In-semester test (20%): The test will be:

• supervised, pen-and-paper format;
• one hour long, with an additional 15 minutes of reading time; and
• scheduled by the Law School outside of class time, commencing at 5.15PM on Monday 31 March, 2025 (Sydney, Australia time).

The test will:

• be open book, but no electronic devices may be used;
• consist of several multiple-choice and short-response questions; and 
• test learning outcome 1 by asking students to demonstrate an understanding of the sources of, and hierarchies between, Australian law, the fundamental principles underpinning the Australian legal system, and the government institutions responsible for making and enforcing laws, and for adjudicating disputes; and
• ask students to identify ratio and/or obiter statements in a short fictional judgment.

Intensive exam (40%): The exam will be

• a supervised, pen-and-paper format;
• two hours long, with an additional 30 minutes of reading time;
• scheduled some time during the April intensive exam week which commences Monday 14 April, 2025, with the exact date to be advised by the exams office closer to the time. Exam information is available at https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/exams.html. 

The exam will:

• be open book, but no electronic devices may be used;
• require students to write short answer responses to questions about a case given to them in advance, and answer one hypothetical problem question; and
• address learning outcomes 2, 3 and 5 by asking students to analyse a case and evaluate the statutory interpretation approaches used in the case, and to write an answer to a legal problem question, developing sound legal assessments and using appropriate citation practices.

Students who do not pass this assessment must meet with the unit coordinator to discuss further support for their studies.

Research essay (40%):

Students must answer only one question chosen from a list of questions that will be made available on Canvas by 4.00PM on Monday 21 April, 2025. The essay must be submitted via Canvas no later than 4.00PM on Tuesday 27 May, 2025 (Sydney, Australia time). The essay has a 2000-word limit, including citations and references. Essays will no longer be accepted for marking after 4.00PM on Tuesday 10 June, 2025.

The essay task address learning outcomes 1, 3, 4 and 5 and ask students to demonstrate skills in legal research, critical analysis, and written communication by identifying, summarising, and analysing primary and secondary sources, and using these sources to support a persuasive written argument, relevant to the content of the unit of study. Students must also demonstrate an understanding of, and apply, the conventions of legal writing, the principles of academic integrity, and appropriate citation practices.

Word limit penalty: The word limit penalty will be strictly applied. A piece of assessment that exceeds the prescribed word limit (by any amount of words up to and including 100 words) will attract a 10% penalty of the total marks available for the relevant piece of assessment. Every following 100 words (or less) will attract an additional 10% penalty. The total word count for the essay will include citations and references and exclude acknowledgements of permissible assistance from editors, automated writing tools or generative AI (where use is permitted). 

Use of editors and automated writing tools: In completing unsupervised assessments, students may use editors, proof-readers, and automated writing tools (including translation software, grammar checkers, reference generators and artificial intelligence), provided that all use is acknowledged and consistent with University policies and procedures including Academic Integrity Policy. Acknowledgment must be made in writing on the front of the work submitted for assessment, or in an appropriate footnote or other reference, and state the name of the person or software used.

Special consideration: Successful grants of Special Consideration may involve alternative tasks, as appropriate.

Assessment requirement to pass a unit of study: A student must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks set out in this Unit of Study in order to obtain a Pass mark and grade (or above); otherwise an Absent Fail grade will be recorded as the student’s result for this Unit of Study.