Faculty of Business and Law

School: Law and Justice

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Advanced Legal Research Thesis
  • Unit Code

    LAW4710
  • Year

    2015
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    30
  • Full Year Unit

    Y
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

This unit requires the successful completion of a major research topic formulated by the student, approved in writing by the Law Honours Sub-Committee, and supervised by an allocated supervisor appointed by the Sub-Committee. The student must actively participate in the research and supervision process, which must culminate in the writing of a scholarly thesis on that approved topic of 12,000 to 15,000 words, excluding footnotes, tables and appendices. This unit is regulated by the policy Management of Honours Candidature, Grading of Honours performance and Student Support and students are referred to http://www.business.ecu.edu.au/courses/honours.htm. Interested students should initially consult with the Law Course Coordinator. Students who have completed LAW3700 Supervised Legal Research Paper wishing to enrol in this unit must satisfy the sub-committee that the proposed topic is significantly different from that undertaken in LAW3700.

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

No formal contact hours, but regular meetings with the Supervisor, and attendance at legal research seminars.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Conduct relevant legal research into the approved topic, applying research skills to contemporary legal issues and law reform.
  2. Formulate a clearly defined and appropriate legal research topic.
  3. Synthesise the legal research, demonstrating in-depth analysis of complex legal issues.
  4. Write a scholarly legal dissertation of between 12,000-15,000 words, excluding footnotes, tables and appendices on the approved topic, which demonstrates deep and independent critical analysis, reflection and synthesis, and makes a significant contribution to that field of legal knowledge as well as promoting awareness on any need for law reform.

Unit Content

  1. The unit content will be the outcome of the research process engaged in by the student in an approved topic.Candidates are encouraged to consider contemporary legal problems from a cross-juridictional perspective.

Additional Learning Experience Information

No formal contact hours, but regular meetings with the Supervisor are required, plus attendance at one or more research seminars.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
PresentationOral Presentation of research thesis15%
AssignmentLegal research dissertation of 12,000-15,000 words, excluding footnotes, tables and appendices.85%

Text References

  • ^ Australian Guide to Legal Citation. (2010). (3rd ed.). Melbourne University Law Review Associaton Inc.
  • Campbell, E., Poh-York, L., & Toober, J. (1996). Legal research: Materials and methods (4th ed.).
  • Edith Cowan University Management of honours candidature, grading of honours performance and student support. http://www.business.ecu.edu.au/courses/honours.htm

^ Mandatory reference


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

LAW4710|1|1

Faculty of Business and Law

School: Law and Justice

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Advanced Legal Research Thesis
  • Unit Code

    LAW4710
  • Year

    2015
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    30
  • Full Year Unit

    Y
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

This unit requires the successful completion of a major research topic formulated by the student, approved in writing by the Law Honours Sub-Committee, and supervised by an allocated supervisor appointed by the Sub-Committee. The student must actively participate in the research and supervision process, which must culminate in the writing of a scholarly thesis on that approved topic of 12,000 to 15,000 words, excluding footnotes, tables and appendices. This unit is regulated by the policy Management of Honours Candidature, Grading of Honours performance and Student Support and students are referred to http://www.business.ecu.edu.au/courses/honours.htm. Interested students should initially consult with the Law Course Coordinator. Students who have completed LAW3700 Supervised Legal Research Paper wishing to enrol in this unit must satisfy the sub-committee that the proposed topic is significantly different from that undertaken in LAW3700.

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

No formal contact hours, but regular meetings with the Supervisor, and attendance at legal research seminars.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Conduct relevant legal research into the approved topic, applying research skills to contemporary legal issues and law reform.
  2. Formulate a clearly defined and appropriate legal research topic.
  3. Synthesise the legal research, demonstrating in-depth analysis of complex legal issues.
  4. Write a scholarly legal dissertation of between 12,000-15,000 words, excluding footnotes, tables and appendices on the approved topic, which demonstrates deep and independent critical analysis, reflection and synthesis, and makes a significant contribution to that field of legal knowledge as well as promoting awareness on any need for law reform.

Unit Content

  1. The unit content will be the outcome of the research process engaged in by the student in an approved topic.Candidates are encouraged to consider contemporary legal problems from a cross-juridictional perspective.

Additional Learning Experience Information

No formal contact hours, but regular meetings with the Supervisor are required, plus attendance at one or more research seminars.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
PresentationOral Presentation of research thesis15%
AssignmentLegal research dissertation of 12,000-15,000 words, excluding footnotes, tables and appendices.85%

Text References

  • ^ Australian Guide to Legal Citation. (2010). (3rd ed.). Melbourne University Law Review Associaton Inc.
  • Campbell, E., Poh-York, L., & Toober, J. (1996). Legal research: Materials and methods (4th ed.).
  • Edith Cowan University Management of honours candidature, grading of honours performance and student support. http://www.business.ecu.edu.au/courses/honours.htm

^ Mandatory reference


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

LAW4710|1|2