advanced legal research techniques to identify, evaluate, record and manage legal and non-legal materials
- engage competently in research in a specialised area of law, locally and internationally
- practise academic integrity and ethical behaviour in advanced legal research and writing.
Prescribed Learning Resources
- Hutchinson, T, 2018, Research and Writing in Law, 4th edn, Thomson Reuters.
- O'Leary, Z, 2017, The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project, 3rd edn, Sage, London. ISBN: 9781473952089.
- No prescribed resources/equipment.
- Hutchinson, T, 2018, Research and Writing in Law, 4th edn, Thomson Reuters.
- O'Leary, Z, 2017, The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project, 3rd edn, Sage, London. ISBN: 9781473952089.
- No prescribed resources/equipment.
Teaching and assessment
| Teaching method |
| Structured online learning |
| Assessment | |
| Quiz | 10% |
| Literature review | 40% |
| Project proposal | 50% |
Fee information
Domestic
Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees
International
Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.