Students

LAWS1000 – Foundations of Law

2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
George Tomossy
Contact via e-mail
6FW 510
Wed 1-2 (weeks 1-7, 8-13) via Zoom
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to LLB
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit will enable students to attain the key legal skills (legal research, reasoning, and writing; applying precedent; statutory interpretation; and legal problem solving) and to acquire the foundational legal knowledge (Australia legal institutions; legal theory; comparative legal systems; parliamentary process; role of the judiciary) necessary for further study in law. This unit will challenge students to apply their skills and knowledge to examine a contemporary socio-legal issue through a collaborative group project. Students will also engage in reflective practice.

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:

  • ULO1: Define, describe and relate sources of legal norms and foundational elements of the Australian legal system.
  • ULO2: Apply principles of academic honesty and rules for correct legal citation.
  • ULO3: Apply principles of statutory interpretation and the doctrine of precedent to interpret primary legal sources (case law and legislation) for the purpose of deriving legal rules and principles.
  • ULO4: Analyse factual problem scenarios and prepare a structured response using the HIRAC framework for legal problem solving.
  • ULO5: Locate relevant primary and secondary sources through legal research using online databases, library resources and internet sources.
  • ULO6: Analyse legal problems in their broader social context

General Assessment Information

Further instructions for each assessment task are available on the unit's iLearn page.

Students are also advised that:

  1. All assessment tasks are due by 10:00 am on the dates indicated for each assessment task.
  2. All assessment tasks are due by the first date as noted. The second 'Hurdle' due date corresponds to the deadline for supplementary work that may need to be completed in order to satisfy the learning outcomes associated with each assessment task.
  3. All assessment tasks in this unit are 'hurdle requirements' and must be completed at a Satisfactory level (to the standard prescribed for each assessment task) in order to pass this unit.
  4. In cases where students fail to complete one assessment task at a Satisfactory level (provided that they have made genuine attempts at both initial and supplementary work on that task), the Convenor may provide one further opportunity to reattempt the task or carry out supplementary work in order to achieve the required learning outcome(s). The Convenor will base this decision on a review of the student's work across the unit in consultation with the student's tutor(s) and/or marker(s).
  5. The Faculty of Arts Late Submission Policy requires that: “Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.” Please note that this rule applies to the due date of applicable assessment tasks in this unit; the rule does not apply to a subsequent deadline prescribed for an assessment task for the purpose of completing supplementary work or re-attempts of online quizzes in order to satisfy hurdle requirements.
  6. This unit is ungraded and will not count towards a student's LAWS WAM (Weighted Average Mark in LAWS units) . Students will be awarded 'Satisfactory' or 'Fail' at the end of the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Academic Integrity and Referencing Quiz 10% Yes 10/08/20 (hurdle 17/08/20)
Core Skills Assignment 30% Yes 24/08/20 (hurdle 12/10/20)
Legal Research Quizzes 15% Yes 7/09/20 (hurdle 5/10/20)
Hypothetical Problem 20% Yes 21/09/20 (hurdle 2/11/20)
Law and Policy Reform Wiki 10% Yes 28/09/20 (hurdle 23/11/20)
Group Presentations 5% Yes In-Class Weeks 9-13 (hurdle 23/11/20)
Foundations Quiz 10% Yes 5/11/20 (hurdle 9/11/20)

Academic Integrity and Referencing Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: 10/08/20 (hurdle 17/08/20)
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Two online multiple choice quizzes in which students will demonstrate their ability to apply principles of academic integrity and rules for correct legal citation.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply principles of academic honesty and rules for correct legal citation.

Core Skills Assignment

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 24/08/20 (hurdle 12/10/20)
Weighting: 30%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Consists of a short assignment (max 1,500 words, excluding footnotes) submitted online in which students will analyse and interpret primary legal sources (case law and legislation).


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply principles of academic honesty and rules for correct legal citation.
  • Apply principles of statutory interpretation and the doctrine of precedent to interpret primary legal sources (case law and legislation) for the purpose of deriving legal rules and principles.
  • Locate relevant primary and secondary sources through legal research using online databases, library resources and internet sources.

Legal Research Quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 7/09/20 (hurdle 5/10/20)
Weighting: 15%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Consists of five (5) online multiple choice quizzes where students will demonstrate their ability to carry out legal research using online databases, library and internet sources.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Locate relevant primary and secondary sources through legal research using online databases, library resources and internet sources.

Hypothetical Problem

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 21/09/20 (hurdle 2/11/20)
Weighting: 20%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Consists of a written assignment (approximately 1,000 words), submitted online, where students will provide a legal opinion on a hypothetical problem.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply principles of academic honesty and rules for correct legal citation.
  • Apply principles of statutory interpretation and the doctrine of precedent to interpret primary legal sources (case law and legislation) for the purpose of deriving legal rules and principles.
  • Analyse factual problem scenarios and prepare a structured response using the HIRAC framework for legal problem solving.
  • Locate relevant primary and secondary sources through legal research using online databases, library resources and internet sources.

Law and Policy Reform Wiki

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 28/09/20 (hurdle 23/11/20)
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Consists of a group report (online wiki) in which students aim to develop recommendations for legal and policy reform to address a contemporary socio-legal problem.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply principles of academic honesty and rules for correct legal citation.
  • Locate relevant primary and secondary sources through legal research using online databases, library resources and internet sources.

Group Presentations

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: In-Class Weeks 9-13 (hurdle 23/11/20)
Weighting: 5%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Consists of a group presentation (of findings reported in the Law and Policy Reform Wiki) and contribution to Q&A sessions from other presentations.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse legal problems in their broader social context

Foundations Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 8 hours
Due: 5/11/20 (hurdle 9/11/20)
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

This timed online quiz requires students to demonstrate their understanding of foundational concepts necessary for further study in law attained derived from lectures and readings throughout the unit.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Define, describe and relate sources of legal norms and foundational elements of the Australian legal system.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

All Lectures for this unit are pre-recorded and can be accessed via the unit iLearn page.

Tutorials will be conducted face-to-face and/or online (via Zoom), commence in Week 1 and conclude in Week 13. Students should consult the official Timetable for class times, dates and locations (if face-to-face) and mode of delivery at a specified time at: http://timetables.mq.edu.au  Instructions for online tutorials via Zoom will be provided on the unit's iLearn page.

Online content for this unit can be accessed at http://ilearn.mq.edu.au

Required Textbooks:

  • Michelle Sanson and Thalia Anthony, Connecting with the Law (Oxford University Press, 4th ed, 2018).
  • Michelle Sanson, Statutory Interpretation (Oxford University Press, 2nd ed, 2016).
  • Gabrielle Appleby, Alexander Reilly and Laura Grenfell, Australian Public Law (Oxford University Press, 3rd ed., 2018).

Additional required and recommended reading materials will be posted at the unit’s iLearn page.

Computer and Internet access are required in order to successfully complete this unit. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement.

Unit Schedule

Week #

Topics Covered

1

Welcome and Overview; Academic Honesty; Legal Citation

2

Common Law and Equity; Statutory Interpretation

3

The Australian Constitution and Separation of Powers; Briefing Cases

4

Judicial Reasoning and the Doctrine of Precedent; Legal Problem Solving

5

Law and Policy Reform; Analysing Scholarship

6

Australian Courts

7

Tribunals

8

Indigenous Customary Law

9

Introduction to International Law

10

The Rule of Law

11

Democratic Institutions

12

Advocacy

13

The Rest of your Law Degree

Further details on lecture topics and tutorial activities can be found on the unit’s iLearn page.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

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

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.