Class participation (10%)

Students are required to attend two 2-hour seminars each week for the duration of this unit. Each student will be allocated a particular seminar group and will be required to remain in that same group throughout the semester.

Students will be placed ‘on call’ for either one or two classes, depending on their lecturer’s preference. When ‘on call’, students must be ready to answer the lecturer’s questions, being rewarded for oral contributions that demonstrate that they have read the required material and reflected on the issues raised. At the end of semester, students will be asked to evaluate, in writing, their contribution to class discussions, indicating what mark they feel they deserve for class participation, and to provide reasons why such a mark is justified. ​

Interim Assignment (40%)

Students are required to submit a 2000-word (excluding references) response to a research question. The question will be released at 9am on 31 July 2023 Sydney, Australia time. The due date for submissions is 4 September 2023 at 4 pm Sydney, Australia time.

Final Exam (50%)

Students will be required to complete an examination during the examination period (13-25 November 2023 Sydney, Australia time). The duration of the examination will be 2 hours and 30 minutes (which includes 30 minutes reading time). All material addressed in the course will be examinable.

Additional Information

Teaching and Learning Strategy in Criminal Law

Criminal Law is taught in small groups. This provides the opportunity for class discussion and engagement. This is a core component of the learning strategy. You will be expected to do the required readings before class, and to generate your own notes. This means that you will need to prepare before class and to participate in class discussions.

The Reading Guide includes questions and problems that are relevant to the various topics that we consider. You are encouraged to draft written answers to these questions and problems as part of your own preparation both for class and the final exam. Each week, one question has been starred. depending on your lecturer’s approach, this question might provide a basis for class discussion.

Criteria for Assessment of Class Participation

The criteria are very similar to those that are applied when assessing students’ written work. We will reward lucid, thoughtful contributions, which demonstrate an understanding of the compulsory reading material for the unit of study.

Students will be assessed on the quality rather than the quantity of their contributions. Nevertheless, it is difficult to award high marks to students who are absent or who regularly fail to participate in seminar discussions.

The following provides some indication of the type of performance in class that is associated with particular marks out of ten for class participation.

0 – 2       Unacceptable level of absence from seminars. Participation virtually non-existent. Little, if any, preparation. Obvious lack of commitment to the Unit. 

2.5 – 5    Irregular attendance without explanation. Inconsistent preparation. Evidence of a poor understanding of the material covered in the seminars.

5.5 – 7    Regular attendance, with reasonable level of preparation. Participates in seminar discussions, but sometimes exhibits some lack of comprehension of the topic. Adequate participation in seminar exercises.

7.5 – 8    Regular attendance and preparation. Demonstrates a reasonable comprehension of topics under consideration.

8.5 –10   Regular attendance. High quality participation based upon thorough preparation. Demonstrates an excellent comprehension of topics under consideration. Evidence of a critical and/or original approach to such topics.

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 the interim assignment will exclude all footnotes and bibliographic referencing

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).

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

Assessment requirements 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.