• Submission - All assessments must be submitted electronically. Students should carefully check that they submit the correct file for an assessment, as re-submissions will not be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file in error.

• Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments.

• Word limits - Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked. Footnotes are to be used only for referencing.

• Referencing - Referencing must conform to the requirements set out in the Australian Guide to Legal Citation 4th edition.

• Late submission penalty policy - Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late submission penalty policy will apply to non-timed sensitive assessments (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc).
• Late submission of time-sensitive tasks - Late submission of time-sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.
• Special Consideration - Students should submit applications for Special Consideration electronically via ask.mq.edu.au, along with the supporting documentation. Before submitting their applications, students should refer to the Special Consideration Policy (link provided under 'Policies and Procedures' below). Please do not email to request an extension or email to seek the outcome of a lodged application via email. No information can be provide via email, all information will be provided via the Ask system.

Professional Skills Assessment 

Duration: Tutorials 1-12 

Weighting: 20%

This assessment evaluates students’ professional legal skills and legal judgment as evidenced through engagement in classroom activities. Students are required to self-enrol as a ‘barrister’ in one tutorial across the semester. (A barrister is a type of lawyer who specialises in playing the role of oral advocate in the courtroom or other legal settings.) The final grade will reflect the students’ quality of these skills in the role of barrister and general class member, as well as the sustained demonstration of these skills across the semester.

Assessment Overview - As part of this in-class professional skills assessment, students will be evaluated on their contributions as general class members and in the role of barrister. The role of barrister is included in this assessment design to give all students time and space to contribute meaningfully to class discussions. Marks are not separately awarded for the barrister role contributions. Students’ contributions in both roles are considered when awarding the final mark for this assessment. Barrister - Students will be able to enrol in a chosen tutorial through the self-enrolment tool on iLearn. When in the barrister role, students will be given the first opportunity to engage in classroom discussion to demonstrate their ability to communicate, interact and collaborate professionally and effectively, as well as lead class and group discussions (see Rubric on iLearn). A maximum of 4 students will be in the barrister role in each tutorial. If you are unwell or otherwise unable to make the tutorial in which you have enrolled to be in the barrister role, unenroll from that tutorial and enrol in another tutorial (subject to availability). 

General Class Member - When not in the barrister role, students will have the opportunity to contribute to class and group discussions, engage in class activities, ask questions, and otherwise develop and demonstrate their professional skills as detailed in the Rubric on ilearn. 

Research Assignment

Due: 2 April 2026, 11.55pm

Weighting: 40%

* Please see iLearn website under the banner of 'Assessment'. Then see 'Research Assignment' and then '2026 Research Assignment Question and SubmissionTurnitin icon'.  The Question will be available in Week 1 of semester on iLearn.

Notes

Independent legal research: Please note that responding to this assignment question will require independent legal research that goes beyond the prescribed materials provided in lectures, tutorials and readings.

Word limit: 2,000 words, not including footnotes and bibliography. Footnotes need to be confined to citations. 

Marking Rubric for Research Assignment: Please see LAWS5029 ilearn page.

Final Time-Limited Assessment

Date: 8 June 2026, 10am to 1pm

Weighting: 40%

* Please see iLearn website under the banner of 'Assessment'. Then see 'Final Assessment' and then '2026 Final Assignment Question and SubmissionTurnitin icon'. The Question will be available at 10am on 5 June 2026.

Content: The  Final Time-Limited Assessment will consist of two questions potentially covering all the material covered in the unit. Each question is worth 20%. The assessment will consist of either: (a) one essay question and one problem solving questions; or (b) two essay questions.

A Word length: A maximum word length of 1,200 applies to each answer. This amounts to a total of 2,400 words for the two answers.

Duration: 10am to 1pm, 3 Hours

Rubric for Final Assessment: The Rubric for the Final Assessment is available on ilearn.

Prescribed textbook

Legal Issues in Information Technology Law, M Perry, A Roy, M de Zwart, M Adams, N Selvadurai, H Forrest, M Cormier & S McKenzie, 2022, First edition

ISBN: 9780455245140 $99.00

Where to purchase

• Directly via the Thomson Reuters website: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com.au/student/
• Online Resellers:

Also -

Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/

Zookal: https://www.zookal.com/

Further optional reading (more detailed but old) 

• B Fitzgerald, A Fitzgerald, et al, Internet and E-Commerce Law: Technology, Law and Policy, Thomson Lawbook Co, 2nd edition, 2011. (Whilst old, this is a very detailed and comprehensive textbook on Australian IT law.)

Tutorial readings

• In addition to the prescribed text book, it is necessary to read the materials cited in the Tutorial Questions.
• The Tutorial Questions are found on the iLearn site.
• The Tutorial Readings are accessed via Leganto on iLearn. Additional optional readings are also provided at this location.

Useful Journals

• International Journal of Law and Information Technology, Oxford University, UK.
• Harvard Journal of Law and Technology, Harvard University Press, USA.
• Information Journal of Technology Policy and Law, Inderscience Publications, Switzerland.
• Media and Art Law Review, University of Melbourne Press, Australia.
• Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property, Northwester University Press, Chicago, USA.
• Telecommunications Journal of Australia, Monash University Press, Australia.
• Pittsburgh Journal of Technology Law and Policy, Pittsburgh University Press, USA.
• Information and Communications Technology Law 299-314, University of Surrey, UK.
• Computer and Telecommunications Law Review, Sweet & Maxwell, UK.
• Computer Law and Security Review, Elsevier, UK.

Legislation:

All Commonwealth and State statutes and regulations can be found at http://www.austlii.edu.au.

Ensure reference is made, wherever possible, to consolidated legislation.

Case Law:

For reported case law, use the Macquarie University library to access the:

Lawbookonline database (e.g. CLR, FCR, FLR, NSWLR);

Lexisnexis (Aus) database (e.g. ALR, IPR).

For unreported case law, use: http://www.austlii.edu.au.

Websites

See links to useful websites provided on the iLearn page.