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Unit of Study LAWS6002 - Advanced Legal Research (2026)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

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Unit description

Students enrolled in postgraduate legal studies as part of a thesis or coursework program must demonstrate the capacity to engage with legal research at an advanced level. This unit builds on the research skills students gained in their undergraduate program to enable them to understand the methodologies used in legal research as well as formulate and refine a research topic, locate source materials using advanced technologies and present a research proposal, including literature review and any necessary ethics approval. This unit is highly recommended for students who have never completed a legal research methodologies unit.

Unit content

1. nature and objectives of legal research

2. methodologies used in legal and interdisciplinary research

3. managing a research project

4. building advanced skills in legal research techniques

5. conducting research on a specific area

6. practising academic integrity in legal research and writing.

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
SCU Online
Term2
Term2

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

evaluate the nature and objectives of legal research

identify, evaluate and apply methodologies used in legal and interdisciplinary research

apply advanced legal research techniques to identify, evaluate, record and manage legal and non-legal materials

apply legal research in a specialised area of law, locally and, or, internationally

apply academic integrity and ethical behaviour in advanced legal research and writing.

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • Hutchinson, T, 2018, Research and Writing in Law, 4th edn, Thomson Reuters.
  • O'Leary, Z, 2021, The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project, 4th edn, Sage, London. ISBN: 9781529713466.
Prescribed Resources/Equipment
  • No prescribed resources/equipment.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.