LA1102 - Legal Research, Writing and Analysis

Credit points:	03
Year:	2010
Student Contribution Band:	Band 3
Administered by:	School of Law Office

This subject explores the theme of Governance: Governance as a Conceptual Tool; Governance through Adjudicative Law; and Governance through Legislative Law. The subject develops legal, ethical and technological literacy and provides a range of skills and knowledge required for legal writing, research and problem solving. Sources of Law; Court Hierarchy; The Doctrine of Precedent; and Statutory Interpretation are areas of focus.

Learning Outcomes

• conduct library research and be able to locate current legislation cases and commentary in print and electronic form;
• use/apply and analyse and evaluate principles of the doctrine of precedent in a range of practical and theoretical situations;
• find legislation and understand its importance from a range of perspectives; find case law and understand the importance of it at different hierarchical levels;
• use/apply and analyse and evaluate principles of statutory interpretation in a range of practical and theoretical situations; communicate results of analysis and findings in clear writing and orally;
• explain sources of law legal processes, principles of doctrine of precedent and statutory interpretation.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to reflect on and evaluate learning, and to learn independently in a self directed manner;
• The ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully;
• The ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively;
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Inadmissible Subject Combinations:

LA1007

Availabilities
Townsville, Internal, Study Period 1
Census Date 25-Mar-2010
Coordinator:	Ms Rachel Bradshaw
Lecturer:	Ms Elise Edler.
Contact hours:	26 hours lectures - 2 hour lecture/week 12 hours tutorials - 1 hour tutorial/week; tutorials commence Week 2 (tutorials in week 2 and 3 are library research tutorials conducted in the library)
Assessment:	end of semester exam (50%); tutorial attendance and participation (10%); assignments (10%); take home exam (20%); reflective portfolio (10%).
Townsville, Internal, Study Period 2
Census Date 26-Aug-2010
Coordinator:	Dr Nichola Corbett-Jarvis
Lecturer:	Ms Elise Edler.
Contact hours:	26 hours lectures - 2 hour lecture/week; lectures may be video-conferenced. 12 hours tutorials - 1 hour tutorial/week; tutorials commence Week 2 (tutorials in week 2 and 3 are library research tutorials conducted in the library)
Assessment:	end of semester exam (50%); tutorial attendance and participation (10%); assignments (10%); take home exam (20%); reflective portfolio (10%).
Cairns, Internal, Study Period 1
Census Date 25-Mar-2010
Coordinator:	Ms Rachel Bradshaw
Lecturer:	Dr Nichola Corbett-Jarvis.
Contact hours:	26 hours lectures - 2 hour lecture/week 12 hours tutorials - 1 hour tutorial/week; tutorials commence Week 2 (tutorials in week 2 and 3 are library research tutorials conducted in the library)
Assessment:	end of semester exam (50%); tutorial attendance and participation (10%); assignments (10%); take home exam (20%); reflective portfolio (10%).
Cairns, Internal, Study Period 2
Census Date 26-Aug-2010
Coordinator:	Dr Nichola Corbett-Jarvis
Contact hours:	26 hours lectures - 2 hour lecture/week; lectures may be video-conferenced. 12 hours tutorials - 1 hour tutorial/week; tutorials commence Week 2 (tutorials in week 2 and 3 are library research tutorials conducted in the library)
Assessment:	end of semester exam (50%); tutorial attendance and participation (10%); assignments (10%); take home exam (20%); reflective portfolio (10%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.