LW3003 - Academic Practice for Law

You will learn via a combination of large group sessions (lectures), small group sessions (workshops) and independent/tutor guided independent learning. The module has a one-hour weekly lecture where we will consider the different skills, practices and methods of learning which are relevant to your studies. The lectures are designed to give context to the ideas you will discuss in the workshops. There will be a two hour workshop per week which will be facilitated by group tasks, team working, communication and interpersonal skills and will allow you to reflect on your learning. The workshops will draw heavily on discussions of case studies and consideration of different and wider perspectives on issues which are designed to open your mind to the perspective of others and allow you to take these into account when making decisions.

Use of the module’s e-learning portal will be essential as this will support the work you will be undertaking in the lectures and seminars, it will also contain additional exercises that will allow you to undertake further practice independently.

The academics in the teaching team taking both the lectures and workshops will provide input and support to you. Lectures are recorded on this module and made available via the e-learning portal. This allows you to access and digest the lecture materials post-lecture at your own pace, and review and revise the lecture material on a variety of platforms and devices. The workshops provide you with weekly opportunities for direct and interactive formative feedback on progress and understanding.

This module is supported with a site on the e-Learning Portal (Blackboard). This site stores for you the lecture materials, the lecture recordings and supplementary seminar materials. The site is also the launch pad for you to access a variety of e-Learning resources including videos, documentaries and radio broadcasts using the “Box of Broadcasts” Library service. The modules Online Reading List can be reached through the e-Learning Portal. This list provides you with a single comprehensive list of links from which to access all of the modules eBooks, news resources and directed learning academic articles.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
• Understand the different range of skills required for academic study (LO1)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• You will be able to display developing reflection skills through the group work (LO2)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• You will display evidence of developing a curiosity in the learning of legal subjects (LO3)

Formative feedback
On an on-going basis tutors will give you feedback on exercises you complete and track your progress through the workbook that accompanies the module. You will receive feedback (from your peers and from your tutors) on other key academic skills, such as your academic writing, research, and giving presentations.

Summative assessment



You will be assessed through completion of an annotated bibliography. You will be given a broad legal topic in which to analyse, and you will be asked to locate a range of sources. You will need to correctly reference each source, and give your personal summary and evaluation of each source you find. Your bibliography will be assessed by asking whether you have demonstrated sufficient academic practice skills on a pass / fail basis.

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This module is designed to provide you with the knowledge and understanding of the skills and practices, which you are going to need when you progress on your studies. In using a thematic approach you will examine sources of information, how and where to locate them and begin to think critically about their worth, weight and accuracy. These are important understandings, which will support your development of formal academic writing, time management, research, discussion and presentational skills. You will work individually and collectively as part of your group and this will also help you to recognise the different ways in which learning can occur, through interaction with colleagues and other groups. You will also be able to draw on your experiences within this module to support your skills development and understandings in other modules.