Assessment 2: Research plan
Overview
Task type
Method
Individual weighting
Due date
Length/time
Research plan Individual 35% 23.59 AEST Sunday, Week 4 1000 words +/- 10%
Purpose
1. To create a plan for a research essay.
2. To research and write about contemporary legal issues – also as situated within historical context.
Outcomes
Unit learning outcomes alignment
Graduate learning outcomes alignment
ULO1: Develop a broad knowledge and understanding of the historical foundations of the Australian legal system and its sources of law.
ULO2: Locate primary and secondary sources of law and apply them to develop ideas and arguments about legal issues.
ULO3: Analyse and explain how Australian legal institutions work both separately and collaboratively.
ULO4: Evaluate the Australian legal system in context. P1: Employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills.
P3: Use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems.
P5: Display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload.
GC 4: Communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings.
GA 3: Apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways.
Submission guidelines
The assessment must be submitted online via the teaching site in UCLearn. The rst page of each assessment item should include the assessment coversheet declaring the authenticity of the work.
? Click on the link below to download the assessment coversheet template.
? Assessment coversheet
(https://courseapps.studyonline.canberra.edu.au/courses/JD/11751_Legal_Methods/JD%20assessment%20coversheet.docx)
Only Word (*doc or *docx) to be uploaded
Submission via the teaching site in UCLearn; access to draft plagiarism checking via Ouriginal is available
In submitting, students acknowledge that they have presented their own work and that they have acknowledged fully when relying on the knowledge or sources of others.
Instructions
Preparing for and writing an essay based on relevant research is a core skill for studying law and in legal practice, honing skills in research, analysis and argumentation, all vital in the professional legal context. In this assessment, you will prepare a plan for your later research essays. You will be able to choose from research questions presented in the assignment instructions via the teaching site in UCLearn. You will be guided towards developing a plan, which summarizes your selected research topic, develop a structure for the research essay, present a de ned research question/problem, and collates relevant sources.
For further information on essay planning, also consult here (https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/essay_planning/essayplanning#:~:text=One%20way%20to%20start%20planning,with%20a%20’box%20plan’.&text=Then%20divide%20up%20a%20box,how
.
A minimum of 5 current, high-quality sources are supposed to be drawn upon in preparing the essay plan. Your Plan should evidence how these are relevant to the research question. You may wish to note their relevance in a short literature review or via an annotated bibliography. You will be able to use these sources again in Assessment 3, as well as further sources. Sources should be reasonable current and highly relevant. Any sources already provided with the assessment are extra to the set minimum of ve.
Assessment 2: Research plan
Criteria Ratings Pts
Description of criterion
Research problem and context clearly identified and outlined 30 to 25.5 Pts HD (High distinction)
Succinct, clear and comprehensive explanation of ideas identifying the research problem and its context is presented, outline is provided succinct and clearly identified. 25.5 to 22.5 Pts
DI (Distinction)
Clear and comprehensive explanation of ideas identifying the research problem and its context is presented, outline is provided clearly and succinctly. 22.5 to 19.5 Pts
CR (Credit)
Clear identification of the research problem and its context is apparent, outline is clearly provided. Clear explanation of ideas identifying the researc problem and its context, outline is clearly provided. h 19.5 to 15.0 Pts
P (Pass)
Basic explanation of ideas identifying the research problem and its context, a somewhat clear outline is provided. 15 to 0 Pts F (Fail)
No/unclear explanation of ideas identifying the research problem and its context, little or no outline is provided. 30 pts
Description of criterion
Utilisation of research sources up-todate and relevant 25 to 21.25 Pts HD (High distinction)
The number and
quality of scholarly references far exceeds requirements and are highly relevant to the selected research topic. All relevant articles are reviewed, from appropriate reliable outlets and covering the latest current developments. 21.25 to 18.75 Pts
DI (Distinction)
The number and
quality of scholarly references exceeds requirements and are directly relevant to the selected research topic. Nearly all relevant articles are reviewed, from appropriate reliable outlets and covering the latest current developments. 18.75 to 16.25 Pts
CR (Credit)
A good number of relevant and current research sources is included, from appropriate outlets. 16.25 to 12.5 Pts
P (Pass)
Number or quality of relevant scholarly references does not quite meet requirements. Explain the criterion
Use of up-to-date and relevant research sources 25 to 21.25 HD Points (High distinction)
The number and quality of academic references far exceeds what is required, and they are all very relevant to the topic chosen for research. All relevant articles are looked at, making sure they come from reliable sources and cover the latest news. 21.25 to 18.75 Points DI (Distinction)
The number and quality of scholarly references go above and beyond what is required, and they are all directly related to the topic chosen for research. Nearly all relevant articles are looked at. These articles come from reputable sources and cover the most recent events. 18,75 to 16,25 CR Points (Credit)
There are a good number of current and relevant research sources from the right places. 16.25 to 12.5 Points P (Pass)
The number or quality of scholarly references that are relevant but not quite what is needed.
Majority, but not all, of the references cited are from reliable legitimate up-to-date sources. Accuracy of some sources may not be verifiable but are generally regarded as legitimate. 12.5 to 0 Pts F (Fail)
Number and
quality of relevant scholarly references does not meet requirements. Research articles reviewed are scattered and unrelated, or dated. 25 pts
Criteria Ratings Pts
Description of criterion
Clarity of organisation and structure 25 to 21.25 Pts HD (High distinction)
The research
plan is logically and creatively organised and flows smoothly, with unity and coherence, to support a clear central focus. The research plan is organised according to the research problem, methods, or subtopics, with sources integrated in sophisticated ways to demonstrate trends in current research. Introduction provides expert background on the topic and previews major points in interesting and insightful ways. 21.25 to 18.75 Pts
DI (Distinction)
The research plan is structured and organised in a clear but complex and highly developed way. The research plan is mostly organised according to research problem, methods, or subtopics, with sources integrated effectively to demonstrate trends in current research. Introduction provides excellent background on the topic and previews major points. 18.75 to 16.25 Pts
CR (Credit)
The research plan is coherently and logically structured and organised to support the central purpose. Content and purpose of the plan are clear. Structure is clear and easy to follow. Introduction provides sufficient background on the topic and previews major points. 16.25 to 12.5 Pts
P (Pass)
The research plan is mostly effective and organised to support the central purpose, however may be poorly structured or disorganised in parts. Content and purpose of the plan are clear. Structure is clear and easy to follow. Introduction provides sufficient background on the topic and previews major points. 12.5 to 0 Pts F (Fail)
Research plan
is not clearly or logically organised. 25 pts
Criteria Ratings Pts
Description of criterion
Effective communication 10 to 8.5 Pts HD (High distinction)
Language and vocabulary are sophisticated but also clear and precise. Sentences display consistently strong, varied structure. Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are followed. Spelling is correct. There are no grammatical or vocabulary errors that could affect clarity. 8.5 to 7.5 Pts
DI (Distinction)
Language and vocabulary are highly advanced and used with clarity and precision. Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are nearly always followed. Spelling is nearly always correct. There are no more than a few grammatical or vocabulary errors, but these do not affect clarity. 7.5 to 6.5 Pts
CR (Credit)
Language and vocabulary are used effectively, and mostly with clarity and precision. Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are mostly followed. Spelling is mostly correct. There are no more than a few grammatical or vocabulary errors, but these do not affect clarity. 6.5 to 5.0 Pts P (Pass)
Language and vocabulary are used soundly, although sometimes unclear or imprecise. Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are mostly followed. There are some grammatical or vocabulary errors that may affect clarity. 5 to 0 Pts F (Fail)
Language and vocabulary are often unclear, or sentence structure disorganised. Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are not followed.
There are some significant errors in
grammar and vocabulary that affect clarity. 10 pts
Description of criterion
Referencing 10 to 8.5 Pts HD (High distinction)
Outstanding, advanced and correct use of prescribed referencing style, including a reference list with no content or formatting errors. 8.5 to 7.5 Pts DI
(Distinction)
Correct use of prescribed referencing style, including a reference list with no content or formatting errors. 7.5 to 6.5 Pts
CR (Credit)
Correct use of prescribed referencing style, including a reference list with minimal content or formatting errors. 6.5 to 5.0 Pts P (Pass)
Effective use of prescribed referencing style, including a reference list with some significant content or formatting errors. 5 to 0 Pts F (Fail)
Poor or incorrect use of prescribed referencing style, with significant content or formatting errors, and/or does not include a reference list. 10 pts
Total points: 100
