Research Methodologies in Law
Learning Outcomes
1. Identify and locate primary and secondary legal resources from a variety of library and online collections using appropriate research strategies
2. Apply principles of good written presentation and language to the processes of drafting, editing and re-drafting legal writing
3. Understand the principles and values that underpin ethical research and academic honesty and apply them in own research.
4. Accurately apply accepted standards of legal referencing, including the Australian Guide to Legal Citation 3.
5. Become aware of the capabilities of bibliographic management software to organise references in research
6. Understand the key elements of a research strategy and work-plan, and apply that to own research project
7. Understand the different kinds of legal research questions (theoretical, doctrinal, normative, empirical, comparative etc) and the appropriate methodologies for answering them
8. Understand the principal methods of legal research and apply that understanding to own research project.
1. Legal research - Part A
A practical assignment to test doctrinal research techniques for finding the law (legislation), its antecedents and its subsequent development. Maximum 1000 words including footnotes (no bibliography required).
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
- Identify and locate primary and secondary legal resources from a variety of library and online collections using appropriate research strategies
- Apply principles of good written presentation and language to the processes of drafting, editing and re-drafting legal writing
- Understand the principal methods of legal research and apply that understanding to own research project.
2. Legal research - Part B
A practical assignment to test doctrinal research techniques for finding the law (cases), its antecedents and its subsequent development. Maximum 1000 words including footnotes (no bibliography required).
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
- Identify and locate primary and secondary legal resources from a variety of library and online collections using appropriate research strategies
- Apply principles of good written presentation and language to the processes of drafting, editing and re-drafting legal writing
3. Legal referencing
A compulsory online quiz to test legal referencing skills and an understanding of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation 3 (AGCL3).
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
- Accurately apply accepted standards of legal referencing, including the Australian Guide to Legal Citation 3.
4. Legal research plan
Weighting:
This assignment will require students to select a specific area for research, undertake a literature review of that area, formulate a precise research question, identify a research method and a practical research strategy, and draft a clear heading outline of the research report. It will not require students to write that report. Maximum 4000 words, including footnotes and bibliography.
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
- Identify and locate primary and secondary legal resources from a variety of library and online collections using appropriate research strategies
- Apply principles of good written presentation and language to the processes of drafting, editing and re-drafting legal writing
- Understand the principles and values that underpin ethical research and academic honesty and apply them in own research.
- Accurately apply accepted standards of legal referencing, including the Australian Guide to Legal Citation 3.
- Become aware of the capabilities of bibliographic management software to organise references in research
- Understand the key elements of a research strategy and work-plan, and apply that to own research project
- Understand the different kinds of legal research questions (theoretical, doctrinal, normative, empirical, comparative etc) and the appropriate methodologies for answering them
- Understand the principal methods of legal research and apply that understanding to own research project.