Seminar Participation (10%):

Students are expected to contribute to class debate and discussion as framed by the discussion questions and tasks set out in the Reading Guide and the assigned seminar readings. To prepare well for this ongoing assessment, students should do their assigned readings, and prepare written answers to seminar questions and tasks. These efforts, including summarising assigned readings, will help facilitate quality and constructive in class student contributions.  

This continuous assessment task will meet LO1 by requiring students to demonstrate a basic understanding of the Australian legal system and fundamental concepts and debates involving the Australian legal system. Students will develop oral and written analysis on legal issues (LO6) and on comprehending and critically analysing primary and secondary materials (LO5).

This assessment task will also meet LO2 by requiring a basic understanding of how law is made or changed by case law and legislation in the context of social changes as well as LO3 by requiring students to demonstrate a basic understanding of the respective role of the courts, parliaments and the executive and appreciating the interaction of judge-made law and statute. This continuous assessment task may (L04) require students to demonstrate a basic understanding of the principles of judicial reasoning and statutory interpretation (where relevant to the assigned seminar readings and materials).

Group Case Analysis Presentation (30%):

• Undertaken over three seminars in the final week of classes.
• Students will be assessed individually for their contributions to a group case analysis presentation with cases and groups allocated in Seminar 1.

Students (in their allocated group) will lead the discussion on an assigned case/reading. This case/reading will be allocated to students in Seminar 1. Students will be expected to read and analyse the reading/case, highlight the main arguments, interesting points, conclusions and offer some insights as to how the reading/case relates to other reading materials covered in the unit. Further guidance to be released on Canvas, as appropriate.

This assessment focuses on developing student oral and written analysis on legal issues (LO6) and on comprehending and critically analysing primary and secondary materials (LO5). The assessment will meet LO3 by requiring students to demonstrate a basic understanding of the interaction of the different branches of government and the interaction between statutes and judge-made law. The group presentation will also allow students to demonstrate an understanding of the Australian legal system and fundamental debates in the Australian legal system (LO1) as well as an appreciation as to how law is changed (LO2). 

Successful grants of Special Consideration may involve an alternate assessment task at the discretion of the unit coordinator, including a viva voce (oral) exam.

Lecture Quizzes (20%):

• Three total quizzes of 15-20 minutes each.
• The quizzes will be completed online via Canvas.
• Each quiz will be completed in class during the Friday 1-2pm lectures:
  • Quiz 1: Friday, 9 February.
  • Quiz 2: Friday, 16 February.
  • Quiz 3: Friday, 23 February.
• The final 20% mark will be awarded for the best mark received in the completed quizzes.
  • Example 1: if a student completes three quizzes with marks of 80, 70 and 75 (out of 100), their final mark will by 16/20.
  • Example 2: if a student completes only two quizzes with marks of 65, 0 and 70 (out of 100), their final mark will be 14/20.
• Further guidance on Canvas, as appropriate.

This assignment will require students to answer a number of questions on the topics studied to date with a primary focus on knowledge and application of the respective weeks’ lecture topics.

It is essential that students bring a laptop connected to the internet to each Friday lecture. If you do not own a laptop, you may borrow one from the Library. 

This assessment task assesses written legal analysis and comprehension skills (LO6), a basic understanding of the principles of judicial reasoning and statutory interpretation (LO4) and student comprehension and critical analyses of primary and secondary case law (LO5) with a view to applying such skills and knowledge to answer correctly problem question scenarios and/or short answer questions. In so doing, a basic understanding of the Australian legal system (LO1) and the roles of the courts, parliaments and the executive, and the interaction of judge-made law and statutes is required (LO3).

Special Consideration may be made only if all three quizzes are missed. Successful grants of Special Consideration may involve an alternate assessment task at the discretion of the unit coordinator, including a viva voce (oral) exam.

Final Assignment (40%):

• Final assignment is a problem question and critical essay with a total of 2,500 words.
• Requires students to analyse and comment on a given case in light of topics we have studied in this unit.
• The final assignment will be released on 23 February 2024 at 6pm (Sydney, Australia time).
• The final assignment will be due on 26 April 2024 at 4pm (Sydney, Australia time).
• Further guidance on Canvas, as appropriate.

By reading and analysing a case and commenting on that case against the background of course materials, this assessment task requires students to demonstrate their skills in comprehending and critically analysing primary and secondary materials in law (LO5). In so doing, students will demonstrate their written skills of legal analysis (LO6) as well as an understanding of the principles of judicial reasoning and statutory interpretation (LO4). This case analysis and commentary, more generally assesses LO3 (a basic understanding of the roles of the three branches of government and the interaction of judge-made law and statutes), LO1 (a basic understanding of the Australian legal system and fundamental concepts and debates therein) and LO2 (a basic understanding of how law is made or changed by case law and legislation).

A successful Special Consideration application will result in an extension of time. If a further extension of time is required, the alternative may include a viva voce (oral) exam at the discretion of the unit coordinator.

Word limit: Any part of a submitted assessment task which exceeds the prescribed word limit will not be read by the examiner. The total word count for written assessments will exclude bibliography; footnote numbers; footnote citation; cover page; and will include body text; headings and sub-headings; quotations; anything other than numbers and citations in footnotes.

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.

Use of editors and automated writing tools: In completing unsupervised assessments, students may use editors, proof-readers, and automated writing tools (including translation software, grammar checkers, reference generators and artificial intelligence), provided that all use is acknowledged and consistent with University policies and procedures including Academic Integrity Policy. Acknowledgment must be made in writing on the front of the work submitted for assessment, or in an appropriate footnote or other reference, and state the name of the person or software.