In order to pass this unit, external students must:

1. participate satisfactorily at the on-campus session (see below under On-Campus Session Participation), and
2. attain an aggregate mark of at least 50 out of 100 in the unit as a whole, those marks coming from the ‘Assessable Tasks’ (see below under Assessable Tasks).

On-Campus Session Participation (pass/fail)

The on-campus session (OCS) will be held on 21 and 22 April. In order to pass this unit external students must attend both days in their entirety and participate satisfactorily. Satisfactory participation involves:

1. demonstrating that the student has prepared adequately for the OCS. Adequate preparation means listening to the lectures, completing and thinking about the prescribed essential readings, as well as preparing answers to any OCS questions posted to iLearn ahead of the OCS. As a general rule the OCS considers the same questions as those covered in tutorials, so in the absence of any questions specific to the OCS students are recommended to download and think about tutorial questions. Note that the OCS will cover all 12 topics. Students are expected to have completed the material relating to Topics 1 to 6 in advance of the OCS. They are encouraged to read ahead in relation to the other topics as much as possible in order to gain maximum benefit from the OCS;
2. actively participating in OCS activities, which can include answering tutors' questions, making suitable contributions to discussions and asking relevant questions of tutors or fellow students as appropriate;
3. respectfully listening and responding to views expressed by tutors and fellow students;
4. cooperating in OCS activities as directed by tutors; and
5. refraining from activities unrelated to the tutorial, such as surfing the web, checking text messages, working on assignments, etc.

Notwithstanding the above, OCS are meant to be non-threatening environments in which students can make mistakes and own up to any difficulties with the material being studied. The OCS is a place to learn, not just to demonstrate what you have previously learned. While tutors may need to correct mistakes, every effort will be made to avoid causing any degree of embarrassment.

In particular, your OCS participation will not be assessed as unsatisfactory simply on the basis that you:

1. answer questions incorrectly or otherwise display a lack of understanding, or
2. indicate that you find something difficult to understand (eg by asking questions);

provided that it is nevertheless evident that you adequately prepared for class, in that you made sufficient effort to try to understand the material. In short, tutors should be highly tolerant of failures to understand, highly intolerant of failures to try to understand.

What do I do if I miss the OCS?

Attendance at the OCS is compulsory. If you know ahead of the start of session that you will be unable to attend all or part of the OCS then the solution is to withdraw from this unit in Session 1, 2016. If, subsequent to the start of session, it transpires that you are unable to attend all or part of the OCS for reasons you could not have foreseen, avoided or guarded against then you need to apply online for special consideration. You will probably be given written work to complete in lieu of attendance.

Assessable Tasks

Assessable tasks consist of weekly quizzes, citation tests, a problem question and the final examination.

Weekly Quizzes (Quizzes A to M): 30%

Twelve weekly assessable quizzes will be set. These will be identified as Quizzes A to M. (There is no Quiz I.) Each quiz will focus on a particular topic, so Quiz A will largely relate to Topic 1, Quiz B to Topic 2, etc. The quizzes will be conducted using iLearn and students must post their responses via iLearn. Students must submit their answers for each quiz by the deadline stipulated in the Schedule below. Generally the deadline falls at 11 pm on Sunday evening.

Subject to that 11 pm deadline, students will have 30 minutes from when they first open the quiz to submit all of their answers. That time limit cannot be extended. At the end of 30 minutes the quiz is submitted automatically with whatever answers have been filled in so far. If you open the quiz after 10.30 pm on the day of the deadline then the quiz will nevertheless close at 11 pm, meaning that you will have less than 30 minutes to submit your answers.

Students stand to gain marks in relation to the first ten quizzes they attempt. Students will be deemed to have attempted a quiz if they submit an answer to one or more of its questions. Students may attempt more than 10 quizzes in order to further their learning but they will not gain marks for the 11th or 12th quiz they attempt.

The precise quiz format cannot be determined at this stage and may need to change as the session progresses. The current intention is that each quiz will contain six questions as follows:

1. Questions 1, 2, 3 and 4 will each present you with a statement. You will be asked to decide whether that statement is true or false. Each question will be worth one quarter of a mark. (When calculating the overall unit mark all marks will be rounded up or down to the nearest integer.)
2. Question 5 will take the form of a multiple choice question. You will receive one mark for answering correctly.
3. Question 6 will ask a question to which you are required to write a short answer. Your answer should not exceed 100 words and in many instances could be considerably shorter. You will receive one mark for an appropriate answer. No fractional marks will be given.

What do I do if I miss a quiz?

If you miss a quiz then the first thing to ask yourself is whether you can still complete 10 out of the 12 quizzes (assuming no further misadventure). That will be the case unless you have already missed two or more quizzes. If you are still able to complete 10 out of the 12 quizzes (assuming no further misadventure) then there is no need to notify your tutor or convenor or apply for special consideration. You should only apply for special consideration if you have already missed two or more quizzes.

If your application for special consideration is successful on the basis that your disruption will prevent you from completing 10 quizzes then you will be granted permission to complete a substitute quiz. Questions for these substitute quizzes will be released one week prior to the beginning of the final examination and the deadline for these substitute quizzes will coincide with the end of the final examination.

If you do not qualify for special consideration then you will simply have to forego the marks for the missed quiz. If you miss more than two quizzes then that does not automatically result in a fail.

You are strongly recommended not to miss a quiz unless it is unavoidable to do so. By assiduously attempting all quizzes from the outset you will be able to keep two quizzes in reserve. Having quizzes in reserve may prove extremely helpful if you later miss a quiz due to circumstances that do not qualify for special consideration (eg you suffer a disruption of fewer than three days' duration or you simply forget a quiz deadline). By holding two quizzes in reserve, you would still have an opportunity to achieve full marks in the quiz component of the unit.

Citation Tests (4%)

The unit comprises two citation modules (discussed further below under ‘Delivery and Resources’). Each module culminates in two questions testing your ability to correctly formulate citations. Each question is worth one mark. Missing one or both of the citation tests will not result in an automatic fail.

Problem Question (30%)

Date for release of question:                         6 pm, Thursday 28 April 2016 (Week 7) (unless tutorials are scheduled for later that week)

Deadline for student submission:                  11 pm, Sunday 8 May 2016 (end of Week 8)

Target date for completion of marking:           29 May 2016

Students will write a 2,000-word answer in relation to a hypothetical situation. Guidance on how to succeed in this exercise, along with the marking rubric, will be posted online at the time of the question’s release. The assignment will relate to issues covered in Topics 1 – 6 (inclusive).

Final Examination (36%)

Date for release of exam question:                 9 am, Tuesday 14 June 2016

Deadline for student submission:                   12 noon, Tuesday 14 June 2016

There will be an online examination. The exam questions will be released online via iLearn at 9 am, 14 June. Students will be required to post their responses to iLearn (via Turnitin) three hours later (at noon). Guidance on how to succeed in the final examination, along with the marking rubric, will be posted online at least one week prior to the exam’s release. The final examination may relate to issues covered in any part of the unit.

Lectures

This unit consists of 12 topics, as set out on the iLearn website. Each topic is divided into sub-topics. Most sub-topics are accompanied by a short, recorded lecture. These will vary in length, with some as short as a few minutes. Lectures are available for download from iLearn (click on the ‘Echo 360’ logo on the right hand side of the screen). Lectures are intended to give you an overview of the topic, indicate its most important aspects and, hopefully, make the related readings more interesting and accessible.

Accompanying the lectures are lecture slides. These are available from iLearn in .pptx (Powerpoint) and .pdf format. The two are identical, so you need not download both versions. When listening to lectures, be sure to have the accompanying slides in front of you, since they will be referred to during lectures. Each slide has a number, which you will find in the bottom right hand corner. Note that the slides for all sub-topics are combined together in one file, which is downloadable from the top of each topic in iLearn.

Readings

The lectures should give you a broad overview of the subject, but it is vital that you then develop your understanding by completing the related readings. The prescribed textbook for this unit is:

• Stephen Hall, Principles of International Law (LexisNexis, 4^th ed, 2014, ISBN: 978-0-409-33450-0).  

References to 'Hall' on iLearn refer to the prescribed textbook. If you would like to buy a second textbook then you are particularly recommended the following, since it offers an affordable, concise and interesting survey of what we study (and more):

• Jan Klabbers, International Law (Cambridge University Press, 2013, ISBN: 978-0-521-14406-3).

Readings for the unit are categorised as follows:

• Essential readings largely consist of extracts from the prescribed textbook (Hall, see above). Students are expected to complete all essential readings each week.
• Recommended readings consist of chapters from the recommended additional textbook (Klabbers, see above). Students are not obliged to acquire or read this book, although you are likely to find the unit more interesting and easier to understand if you do so.
• Additional readings largely consist of chapters from other leading textbooks. These chapters are made available to you online in pdf format from the Macquarie library website (via Multisearch). Students are not expected to routinely complete the additional readings: they are offered as an additional resource, particularly in relation to assignments.

On occasion, assessable (and formative) quizzes may ask questions directly about the additional readings. It will be evident when they do so. All assignments assume knowledge of the essential readings and lecture content.

Each week's readings are listed in the Schedule of Readings available from iLearn. The pages of the essential readings relevant to each sub-topic are also listed on iLearn itself.

In addition to the secondary sources (book chapters, journal articles, etc) listed in the Schedule of Readings, you are expected to consult relevant primary legal sources (treaties, draft articles, cases, etc) as much as possible. It should be evident to you from the lectures and secondary sources which primary sources (and which parts of those primary sources) are most important. Sometimes you will need to consult primary sources in order to complete assignments. All relevant primary sources are available online and you are expected to have sufficient research skills to locate and download them. (We cover how to find and cite international law primary material in the two Citation Modules.) If you are having problems finding and citing international material even after completing the citation modules then the library website and staff are likely to be your best source of assistance, although your tutor may also be able to help.

Tips on active reading

Many of us find it difficult to concentrate when we read. If you find that there is a tendency for your mind to wander then there are various techniques for making the task more engaging and enjoyable. For instance:

• Before reading a chapter or article, skim its contents, looking just at the headings and dipping into the contents here and there. On this initial skim the goal is simply to establish what the reading is about and how it is structured. Then ask yourself, say, ten basic questions about the subject that you would like answered. Here the formative and weekly quizzes should help, since these will raise questions to which you will need answers. But you should also make up your own questions: just follow your curiosity. Then read, looking primarily for answers to the questions you have set yourself. Once you have all ten answers, if you have time, set yourself ten more questions to answer. This time you might be getting into detail, but your questions will also be better informed and so more useful. Repeat this exercise until you feel you have exhausted the reading. If you still have unanswered questions, try to find answers by, if necessary, going beyond the set readings.  
• At least on an initial reading, do not be afraid to skim passages that do not seem important or interesting. If they turn out to be important then you can always go back to them.
• Imagine your job is to explain the reading to someone else. Better still, find someone to explain it to, such as a fellow student. How would you explain it? Think of the similes and hypothetical or real examples you might use. Think of the questions the other person might raise, and then find the answers to them. 
• Challenge yourself to summarise the reading within a certain number of words. Be strict with your self-imposed word limit (eg 50 words for every page of the reading). Once you have achieved your goal, halve the word limit and then repeat the exercise. Keep doing this until you don’t feel you can go further. This will also provide practice in concise writing, a skill some students lack.
• Design diagrams, mind maps, etc. Flow charts are particularly helpful when it comes to working out how to apply the law. They take a while to devise, but in the process you should come to thoroughly understand how the law works.
• We are most likely to find something boring if we do not see how it relates to ourselves personally. For that reason, think about ways in which the issues we cover affect you, or might affect you in the future. Imagine you have to give advice on these issues tomorrow: that should bring sufficient anxiety to sharpen your mind!

All of the above should also encourage you to look for the big picture, rather than getting hung up on too much detail. But most importantly, they should help you to read actively and purposefully, which is the key to enjoyment of academic study.

Formative Quizzes

Each sub-topic has related to it certain online activities identified as numbered quizzes: Quiz 1.1, Quiz 1.2, etc. These quizzes are designed to test and enhance your understanding of the material, and to ensure that you are well prepared for attendance at the relevant tutorial. Participation in the formative quizzes is voluntary and is not assessed. Students are encouraged to tick the boxes on the right-hand side of the iLearn site in order to record when they have completed each formative quiz.

Unlike with assessable, weekly quizzes (identified as Quiz A, B, C, etc: see above under Assessable Tasks), where you only have one go at answering each question, you may attempt formative quizzes as many times as you like. However, sometimes you will be unable to commence your second and subsequent attempts at a formative quiz until a certain number of minutes have elapsed after your last attempt. That is to encourage students to actively engage with the questions and not just guess the answers.

Citation Modules

In addition to the 12 topics that make up this unit, you will find on iLearn two self-study Citation Modules. These are designed to train you in finding and then correctly citing important international sources. Citation Module A relates to UN documents, while Citation Module B relates to treaties. Completion of the citation modules is optional. However, you will be assessed on your ability to cite international sources in the answers to the problem question and the final exam. As with the formative quizzes, you are allowed an unlimited number of attempts at each exercise.

You are strongly advised to complete Citation Module A in between studying Topics 2 and 3, and to complete Citation Module B in between your study of Topics 3 and 4. (ILearn is structured in accordance with this sequence of learning.)

In order to encourage you to complete the citation modules in a timely manner, two citation tests have been set up. Students are permitted to attempt those tests even if they have not completed the citation modules, although they will find the tests far easier once they have done so. Each test will consist of two questions and each question will be worth one mark. Students only stand to gain marks from the citation tests if they complete the required citations with absolute accuracy (the smallest mistake will forfeit a mark) and if they do so prior to the stated deadline. Unlike citation exercises, students are permitted only one attempt at the citation test questions. No half marks will be awarded.

Note on collaboration re formative quizzes and citation modules

When it comes to the assessable tasks (the weekly quizzes,  citation tests, problem question and final exam), the normal rules relating to academic honesty apply. That means that your answers to those assignments should be your own individual work. Collaboration in relation to answering those assignments will constitute academic dishonesty.

The formative quizzes (including the citation exercises that make up the citation modules) are treated differently. I have no objection to students working collaboratively in relation to those tasks. Indeed, if you are finding the citation exercises difficult then you are positively encouraged to work on them in groups. That said, if you decide to collaborate in relation to formative quizzes or citation exercises then please do so actively. If you simply copy someone else's answers then you will be learning almost nothing.

In order to facilitate collaboration on formative quizzes and citation exercises, a specific discussion forum will be provided. Students are welcome to post to that forum if they are experiencing particular difficulties. When responding to another student’s request for help, please don’t just provide the answer. You need to exercise a basic skill of teaching, which is to let your fellow student work out the answer for themselves as much as possible. For instance, if there is a problem with a student’s punctuation in a citation then you might refer them to the relevant rule in the Australian Guide to Legal Citation. That way the student is required to find and read the rule and then apply it. That is far more beneficial to the student’s learning than simply saying something like ‘you need to place a full stop at the end’.  

On-Campus Session

Having developed a basic understanding of each topic by completing the on-line activities, the on-campus session (OCS) is your chance to discuss the issues raised, as well as ask questions in order to clear up any lingering doubts as to whether you understand the material correctly. The OCS is meant to come towards the end of the learning process, not the beginning. Certainly they are no substitute for listening to the lectures or doing the readings, although if you are totally stumped by even a basic point then there is no shame in raising it at the OCS.

Both days of the OCS begin at 9 am. Please try not to be late arriving at any session.

How to make the OCS interesting and useful

OCS only succeed if students actively participate. The OCS is not meant to be a simple rehash of the lecture. In order to participate you need to adequately prepare. This means listening to the lecture, completing the readings and online activities and thinking about the issues covered before you arrive.

Participation can take the form of answering the tutor’s questions, but you are also free to pose your own questions, either to the tutor or fellow students. You should also regularly contribute appropriately to discussions. This involves listening respectfully to what others say and responding courteously. We should all be trying to develop our own and each other’s learning, rather than scoring points off each other.

General discussion forum

A general discussion forum will be set up on iLearn. Students are encouraged to contribute to these discussions, provided the general rules of etiquette are observed. The forum is intended for discussion relating to the issues we are studying. Please post questions relating to administrative matters to the forum called ‘Discussion Forum re Administrative Matters’, while posting questions relating to the formative quizzes and citation exercises to the forum headed 'Discussion Forum re Formative Quizzes and Citation Exercises'.

General notes:

• Lectures are delivered only via iLearn: there are no ‘live’ lectures in this unit.
• Each week's readings are listed in the Schedule of Readings (available on iLearn). The pages of the essential readings relevant to each sub-topic are also set out on iLearn itself.

Topic 1: Introduction to International Law

A primary purpose of international law is to govern the relationship between different sovereign states. We begin by examining the scope and history of this fascinating subject. Besides introducing some key institutions such as the United Nations, this topic also addresses the oft raised question: are international relations really under the rule of law, or is it more a matter of might equalling right?

• Deadline for Quiz A: 11.00 pm, Sunday 6 March (Week 2)

Topic 2: Sources of International Law

All systems of law require a degree of certainty as to what rules govern any particular act or event. This topic considers how those rules are created and where they can be found. It also looks at some basic principles of international law which, though traceable back to classical times, are very much alive today.

• Deadline for Quiz B: 11.00 pm, Sunday 13 March (Week 3)

Topic 3: The Formation of Treaties

Treaties form much of the substance of international law. But what are treaties, how are they formed and how do they impact on states that sign them as well as those that do not? This topic also considers the issue of reservations: mechanisms whereby states seek to modify or avoid certain effects of treaties.

• Deadline for Quiz C: 11.00 pm, Sunday 20 March (Week 4)

Topic 4: Interpretation and Enforceability of Treaties

Continuing our examination of the law as it relates to treaties, this topic looks at what is probably the most difficult issue of all: their interpretation. It also explores the various ways in which states might try to escape liability under a treaty, for instance by declaring it invalid, or by simply refusing to comply with it.

• Deadline for Quiz D: 11.00 pm, Sunday 27 March (Week 5)

Topic 5: International and National Law

What is the relationship between national and international law? If Australia were to breach international law, what effect can that have on the rights and responsibilities of ordinary Australians? This topic answers those questions, also giving thought to the part played by international law in other legal systems, such as those found in civil law countries.

• Deadline for Quiz E: 11.00 pm, Sunday 3 April (Week 6)

Topic 6: Statehood and Personality

The concept of state sovereignty is central to international law. What is more, much is made of the right of certain peoples to self-determination. But what is a state? And what does it mean to have legal personality in international law? This topic considers issues such as what is involved when a state decides to recognise the existence of another state or government, as well as the increasing role of international organisations in international law.

• Deadline for Quiz F: 11.00 pm, Sunday 24 April (Week 7)

Topic 7: State Responsibility

To what extent can a state be blamed for the wrongdoings of its agents or officials? Are states responsible for the acts of their citizens or corporations? If foreign property is damaged in a riot or an insurrection, can the state be required to make restitution? This topic answers these and other questions relating to state responsibility in international law.

• Deadline for Quiz G: 11.00 pm, Sunday 1 May (Week 8)

Topic 8: Treatment of Foreign Nationals

When you visit a foreign country, can that country be held to account under international law if it mistreats you, such as imprisons you without trial or confiscates your property? Is a state obliged to treat non-nationals as generously as it does its own citizens? Conversely, is it free to treat them just as badly? This topic also examines how and when a state may be entitled to protect its nationals when abroad.

• Deadline for Quiz H: 11.00 pm, Sunday 8 May (Week 9)

Topic 9: State Jurisdiction and Immunity

Jurisdiction refers to the scope of a state’s lawful authority. This topic considers issues such as the extent to which one state can make laws relating to events that occur in another, as well as what laws apply on a ship or onboard a plane. It also explains concepts such as sovereign, diplomatic and consular immunity.

• Deadline for Quiz J: 11.00 pm, Sunday 15 May (Week 10)

Topic 10: International Dispute Settlement

Ultimately, states can settle their differences by going to war. Since 1945, however, concerted efforts have been made to find peaceful means of dispute resolution. This topic looks as institutions such as the International Court of Justice, as well as mechanisms designed to encourage negotiation and compromise.

• Deadline for Quiz K: 11.00 pm, Sunday 22 May (Week 11)

Topic 11: International Use of Force

Despite humanity’s efforts, the scourge of international armed conflict is yet to be eradicated. This topic examines the general prohibition on the use or threat of force, as well as exceptions to that rule in cases such as self defence or when military action is authorised by the United Nations. It also looks at situations that raise difficult legal and moral questions, such as the disputed right to anticipatory self defence, as well as military interventions against oppressive regimes or to prevent humanitarian disasters.

• Deadline for Quiz L: 11.00 pm, Sunday 29 May (Week 12)

Topic 12: International Criminal Law

Traditionally, individuals were merely the objects of international law. The 20^th century saw a growing concern for the protection of the individual under human rights conventions. The signs are that the 21^st century will be the age of individual responsibility under international law, as the global community becomes increasingly reluctant to allow those who commit the most heinous of crimes to escape personal responsibility.

• Deadline for Quiz M: 11.00 pm, Sunday 5 June (Week 13)

Numerous changes have been made to this unit since its 2015 offering. These have been made in order to align the unit with LAWS259. In particular:

1. The prescribed textbook has been changed;
2. Online quizzes and other exercises have been introduced;
3. The exam format has been changed.