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LING170 Language and the Law

Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study Online Level
Armidale Semester 2 Off Campus D - Comp/internet essential
Armidale Semester 2 On Campus D - Comp/internet essential
Intensive School(s) None
Supervised Exam There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Restrictions None
Notes None
Combined Units None
Coordinator(s) Cindy Schneider (cindy.schneider@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This unit examines important ways in which language and linguistics (the scientific study of language) is relevant to law and to the workings of the legal system. These include the nature of legal language and meaning interpretation in the legal process, the dynamics of language use in court and police interviews, sociolinguistic disadvantage before the law, forensic applications of linguistics in speaker and author identification, and translating and interpreting in legal contexts, including trials, police interviews and native title hearings. The unit is supported by a variety of online tools including online assessment. Web access is essential.
Prescribed Material
Mandatory 		Text(s):

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material

An Introduction to Forensic Linguistics: Language in Evidence
ISBN: 9780415320238
Coulthard, M. and Johnson, A., Routledge 1st ed. 2007
Text refers to: Semester 2 , On and Off Campus
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Essay 40% 1500-2000
Assessment Notes
Essay - case study or deeper conceptual enquiry
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 2, 3 and 4 GA: 1, 2, 6 and 7
Mandatory Online Quiz 1 10%
Assessment Notes
Short answers and problem solving
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1 and 4 GA: 1, 2, 6 and 8
Mandatory Online Quiz 2 10%
Assessment Notes
Short answers and problem solving
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1 and 4 GA: 1, 2, 6 and 8
Mandatory Online Quiz 3 10%
Assessment Notes
Short answers and problem solving
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1 and 4 GA: 1, 2, 6 and 8
Final Examination 2 hrs 30%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1 - 4 GA: 1, 2 and 6

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. demonstrate familiarity with a range of ways in which language and linguistics is relevant to the legal process;
  2. assess arguments for and against the validity of linguistic evidence of various kinds;
  3. identify and describe possible sources of sociolinguistic disadvantage in the legal process;
  4. apply linguistic concepts and knowledge to several contexts of legal communication.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Students will deepen their knowledge of the discourse and major concerns of the discipline of linguistics through its application to the legal domain. Knowledge of the discipline will be assessed in all assessments. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
The unit will focus on analysis and argumentation, and will thereby improve students' communication skills in those two areas. It will be assessed in all assessments. 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
The unit will highlight cultural differences. 		True
4 Information Literacy
The unit will require access to the web and use of online resources. 		True
5 Life-Long Learning
The unit will encourage students to think critically about the structure and use of language. 		True
6 Problem Solving
Much of the assessment will be based around problem solving, using logical analytical techniques but also requiring creative thinking to solve in many cases. 		True True True
7 Social Responsibility
Some content focusses on issues in fair justice and good communication. This will be assessed in the essay. 		True True
8 Team Work
Students will work in teams on some assessment tasks and will work collaboratively in the online environment. 		True True
   

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