1. Students will develop the following skills:

(a) have an advanced understanding of the principles of Australian contract law regarding the topics covered in the course;

(b) be able to apply those principles to problem-solving exercises;

(c) understand how Australian law differs from approaches taken in other countries in certain respects;

(d) understand the social and practical context in which Australian contract law operates;

(e) be able to critically evaluate the purposes and effects of Australian contract law.

2. The continuing development of good inter-personal and communication skills is widely recognised as important for all graduates. This course specifically seeks to develop students’ abilities in both written and oral communication.

3. The course is designed to contribute to the development of the following LLB graduate attributes in particular:

(a) a knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of the primary areas of Australian law as required to satisfy the academic standards for admission to practice law in an Australian jurisdiction;

(b) the capacity to analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources and experiences;

(c) an awareness of the incompleteness of law and the continuous state of development o flegal principles; and

(d) the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Students will supplied, through MyUni, with study guides that provide an outline of the material and issues to be covered in both lectures and seminars.

The prescribed textbook for the course is Paterson, Robertson and Duke, Principles of Contract Law (4th ed, Thomson, 2012).

Students may want to acquire a casebook with conveniently edited summaries of various court decisions that involve relevant issues of contract law, though this is not essential. The following two casebooks in particular are recommended — either would be suitable:

• Paterson, Robertson and Duke, Contract: Cases and Materials (12th ed, Thomson, 2012)
• Carter, Cases and Materials on Contract Law in Australia (6th ed, Lexis Nexis, 2012)

Here are some other texts that students might wish to use for reference, in addition to the prescribed text:

• Carter, Contract Law in Australia (6th ed, Lexis Nexis, 2013)
• Willmott, Christensen, Butler and Dixon, Contract Law, (4th ed, OUP, 2013)
• Seddon, Bigfoot and Ellinghaus, Cheshire & Fifoot’s Law of Contract, (10th Aust ed, Lexis Nexis, 2012)
• Carter’s Guide to Australian Contract Law, (2nd ed, Lexis Nexis, 2010)

The MyUni course page for Contract Law: Selected Issues can be accessed at https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au.

Besides this course profile and the study guides, students can use MyUni to access copies of the PowerPoints used in lectures, recordings of the lectures, any materials that students are specifically required to read for the seminars, and assessment tasks.

There is also a Discussion Board for the course on MyUni. This has been set up as a way of enabling students enrolled in the course to communicate with one another. Students may use it to post questions that they are hoping some other student can answer. But if their question is really to one of the teachers in the course, they should e-mail that teacher directly.

Students in this course are expected to attend all lectures throughout the semester plus a one-hour seminar each week.

The lectures will offer an overview of the topics covered in the course. Each lecture will include an opportunity for students to ask questions on the issues covered.

The seminars involve small group discussion of selected cases or other readings, in some instances together with hypothetical problems. Seminars are a vital component of students’ learning in this course. The communication and problem-solving skills developed by regularly and actively participating in discussions are considered to be most important by the Law School and are highly regarded by employers and professional bodies.

As this is a 3-unit course, students are expected to devote an average of 12 hours per week to their studies in it, including classes. Students are expected to attend all lectures throughout the semester plus one two-hour seminar each week.

Unless specifically asked to do so, students are not required to read materials ahead of lectures. For seminars, on the other hand, preparation is essential. Students must read the material to which they are referred, and come prepared to answer whatever questions are set.

In general, the following study methods are suggested:

• Although it is not required as a general rule, students may wish nonetheless to do some pre-reading for the lectures: for example by looking through the sections in the prescribed text that relate to the material that is upcoming.

• Attend the lectures and take notes. If unable to attend, access the lecture recordings through MyUni.

• Copies of PowerPoint presentations that are used in the lectures will be available on MyUni ahead of each lecture. These provide a basic outline of the points covered, though they should not be seen as a substitute for attendance. Some students may find it useful to print the slides out in advance of the relevant lectures and use them as a basis for taking notes.

• The lectures are intended to provide an overview of the relevant principles and to put them in context. They are not meant to tell students everything they need to know, but to serve as a guide for their own study.

• That study should involve, at the very least, reading through the material in the study guide and any other directed readings, and preparation of questions set for seminars.

Tba

There are no course-specific requirements, apart from those listed below under Assessment.

None

Task	Type	Due Date	Weighting	Relevant learning objective
Take-home exam	Formative and summative	Wed 26 August, 2:00pm	30% redeemable	1(a), 2, 3
Research essay	Summative	Mon 16 November, 2:00pm	70% or 100%	1, 2, 3

Both elements of the assessment scheme are compulsory. Failure to complete either item of assessment will result in course failure.

Note: More detailed information and guidance will be distributed ahead of each assignment, including the criteria that will be used to assess students’ work.

1.            Take-home exam (30% redeemable)

2.            Research Essay (70% or 100%)

1. Assignments (take-home exam answers and research essays) must be submitted electronically through MyUni, and may be checked for plagiarism. Students must retain a copy of all answers submitted.
2. Assignments must be written in prose style (using complete sentences), adhere to grammatical rules, and use correct spelling. All written work in the Law school is required to comply with The Australian Guide to Legal Citation, which is available at http://www.law.adelaide.edu.au/library/research/
3. Students must adhere to the word limit for each assignment. Word limits include all words in the text, in headings, and in footnotes, but not in any separate bibliography appended to a research essay. 5% of the total mark possible will be deducted for every 10% (or part thereof) by which the assignment exceeds the word limit.
4. Where an assignment is not submitted by the due date, 5% of the total mark possible will be deducted for every day (that is, a period of 24 hours commencing at the due time of submission) or part thereof that the assignment is late.
5. Because of the nature of the take-home exam, no extensions can be granted, except where University policies specifically require otherwise. Anyone who cannot submit an answer by the due date has the option of applying for replacement assessment on medical and compassionate grounds (see Policies & Guidelines section). If such an application is successful, they will be given the chance to undertake a new take-home exam during the replacement exam period.
6. Marked answers for the take-home exam will be returned to students within 2 weeks with written feedback.
7. For the research essay, extensions may be granted in accordance with Law School policies, where there are compelling reasons for non-submission by the due date.