Knox

Grammar School

Year 10 Commerce

Assessment Task 1
Law and Society/Law in Action

Due Date
See Submission Instructions

Weighting
30%

Submission Instructions
Part A:
You will submit your draft essay during your normal Commerce lesson on Wednesday in Week 4
(19/2/14). During this lesson you will be given another students draft essay and you must
complete and hand in the peer assessment template during your normal Commerce lesson on
Monday in Week 5 (24/2/14).
Part B: You will write your legal research essay during your normal Commerce lesson on Monday
in Week 7 (10/3/14).

Please note the following statement located in the Knox Grammar School Year 10 Assessment
Policy Document 2014: If a student submits a task late without a genuine reason as per
Illness/Misadventure guidelines (i.e. Medical or acceptable parent note), or his teacher does not
accept the explanation, he will be penalised 10% of the marks awarded the first day, 20% of the
marks awarded for the second day, 30% of the marks awarded for the third day, 40% of the marks
awarded for the fourth day and 50% of the marks awarded for the fifth day. If the task has not
been submitted by 4.00pm on the fifth day after the due date, zero marks will be awarded.

Outcomes Assessed
5.1
applies consumer, financial, business, legal and employment concepts and terminology

in a variety of contexts.
5.2
analyses the rights and responsibilities of individuals in a range of consumer, financial,

business, legal and employment contexts.
5.3
examines the role of law in society
5.7
researches and assesses commercial and legal information using a variety of sources

Context
You are required to research a topic that interests you and focus on a specific law you would like
to see changed. Some interesting topics include the areas of: family law, technology law, human
rights law, Indigenous land rights, anti-terrorism laws and employment law; however, you may
choose another focus area not listed here. You must seek teacher approval of your proposed
legislative reform before commencing your research.

Part A Peer Feedback on Draft Essay (10 Marks)

All students are required to hand in a draft copy of your legal essay during your normal Commerce
lesson on Wednesday in Week 4 (19/2/14). This is compulsory. Each student will then be given
another students work under random selection to provide feedback on, using the structured
feedback form attached. The quality of the written feedback you provide your fellow student with
will account for 10% of the 30% total attached to this assessment task. The completed peer
feedback and assessment template is due during your normal Commerce lesson on Monday in
Week 5 (24/2/14). It should be noted that it is not the standard of your own draft that will be
awarded marks, rather your feedback to another student that will be assessed. Any student that
fails to hand in an appropriate draft for this task will themselves receive zero in this portion of the
assessment, even if they provide feedback for another student.

Part B Legal Research Essay (20 Marks)
You are to select an area of law that interests you & that you would like to see changed. You are to
propose a reform to this piece of legislation and to undertake primary and secondary research in
order to respond to the following question:

Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages associated with your proposed area for law reform

During your normal Commerce lesson on Monday in Week 7 (10/3/14), you will be required to
write an in-class response to this question. Please note that you will be unable to bring any
material into the classroom for this task, i.e. you cannot refer to any notes, sample response or
reference material you have created.

You MUST address at least THREE advantages and THREE disadvantages in your essay.

Primary Research

You are required to conduct an interview and converse with TWO relevant stakeholders who have
a vested interest in your area for proposed law reform. You will need to record your interviews or
take copious notes of their commentary for further reference. You will need to interview ONE
stakeholder who is FOR your area of proposed law reform, as well as ONE stakeholder who is
AGAINST your area of proposed law reform. You will need to design appropriate questions that
probe and enable the interviewees to provide reasoning and justification for their selected
viewpoints. You MUST undertake and incorporate your primary research into your essay - i.e. it
forms part of the marking criteria.

Secondary Research

You are required to conduct secondary research to give validity and strength to your arguments
and points of view. Sources of secondary research could include: books, reports, newspaper
articles or journal articles. You MUST undertake and incorporate your secondary research into
your essay - i.e. it forms part of the marking criteria.

A scaffold with guides and examples to assist you in constructing your essay is provided on the
following page:

Introduction
Guide:
Identify the legal change you are proposing
Identify the legislation that is to be changed (this will be a ---------- ----------- Act (20 - -)
Outline the reasons you have decided to adopt this change
Finish with a thesis statement to address the question
Note: First person MAY be used in this introduction (given the nature of the question)
Example:
The legal change I propose is to modify the Anti-Terrorism Act 2008 (Cth). Currently, those
accused of terrorist offences are not granted the same rights as other offenders. I propose that
those accused of terrorist offences be granted the same rights as all other alleged perpetrators.
This includes having all interviews recorded, having the right to legal representation and having
the right to silence. I feel very strongly about this change as I believe that fundamental human
rights should be granted to all people regardless of what they have allegedly done. We all have the
right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to article 6 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages associated
with this proposed law reform.

Body paragraph for advantages (Remember you will need THREE of these)
Guide:
Topic sentence this is NOT NEGOTIABLE. You must outline what the rest of the paragraph will
be about
Supporting sentences this is where you use your secondary and primary sources to justify the
judgment you are making
Concluding or linking sentence
Note 1: When using secondary sources, cite the media source (see example below)
Note 2: When using primary sources, you should use direct quotes (see example below)
Example:
Advantage 1
One of the main advantages associated with the law reform proposed is the heightened
protection of rights. There are currently a number of international documents that protect our
right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. These include the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to the
Sydney Morning Herald article Human rights abuse on our own soil (13th April 2012), Australia
has a moral obligation to uphold the rights stipulated in these international documents. The
current Anti-Terrorism Act does not uphold these rights and are, in fact, a direct violation of
Australias international obligations. If this proposal is passed, individual rights will be granted to
all people, regardless of what they are accused of doing. This argument was further emphasised
during the interview with Amnesty International representative Steven Smith. He stated Human
rights are universal and inherent. If we allow the government to start making exceptions for those
accused with terrorist offences, we are opening the flood gates for further human rights abuses.
Evidently, the proposed law reform will enhance Australias human rights record and help to
protect all our human rights in the future.

Advantage 2
Another advantage of the proposed law reform is . [continue to bring in secondary and primary
data]

Body paragraph for disadvantages (Remember you will need THREE of these)
Guide:

Follow the same structure as above:

Topic sentence this is NOT NEGOTIABLE. You must outline what the rest of the paragraph will
be about
Supporting sentences this is where you use your secondary and primary sources to justify the
judgment you are making
Concluding or linking sentence

Conclusion
Guide:

No new material
A short paragraph summing up what has been said (E.g. Evidently there are a significant
number of advantages and disadvantages associated with the proposed law reform)
A final judgment (E.g. When exploring the data, it can be seen that the advantages far
outweigh the disadvantages and for this reason I still support the passing of this law reform).
NOTE: you can take the opposing view or make suggestions for further improvement to your
law.

Attachment 1 Peer Feedback/Assessment Template

Your Name:

Peers Student Number:
Due:

You are to answer each of the following questions by handwriting in the space provided, with no
additional attachments allowed. You will be awarded marks in this feedback task based on your
constructive comments and the use of specific details to support your answers. Spelling, grammar
and the use of examples will impact on the value of your response.

1. Has the BOSTES glossary term been correctly utilised? Which words in the essay show
evidence of this?

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2. Examine whether all elements of the question have been answered.

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3. To what extent has the response been supported by specific, detailed evidence, including
statistics?

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4. Has correct legal terminology and theory been applied throughout? How?

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5. Assess the quality of the structure of the response, whilst addressing spelling and grammar
issues.

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6. Which words give an indication that the response is well written and conversely, which words
are not reflective of formal language?

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7. Overall, how could this student improve their response?

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Marking Guidelines Part A

Criteria
Clear and accurate feedback comments are given that are constructive in
nature
Specific and appropriate examples are consistently used to support your
response
All responses are detailed and comprehensively answer all elements of the
question
Expert reflection on the draft given with evidence of thorough analysis of
your peers essay
Spelling and grammar are exemplary with no errors
Full sentences utilised throughout with use of legal terminology as
appropriate
Mostly clear and accurate feedback comments that are mostly constructive in
nature
Some specific and appropriate examples are given to support your response
Most responses are detailed and thoroughly answer most elements of the
question
Valuable reflection on the draft given with evidence of a considered reading
of your peers essay
Very few spelling or grammar mistakes
Mostly full sentences utilised throughout
Basic feedback comments are given that are sometimes constructive in
nature
Few examples are given to support your response
Responses are insufficient in detail and answer only some parts of the
question
Basic reflection on the draft given with evidence of a limited analysis of your
peers essay
Some spelling and grammar errors, need for proof reading
Full sentences may be utilised
Feedback comments lack value and are not constructive in nature
Insufficient examples given to support your response
Responses lack detail and/or do not answer all elements of the question
Little reflection on the draft given with insufficient analysis of the peers essay
Spelling and grammar concerns
Full sentences not utilised
Responses are insufficient, irrelevant or inadequate to answer the questions
Appropriate effort has not been given towards the task
Poor or inaccurate spelling and grammar
Sentences are poorly structured and the feedback given would not allow the
student to improve on their essay

Comments:

Mark

9 - 10

7 - 8

5 - 6

3 -4

0 - 2

Marking Guidelines Part B

Criteria

Marks

Expert ability to identify issues and provide points for and against the
proposed legislative reform.
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the legal
issue.
Evidence of thorough primary research, demonstrated through sustained
and appropriate references which give validity and strength to viewpoints.
Evidence of thorough secondary research, demonstrated through sustained
and appropriate references which give validity and strength to viewpoints.
Accurately and extensively employs appropriate legal terminology
Presents a consistently logical and well-structured essay response to the
question

17 20

Comprehensive ability to identify issues and provide points for and against
the proposed legislative reform.
Demonstrates clear knowledge and understanding of the legal issue.
Evidence of detailed primary research, demonstrated through periodic
references which give strength to viewpoints
Evidence of detailed secondary research, demonstrated through periodic
references which give strength to viewpoints
Mostly accurate and sustained use of appropriate legal terminology
Presents a mostly logical and well-structured essay response to the question

13 16

Satisfactory ability to identify issues and provide points for and against the
proposed legislative reform.
Demonstrates satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the legal issue.
Evidence of adequate research, demonstrated through some reference to
primary and secondary research.
Use of appropriate legal terminology in parts
Presents a response that is logical and well-structured in parts

9 12

Limited ability to identify issues and provide points for and against the
proposed legislative reform.
Demonstrates limited knowledge and understanding of the legal issue.
Evidence of limited research, demonstrated through infrequent reference to
primary and/or secondary research.
Limited use of appropriate legal terminology in parts
Presents a response that may be logical and/or well-structured in parts

5 8

Elementary ability to identify issues and provide points for and/or against
the proposed legislative reform.
Little understanding of the legal issue.
Evidence of inadequate research.
Absence of appropriate legal terminology
Presents a response that is illogical

1 4

Comments:

Self Assessment, Evaluation & Confirmation

Self Assessment
Based on the work I am submitting and the marking criteria provided in this task, I believe I should
be receiving the following mark:
Provide reasons why you believe you should receive this mark:















Self Evaluation
Circle a number (1 = Strongly Agree ! " 5 = Strongly Disagree)
This is my best work
1 2 3 4 5
I was organised
1 2 3 4 5
I understood the task
1 2 3 4 5
I took notice of the rubric and/or marking guidelines
1 2 3 4 5
I checked the meaning of the key words in the glossary of terms
1 2 3 4 5
This assessment took me 0-1 2-3 4-5 6-7 8+ hours to complete
Next time I will:










Student Confirmation


This is all my own work. I have referenced any work used from other sources and have not

plagiarised the work of others.



I have kept a copy of my task


Student Signature _________________________________ Date: ______________