Students

LAWS533 – Law Journals

2017 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Ilija Vickovich
Contact via ilija.vickovich@mq.edu.au
W3A 624
Fri 1pm-2pm
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
24cp in LAW or LAWS units and permission by special approval
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Under the supervision of the Editor of Macquarie Law Journal, this unit is limited to a very small number of students per semester, who are selected on the basis of their academic results, experience and writing ability. The unit is run in Session 1 each year and invitations to apply for enrolment in LAWS533 are sent to Law students after the conclusion of Session 2 each year (usually in Nov-Dec with applications due in January). Each student completes a range of tasks with respect to the production and publication of the Journal, which include communicating with authors and reviewers, checking articles for accuracy and compliance with style, and editing and proofreading of accepted articles prior to publication. Students are also required to submit two written works to a high standard, typically a case note and a critical review. Classes on editing, research and writing are provided and, when possible, students also participate in a field trip to a legal publishing house.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Define and describe the production and peer review processes of an academic law journal
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard
  • Demonstrate a capacity to proofread, edit, check and critique legal academic works in terms of substance and style
  • Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal and communication skills as part of an editorial team

General Assessment Information

 

In the absence of a successful application for special consideration due to a disruption to studies, any assessment task submitted after its published deadline will not be graded and will receive a mark of zero.  Applications for a Disruption to Studies are made electronically via ask.mq.edu.au and should be accompanied by supporting documentation.  Students should refer to the Disruption to Studies policy for complete details of the policy and a description of the supporting documentation required.

Word limits will be strictly applied and work above the word limit will not be marked. 

All assessments in the unit are to be submitted electronically. Plagiarism detection software is used in this unit.

 

 

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Written Work 1 25% No 7 April
Written Work 2 25% No 26 May
Class Participation 40% No During semester
Portfolio 10% No 9 June

Written Work 1

Due: 7 April
Weighting: 25%

Each student is to provide a short written proposal (approx 200 words) in week 2 for the first written work. The work is to be one of the following: a case note, legislation note, book review or literature review on a legal topic of the student's choice. Once the proposal for the first written work is presented and accepted, students will proceed to write their fully referenced written work (max 2,000 words plus footnotes) to a publishable standard and submit the work through Turnitin in week 6 (Fri 7 April). The work will require independent research of materials beyond those provided by the unit convenor. Further detailed information about this assessment task will be provided by the unit convenor.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard
  • Demonstrate a capacity to proofread, edit, check and critique legal academic works in terms of substance and style

Written Work 2

Due: 26 May
Weighting: 25%

Once students have been allocated a submitted article from an author for carriage towards potential publication in a journal edition, they will commence working on their second written work, a critical review of the article (max 2,000 words plus footnotes). The work will require independent research of materials beyond those provided by the unit convenor and will require students to fact check, verify sources and references and place the article in the context of relevant literature in the field. They will submit it through Turnitin in week 11 (Fri 26 May). Further detailed information about this assessment task will be provided by the unit convenor.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard

Class Participation

Due: During semester
Weighting: 40%

1.       Students will be assessed on their participation in the seminar classes of weeks 1-6, their understanding of required readings and contributions to class discussion and exercises on substantive materials (15%).

2.       Students will also be assessed on their participation in the editorial meetings as required by the editors of the journals, their carriage of submitted works, communications with authors and reviewers and their attendance to journal production matters in a competent and timely manner (25%).

Further detailed information about this assessment task will be provided by the unit convenor.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Define and describe the production and peer review processes of an academic law journal
  • Demonstrate a capacity to proofread, edit, check and critique legal academic works in terms of substance and style
  • Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal and communication skills as part of an editorial team

Portfolio

Due: 9 June
Weighting: 10%

Students are required to create and submit a Portfolio during the semester as a record of their activities and work. It must also contain appropriate reflection statements. Further information about the contents of the Portfolio will be provided by the unit convenor. The format of the Portfolio will be at the discretion of the student. Students are to submit the Portfolio through Turnitin in week 13 (Fri 9 June).Further detailed information about this assessment task will be provided by the unit convenor.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Define and describe the production and peer review processes of an academic law journal
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal and communication skills as part of an editorial team

Delivery and Resources

Delivery and Resources

1.  Australian Guide to Legal Citation 3rd ed

2.  Weekly readings and materials, as well as class writing and editing exercises, templates, journal production process documents and other resources will be made available during the session through iLearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Any student seeking an extension of time to complete any assessment task must contact the unit convenor as soon as possible and formally apply for special consideration. Supportive documentary evidence must be provided. In cases of extensions sought on medical grounds, a certificate signed by a medical practitioner must be submitted as supportive evidence. Extensions of more than seven (7) days will not usually be granted. Students are referred to the university special consideration policy at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs /s pecial_cons ideration/policy.html

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Define and describe the production and peer review processes of an academic law journal
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard

Assessment tasks

  • Written Work 1
  • Written Work 2
  • Class Participation

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Define and describe the production and peer review processes of an academic law journal
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Demonstrate a capacity to proofread, edit, check and critique legal academic works in terms of substance and style
  • Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal and communication skills as part of an editorial team

Assessment tasks

  • Written Work 2
  • Class Participation
  • Portfolio

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard

Assessment task

  • Portfolio

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard
  • Demonstrate a capacity to proofread, edit, check and critique legal academic works in terms of substance and style

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Define and describe the production and peer review processes of an academic law journal
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard
  • Demonstrate a capacity to proofread, edit, check and critique legal academic works in terms of substance and style

Assessment tasks

  • Written Work 1
  • Written Work 2
  • Class Participation

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Define and describe the production and peer review processes of an academic law journal
  • Demonstrate a capacity to proofread, edit, check and critique legal academic works in terms of substance and style
  • Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal and communication skills as part of an editorial team

Assessment tasks

  • Written Work 1
  • Written Work 2
  • Portfolio

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Define and describe the production and peer review processes of an academic law journal
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard
  • Demonstrate a capacity to proofread, edit, check and critique legal academic works in terms of substance and style
  • Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal and communication skills as part of an editorial team

Assessment tasks

  • Written Work 1
  • Written Work 2
  • Class Participation
  • Portfolio

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Critique legal academic articles and other works
  • Produce written academic work to a publishable standard
  • Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal and communication skills as part of an editorial team

Assessment tasks

  • Written Work 1
  • Class Participation
  • Portfolio

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise and identify the fundamentals of legal academic publishing
  • Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal and communication skills as part of an editorial team

Assessment task

  • Class Participation