1. Unit participation (10%): students participate in class discussions throughout the semester.  As well, in weeks 1-4, students make mandatory weekly posts to the online discussion board, before each class, to initiate and respond to comments on the readings.
2. Trial observation (25%): students find, attend and observe a criminal court proceeding for at least a half day, and write a reflection on and analysis of that proceeding in light of unit readings and discussion in 1500 words (excluding references). Submission is due at midday on 11 September (week 7), Sydney Australia time.
3. Trial performance (20%): students collaborate in teams to conduct a simulated criminal trial in light of class study.  Trials will run in week 12 (and week 13 if numbers require) in extended class time of five hours, before a visiting judge, working with lay witnesses, and Psychology students as expert witnesses. The marks is an individual mark not a group mark.
4. Trial analysis (45%): students write an extensive reflection on and analysis of the trial process in light of their experience on conducting the trial, the unit readings, class discussion and additional research in 3000 words (excluding references). Submission is due at midday on 5 November (Sunday at the end of week 13), Sydney Australia time.

Detailed instructions for each assessment task, including marking rubrics, will be published on the unit Canvas page.

Special consideration: Successful grants of Special Consideration may involve alternative tasks, as appropriate.

Use of editors or proof-readers: The use of assistance in preparing and editing assessment tasks in this unit of study is strictly prohibited. Assistance includes human and automated writing tools (not including spell checking).

Word limit penalty: A piece of assessment which exceeds the prescribed word limit will attract a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the piece of assessment for every 100 words, or part thereof. The total word count for essay and other written assessments will exclude all footnotes and any bibliography (if required). 

Assessment requirement to pass a unit of study: A student must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks set out in this Unit of Study in order to obtain a Pass mark and grade (or above); otherwise an Absent Fail grade will be recorded as the student’s result for this Unit of Study.