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Academic Writing and Research Skills for Law

LAW402

Course CodeLAW402
ECTS

Course Description

The aim of this unit is to provide learners with understanding of the skills needed to conduct legal research. Academic writing skills will also be a focus of the unit. Learners will consider various types of assessment and the skills and resources applicable thereto. Learners will also understand how to find laws, cite laws, and apply laws to support legal arguments and conclusions.

Course Objectives

The aim of this unit is to provide learners with understanding of the skills needed to conduct legal research. Academic writing skills will also be a focus of the unit. Learners will consider various types of assessment and the skills and resources applicable thereto. Learners will also understand how to find laws, cite laws, and apply laws to support legal arguments and conclusions.

Key Topics

  1. LO1: Understand how to research case law.
  2. LO2: Understand how to research legislative requirements.
  3. LO3: Understand skills of legal citation and writing.
  4. LO4: Be able to analyse personal strengths and areas for development in relation to academic writing skills.

Course Outline

WeekTopics
1Locating case law: the All England Law Reports and online databases
2Separating facts, legal reasoning and outcome
3Finding and accessing Acts of Parliament; green and white papers; using Hansard
4Reading and paraphrasing statute
5Researching a statute's journey into law and the influences on it
6Planning and structuring legal essays, problem questions (IDEA approach) and reports
7Primary and secondary sources, legal dictionaries and journals
MidtermMidterm evaluation
9Command verbs in legal assessment: analyse, evaluate, assess, advise
10Approaches to learning and study
11Self-evaluation of academic skills and English
12Applying Academic Writing and Research Skills for Law in practice: case studies
13Assignment workshop: research, planning and referencing
14Assignment workshop: drafting, feedback and improvement
15Review and coursework completion
FinalFinal assessment and submission

Learning Outcomes

  1. LO1 Understand how to research case law.
  2. 1.1 Identify where to find case law.
  3. 1.2 Explain how to read case law.
  4. 1.3 Analyse the difference between citing judicial legal reasoning and citing legal facts of a case.
  5. LO2 Understand how to research legislative requirements.
  6. 2.1 Identify where to find legislation.
  7. 2.2 Explain how to read statute.
  8. 2.3 Describe how to cite statute.
  9. 2.4 Research a statute and explain the influences that impacted on its progress into law.
  10. LO3 Understand skills of legal citation and writing.
  11. 3.1 Describe how to plan and structure various types of legal assignment.
  12. 3.2 Assess the role of legal citation in academic assessments.
  13. 3.3 Explain the need to apply the command verb in academic writing.
  14. LO4 Be able to analyse personal strengths and areas for development in relation to academic writing skills.
  15. 4.1 Describe the range of approaches to learning and study used.
  16. 4.2 Explain the importance of independent learning skills.
  17. 4.3 Identify and record development needs and specify priority areas for development.
  18. 4.4 Develop a plan for further improvement.
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