Course Title: Legal Research Method

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Legal Research Method

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

LAW2489

City Campus

Undergraduate

650T Vocational Business Education

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

Course Coordinator: Robyn Lang

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 1565

Course Coordinator Email: robyn.lang@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 80.05.018

Course Coordinator Availability: Please check with course coordinator


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None.


Course Description

This course provides you with the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake legal research. You will examine the sources of legal information and various methods of locating these sources together with the skills necessary to research legal topics and to use legal references.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

-


On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

  1. Recognise primary and secondary sources of legal research material.
  2. Use and apply secondary sources, case law and legislation using both paper based and online resources to a research problem.
  3. Develop correct research strategies to critically evaluate the relevance, quality, authority and currency of the research materials.
  4. Demonstrate good legal writing skills, including an understanding of the use and preparation of legal research material in legal writing and the correct methods of legal referencing.


Overview of Learning Activities

In this course you will be encouraged to be an active learner. Your learning will be supported through various in-class and online activities comprising individual and group work. These may include quizzes; assignments; prescribed readings; sourcing, researching and analysing specific information; solving problems; conducting presentations; producing written work and collaborating with peers on set tasks or projects.


Overview of Learning Resources

Various learning resources are available online through myRMIT/Blackboard. In addition to topic notes; assessment details and a study schedule you may also be provided with links to relevant online information; readings; audio and video clips and communication tools to facilitate collaboration with your peers and to share information.
Resources are also available online through RMIT Library databases and other facilities. If you require assistance with the RMIT library facilities contact the Business Liaison Librarian for your school. Contact details for Business Liaison Librarians are located online on the RMIT Library website.
Additional resources and/or sources to assist your learning will be identified by your course coordinator will be made available to you as required during the teaching period.


Overview of Assessment

The assessment alignment list below shows the assessment tasks against the learning outcomes they develop.

Assessment Task 1: 20%
Linked CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4
Assessment Task 2: 30%
Linked CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4
Final Examination: 50%
Linked CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or in online forums through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.