Students will be required to complete two formative problem questions. Each problem question will relate to one or more areas of criminal law, and will enable students to develop their legal research and analytical skills; reinforce their knowledge of relevant doctrinal principles; and enhance their contextual understanding of the laws underpinning the administration of criminal justice.

The problem questions will be assessed on an ongoing basis throughout the semester. They will test students' understanding of the criminal law in common law and in statute, and students' ability to structure an answer to a problem question, identify applicable law, and legal issues from a fact scenario.

Advice will be given in seminars on how to structure answers to problem questions; identify applicable law; identify and resolve legal issues; and develop a clear and coherent analysis.

The questions will require an advanced and critical application of the principles of statutory interpretation, problem solving, independent research and demonstration of other legal skills.

These assessments will have the following due dates:

Q 1: Sunday 27 August 2017 at 11.59pm (Week 4)

Q 2: Sunday 8 October 2017 at 11.59 pm (Week 8)

Task 1 will be worth a total of 30% (15 marks per question).

Word limits for each question will be released with the questions, which will be posted on iLearn at the start of semester. Word limits include substantive footnotes and there is no leeway for word limits. Markers will stop reading once the word limit is reached. 

All work is to be completed in accordance with the AGLC 3rd edition (see General Assessment Information). Each answer must be submitted via Turnitin on iLearn and must comply with the instructions found under General Assessment Information. 

A marking rubric will be provided with the assessment task. 

Class participation will be worth 20%. Class participation is not the same thing as class attendance. Students will be required to attend each seminar and participate in set activities, including class discussions, individual and group quizzes, and other set work. Participation requires consistent demonstration of understanding and critical engagement with the required readings.

If you cannot attend a seminar, you must inform the lecturer, via email, as soon as possible. Extended absences of more than two seminars must meet the criteria for Disruption to Studies. Applications for Disruptions to Studies are made online at ask.mq.edu.au in response to a serious and unavoidable event.

External students will be assessed on their participation at the compulsory on-campus session, and must attend all applicable days. External students must undertake the readings and prepare for, and participate in, the seminar exercises.This material will form the basis for the activities undertaken at the on campus session. More information on the structure of the on campus session will be provided on a date closer to the on-campus session days, on iLearn.

Class participation will be assessed on the quality and regularity of participation, not simply its quantity or attendance. Class participation will be assessed on the following criteria:

- Preparation: the student demonstrates reading and engagement with the materials, lectures and any other content provided for each week's seminar. Students will volunteer answers to questions; respond to, and participating effectively in, class debates; and ask questions to clarify anything not understood in the readings or lectures;

- Ability to critically discuss the material: the student critically discusses the seminar materials and contributes to class discussions in a way that assists the learning of others. This will be demonstrated through the ability to respond to questions, suggest counter-arguments and link readings and lecture materials to class activities, current events, and hypothetical scenarios;

- Oral expression: the student verbally expresses their ideas about the materials in a clear, coherent, and concise manner;

- Engaging with other students: the student engages with others in the class, displays respect for others' opinions and differences; actively listens, and provides constructive feedback;

- Collaboration: the student works collaboratively and productively in small groups, fosters discussion, shares opinions, and explores and resolves points of consensus and disagreement;

- Demonstration of skills: the student demonstrates legal skills taught in the unit, including statutory interpretation, problem solving, oral and written communication skills and general legal reasoning.

Students will be required to write a draft submission to a law reform inquiry for the final assessment of the unit, worth 50% of the final grade. Students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of the law, their ability to critically engage and evaluate existing legal principles, statutory frameworks and broader social contexts, and to propose sound, viable (legally, socially and politically), and reasoned legal and policy reforms.

The topic of the law reform, the terms of references, and advice on how to draft submissions will all be provided on the iLearn site, along with detailed instructions.

All work is to be submitted via Turnitin on iLearn by the due date, and must comply with the instructions found under General Assessment Information. The submission, including footnotes, must be written in accordance with the AGLC 3rd edition. No bibliography is required, as all references must be in footnotes. 

The maximum word count for the submission is 2500 words, including substantive comments in footnotes.