An advanced introduction to legal methods and legal writing designed for HDR candidates in the earlier stages of their project. The course is structured around three main objectives:

1. offer the students an understanding of the practical questions often subsumed under the monikers of method and methodology (question, theory, materials etc);
2. equip the students with a sophisticated understanding of a variety of research methods and of how to combine them;
3. enable the students to interact with and evaluate different types and styles of legal writing and to improve their own writing skills.

The course will combine pre-assigned readings with in-class exercises and active student engagement. The goal will be for students to acquire a comprehensive understanding of different legal methods and to apply this knowledge on their own wirings. A major goal of the course would be to encourage the students to achieve constructive alignment between their research question, their legal theory/ies, methods and archives in a way that will facilitate the completion of their project.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Evaluate a range of research methods, including the possibilities and limitations of combining them, and justify their suitability for specific research projects.
2. Assess whether the research question, method and materials of a research project are aligned.
3. Evaluate gaps and opportunities for further research in one or more fields, develop a research project, and articulate the contribution this makes to the field.
4. Evaluate and reflect on discussion and feedback arising throughout the course to develop research skills and a distinct authorial voice.

Research-Led Teaching

The course is structured around three main objectives:

• offer students an understanding of the practical questions often subsumed under the monikers of method and methodology (research question, theory, appropriate materials etc);
• equip students with a sophisticated understanding of a variety of research methods and of how to combine them;
• enable students to interact with and evaluate different types and styles of legal writing and to improve their own writing skills.

The course will combine pre-assigned readings with in-class exercises and active student engagement. The goal will be for students to acquire a comprehensive understanding of different legal methods and to apply this knowledge on their own writings. A major goal of the course would be to encourage the students to achieve constructive alignment between their research question, legal theory, methods and archives in a way that will facilitate the completion of their research project.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments

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/current-students/policies-procedures/extensions-late-submission-and-penalties

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

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

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

Distribution of grades policy: https://law.anu.edu.au/current-students/policies-procedures/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	Introduction + Private Law, Doctrinal and Comparative Methods	Each weekly in-person seminar, from weeks 1 to 9, feature a material opportunity for student discussion with each of our expert guest lecturers and the convenor , providing ample opportunity for students to receive in-class feedback. The precise sequence of sessions may change subject to expert guest lecturer availability.
2	Public Law Methods
3	International Law Methods
4	Theoretical Research
5	Empirical Research
6	Historical Research
7	Interdisciplinary Research
8	Law and Economics Methods
9	Critical Legal Theory Methods
10	Oral Presentations
11	Oral Presentations
12	Oral Presentations

Tutorial Registration

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

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Written proposals	60 %	02/05/2024	1,2,3,4
Oral presentation	40 %	*	1,2,3,4

* 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
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• 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

For all courses taught in any mode (whether face to face or online), the ANU College of Law considers participation in the classes offered to be an important part of the educational experience of the program. Students are expected to attend all classes.

In line with the University’s recording policy, lectures, seminars and lectorials will be recorded and made available for students on Echo360. However, lecture 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.

Examination(s)

There is no final examination for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Written proposals

Details of Task: Students prepare three iterations of their research project: (a) a short summary (150-200 words), (b) an abstract (500-650 words), and (c) an extended summary (1,500-2,250 words).

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

Weighting: 60%

Word limit: See above; three different word-limits. Footnotes should be used for referencing of sources. All references should be in the style required by the current edition of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation. The ANU College of Law's Word Length and Excess Word penalties policy can be found here.

Due Date: All three iterations are due at 5pm, Thursday 2 May 2024 (week 9) via Turnitin. Late submissions (without an extension) are permitted, but late penalties will apply. Your submission must be made in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). PDF files will not be accepted.

Estimated return date: Official end of semester results release date via Turnitin. 

Assessment criteria:

Students will be assessed on their written work taking into account the following: 

1) Coherence across the three pieces; 

2) Ability to communicate the central question/argument of the thesis clearly and with the appropriate level of detail; 

3) Constructive alignment between the suggested research question, the proposed theoretical framework, method and research materials; 

4) Quality of research expression, including the adoption of a distinct authorial voice appropriate to the project; and

5) Understanding of the prescribed readings and in-class discussions, including the limitations of each research method.

Assessment Task 2

Oral presentation

Details of Task: Students will deliver an oral presentation to the class of their research.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to complete will result in a mark of zero for this task. Guidance on expectations, timing, etc, will be provided closer to the time.

Weighting: 40%

Due Date: Oral presentations will be delivered in weeks 10-12 inclusive (exact timing may change and students will be updated as far in advance as possible). Due to the nature of the task, late submission or extensions are not permitted.

Estimated return date: Official end of semester results release date via Turnitin. 

Assessment criteria:

Students will be assessed on their oral work taking into account the following: 

1) Coherence across the three pieces; 

2) Ability to communicate the central question/argument of the thesis clearly and with the appropriate level of detail; 

3) Constructive alignment between the suggested research question, the proposed theoretical framework, method and research materials; 

4) Quality of research expression, including the adoption of a distinct authorial voice appropriate to the project; and

5) Understanding of the prescribed readings and in-class discussions, including the limitations of each research method.

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.

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 will be provided online 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