The ability to conduct research into complex legal problems and the ability to write about law, addressing a range of audiences, are essential skills for any lawyer. This course builds on the legal research and writing skills introduced in first year and acquired during compulsory courses throughout the degree to date. It will cover a range of research and writing topics.

Research related topics include identifying and framing research questions; different types of legal research (e.g. doctrinal and empirical); how to amass and assess information utilising a range of research techniques both traditional and digital, including complex online databases.

Writing related topics will include: the importance of knowing one's audience; effective written communication styles and techniques; how to structure different forms of legal writing (e.g. legal advice and academic writing).

The course will be taught in a series of modules by different experts covering a range of legal research and writing techniques. It is expected that the course will also include guest speakers who practise law in commercial and other contexts.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Compare different types of legal research and evaluate their suitability for addressing a range of research questions
2. Investigate and apply a range of legal research techniques
3. Determine and implement research strategies that are ethically robust and which recognise and value diverse culture and traditions
4. Construct and apply strategies for managing, organising, and assessing data
5. Choose appropriate forms of legal writing to communicate to a range of audiences
6. Develop a plan to address a specific legal research question

Required Resources

There is no prescribed textbook for this course. Readings or citations for each week's seminar will be uploaded to Wattle approximately one week ahead of each seminar. Where the full reading is not uploaded, but only the citation, students will find the readings themselves using Library resources.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback throughout the course primarily to the whole class, groups and individuals, primarily through verbal comments. There will be plenty of time in weekly seminars for class discussion and it is expected that students seek and take feedback from the course convenor and lecturers at this time.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Task submission times refer to Canberra time (AEST/AEDT).

Extensions, late submission and penalties: https://law.anu.edu.au/extensions-late-submission-and-penalties

Deferred examination: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/deferred-examinations

Extenuating circumstances: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/extenuating-circumstances-application

Penalties for excess word length: https://law.anu.edu.au/word-length-and-excess-word-penalties

Distribution of Grades Policy: https://law.anu.edu.au/grading

Further information about the course: is available from the course Wattle page. Students are required to access the Wattle site regularly throughout the course for any announcements relating to the course.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The ANU Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as providing clear guidance on the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies.

The following resources may also be useful:

• The ANU Library's Libguide is a valuable resource for gaining a comprehensive understanding of AI's role in academia.

• The ANU Academic Skills site provides useful information to ensure that you leverage AI responsibly and effectively.

• The ANU College of Law Academic Integrity and Misconduct site provides content related to legal implications, ethical guidelines, and considerations when dealing with AI in the context of law.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Wed 24 Jul Introduction to Legal Research and Writing	This is a provisional overview of topics and weeks, subject to change depending on guest lecturer availability. Seminars will be recorded and made available for students on Echo360. However, any seminars delivered by guest speakers may NOT be recorded.Please note that seminar recordings are only an additional resource and they should not be taken as a substitute for regular attendance. If a recording does fail, there is no guarantee a replacement recording will be provided.
2	Wed 31 Jul Theoretical Research and Writing	Weekly research skills workshops begin in Week Two. The weekly research skills workshops will NOT be recorded.
3	Wed 7 Aug Doctrinal Research and Writing
4	Wed 14 Aug Comparative Law Research and Writing
5	Wed 21 Aug Empirical Research and Writing in Law
6	Wed 28 Aug Interdisciplinary Research and Writing
7	Wed 18 Sept Legal History Research and Writing
8	Wed 25 Sept Indigenous Legal Research and Writing
9	Wed 2 Oct Critical Legal Theory Research and Writing
10	Wed 9 Oct Research and Writing in Commercial Legal Practice
11	Wed 16 Oct Research and Writing at the Bar
12	Wed 23 Oct Conclusion and Discussion

Tutorial Registration

The teaching in this course will consist of a weekly two-hour seminar from Week 1-12, and a weekly one-hour research skills workshop from Week 2-11. All students who are enrolled in this course must attend the seminar on Monday 1-3pm, and enrol in one of the four available research skills workshops using MyTimetable.

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials / seminars so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage .

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Research Skills Task 1	10 %	22/08/2024	30/08/2024	1,2,3,4
Research Skills Task 2	10 %	10/10/2024	18/10/2024	1,2,3,4
Research Proposal	80 %	31/10/2024	*	1,2,3,4,5,6

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

The teaching in this course will consist of a weekly two-hour seminar from Week 1-12, and a weekly one-hour research skills workshop from Week 2-11. All students who are enrolled in this course must attend the seminars and enrol in one of the four available research skills workshops using MyTimetable. The workshops will not be recorded. Attendance at seminars is compulsory. Students rely on ANU’s Echo recordings of seminars at their own risk. Past experience has shown that technical problems in Central University can mean recordings are not made or are not adequate. That is entirely outside the College of Law’s and Course Convenor’s control and responsibility. Personal recordings of seminars are not permitted.

Examination(s)

There is no final examination for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Research Skills Task 1

Details of Task: The research skills task is a quiz that is designed to test the students' legal research knowledge and techniques. More details on the research skills task will be provided at the research skills workshop.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to submit this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 10%

Release: 12pm, Thursday 22 August 2024

Duration: 45 minutes

Due Date: 12.45pm, Thursday 22 August 2024. Due to the nature of the task, late submission is not permitted.

If you experience extenuating circumstances and are unable to attempt the assessment by the due date and time, you should apply for an extension to resit here. The College will give you one final opportunity to complete the assessment, at the same time one week later. If you have already accessed the assessment, you will not be approved an extension and will need to complete the task by the due date and time. Do not email the course convenor or Librarians about extensions. Extensions are managed entirely through the link provided above.

If you experience any issues in completing the task online, do not email the course convenor or Librarians. In all cases, please email enquiries.law@anu.edu.au.

Estimated Return Date: Friday 30 August 2024

Assessment Criteria: The mark for the quiz will be based on the number of correct responses.

Assessment Task 2

Research Skills Task 2

Details of Task: The research skills task is a quiz that is designed to test the students' legal research knowledge and techniques. More details on the research skills task will be provided at the research skills workshop.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to submit this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 10%

Release: 12pm, Thursday 10 October 2024

Duration: 45 minutes

Due Date: 12.45pm, Thursday 10 October 2024. Due to the nature of the task, late submission is not permitted.

If you experience extenuating circumstances and are unable to attempt the assessment by the due date and time, you should apply for an extension to resit here. The College will give you one final opportunity to complete the assessment, at the same time one week later. If you have already accessed the assessment, you will not be approved an extension and will need to complete the task by the due date and time. Do not email the course convenor or Librarians about extensions. Extensions are managed entirely through the link provided above.

If you experience any issues in completing the task online, do not email the course convenor or Librarians. In all cases, please email enquiries.law@anu.edu.au.

Estimated Return Date: Friday 18 October 2024

Assessment Criteria: The mark for the quiz will be based on the number of correct responses.

Assessment Task 3

Research Proposal

Details of Task: Your research proposal should draw on the seminar and workshop materials presented in Week 1-12, including any seminar and workshop discussions and all of the prescribed readings throughout the semester. More details on this assessment will be provided in the Research Proposal Instructions document on Wattle.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to submit this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 80%

Word Limit: 3,200 words. The ANU College of Law's Word Length and Excess Word penalties policy can be found here.

Release: Monday 22 July 2024 (week 1)

Submission Requirements: Footnotes must be used for the referencing of all sources. All references must be compliant with the current edition of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation. Your submission must be made in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). PDF files will not be accepted.

Due Date: 5pm, Thursday 31 October 2024 (the week after week 12). Late submissions (without an extension) are permitted, but late penalties will apply.

If you experience extenuating circumstances and are unable to submit the assessment by the due date and time, you should apply for an extension here. Do not email the course convenor or guest lecturers about extensions. Extensions are managed entirely through the link provided above. Please be mindful that if you are in your final semester, late submissions will have an impact on your eligibility to graduate on time.

If you experience any issues in submitting your assessment through Turnitin, do not email the course convenor or guest lecturers. In all cases please email enquiries.law@anu.edu.au.

Estimated Return Date: Official end-of-semester results release date. 

Assessment Criteria: More details on this assessment will be provided in the Research Proposal Instructions document on Wattle.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. You must ensure that you upload the correct document on the specified submission due date and time. Any document modified after the due date and time will either incur a late penalty or will NOT be accepted. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education), submission must be through Turnitin in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). Electronic copies in .pdf file format are not acceptable. If you experience any issues in completing or submitting your assessment online, do not email the course convenor. In all cases please email enquiries.law@anu.edu.au.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.
• Late submission is not accepted for tests or examinations.
• Late submission with an extension. To ensure equity for all students, the 5% penalty per working day for late submission of work does not apply if you have been granted an extension. Where an extension is granted, the revised due date and submission time will be provided in writing. Importantly, any revised due date is inclusive of weekends and public holidays. Regardless of which day of the week the revised due date falls on, students who submit after that date will be penalised by 5% of the possible marks available for the task per 24-hour period.  

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Returning Assignments

All marks and feedback will be provided by the return date listed in the class summary. 

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission is not guaranteed. Please ensure that you have reviewed your submission carefully before you submit.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students