Course Syllabus
LAW1301 Legal Research Reading and Writing
PDF
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Code
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LAW1301
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Title
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Legal Research Reading and Writing
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Prerequisites
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None
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Credits
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3
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Description
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This course introduces students to the methodology of reading legal texts: extending from Treaties, constitutions, legislation and cases. The course also covers the basic techniques of legal research, writing and analysis. Students learn to brief cases, perhaps synthesize cases from related fields, and write legal documents such as opinions, memoranda, or thesis related essays. The course aims at providing students with insight into the nature of legal scholarship. For this purpose, the notion of “scholarship” will first be examined in general. Based on this solid foundation of skills, students undertake an in depth study of research scholarship and learn how to prepare, draft and outline a thesis manuscript.
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Objectives
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The student should be able to analyze a case and communicate conclusions in writing to supervisor or colleague;
Write various office communications including objective memo.
Apply citation rules conforming to at least one manual of style;
Evaluate websites based on a set of criteria for trustworthiness and objectivity
Demonstrate an ability to execute research independently and an understanding of scope and limitations of electronic databases
Demonstrate a basic knowledge of a typical thesis format and approaches to legal topics
Define ‘literature review’ and demonstrate the ability to write a basic review.
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Assessment
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60 % -first and second assessments
40 % -final assessment
- Tentative course outline
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Week1
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Introductory material
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Week2
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Case briefs
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Week3
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Research: KZ databases
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Week4
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Databases, Case Brief
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Week5
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Memo Writing
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Week6
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Case briefs and drafting memo as homework; Zakon
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Week7
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Memo Writing; review of what to write for a memorandum
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Week8
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Literature review writing assignment Ebooks Citation
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Week9
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European Law research Comparative law
Student presentation on country
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Week10
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Proquest/
Presentation on country
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Week11
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Literature Review: How to judge websites; writing a thesis
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Week12
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Presentations: Student presentations of countries
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Week13
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Discussion of first draft and of article mapping
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Week14
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Examples of Academic: Discussion of writing samples
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Week15
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Review