LLBALLF/301/4/2023
Tutorial Letter 301/4/2023
General information and referencing guide
for all students in the School of Law
LLBALLF
College of Law
School of Law
This tutorial letter contains important information
about the School of Law and your law studies.
BARCODE
1
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 4
1.1 A word of welcome from the School of Law ............................................................................. 4
1.2 Purpose of tutorial letter 301 ...................................................................................................... 4
2 ORIENTATION TO OPEN DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL) ............................................................ 5
2.1 The nature of ODL ......................................................................................................................... 5
2.1.1 Open learning ................................................................................................................................ 5
2.1.2 Courses and curriculum ............................................................................................................... 6
2.1.3 Learning material and resources ................................................................................................ 6
2.1.4 Student support ............................................................................................................................ 6
2.1.5 Communication ............................................................................................................................. 6
2.1.6 Student and staff management systems .................................................................................... 6
2.2 A shift towards an ODeL model ................................................................................................... 7
2.3 First-year experience programme @ Unisa ................................................................................ 8
3 WHAT THE SCHOOL OF LAW EXPECTS OF YOU ..................................................................... 9
4 LEARNING STRATEGIES ........................................................................................................... 10
4.1 Allocating your time ................................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Reading for understanding ........................................................................................................ 10
4.3 Making your own glossary ......................................................................................................... 11
4.4 Re-using effective learning strategies ...................................................................................... 11
5 ASSIGNMENTS............................................................................................................................ 11
5.1 The value of assignments .......................................................................................................... 11
5.2 Read the assignment .................................................................................................................. 12
5.2.1 Find the keywords ...................................................................................................................... 13
5.2.2 Compile a list of things to establish ......................................................................................... 14
5.2.3 Researching the assignment topic(s) ....................................................................................... 15
5.2.3.1 Study guide and prescribed textbook ..................................................................................... 15
5.2.3.2 Other recommended sources ................................................................................................. 15
5.2.3.3 Selecting relevant information ................................................................................................ 16
5.2.3.4 How to make notes ................................................................................................................. 16
5.2.3.5 Assessing sources .................................................................................................................. 17
2
, LLBALLF/301/4/2023
5.2.3.6 Answering the assignment ...................................................................................................... 18
5.2.3.7 Formal requirements .............................................................................................................. 22
5.2.4 Prescribed style of referencing ................................................................................................. 22
5.2.4.1 Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) ................................ 23
5.2.4.2 Basic rules for referencing ............................................................................................................ 24
5.2.4.3 Citation guidelines and specific rules for different types of sources: OSCOLA............................. 30
(a) In text: ........................................................................................................................................... 30
(b) Footnotes: ..................................................................................................................................... 31
(c) Bibliography: ................................................................................................................................. 34
5.2.5 Ethical behaviour as a student .................................................................................................. 37
5.2.6 How to approach multiple-choice questions ........................................................................... 39
6 EXAMINATION ............................................................................................................................. 41
6.1 Planning and revising ................................................................................................................. 41
6.2 In the examination ...................................................................................................................... 42
6.3 Supplementary/aegrotat examination ....................................................................................... 43
6.4 FI Concession ............................................................................................................................. 43
7 IMPORTANT CONTACT DETAILS .............................................................................................. 44
7.1 ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTAL STAFF OF THE SCHOOL OF LAW .............................. 44
7.2 University..................................................................................................................................... 45
3
, Dear Student
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 A word of welcome from the School of Law
It gives us pleasure to welcome you as a new or as an existing student in the School of Law
(School), under the College of Law (CLAW). We are pleased that you have chosen law as a field
of study. Law graduates play a vital role and contribute significantly to our society in various ways.
We hope that your study experience will be pleasant and stimulating, and that you will successfully
complete your studies.
This tutorial letter contains important information that will assist you in your studies in the School.
Please read it carefully and refer to it when working through the study material, preparing the
assignment(s), preparing for the examination, and addressing questions to your lecturers.
At the outset it is very important to remind you that you must read all the tutorial letters you
receive during the semester immediately and carefully. The information they contain is
always important and may well be urgent. They often contain additional study material or
information about recent developments in the law that is prescribed for the examination. They also
provide general feedback on the assignments and comments on the examination.
Enjoy your studies. I wish you all the best!
Director
School of Law
1.2 Purpose of tutorial letter 301
This tutorial letter contains important information that will assist you in your law studies and the
style of referencing prescribed in the School. It should be read with the STUDY@UNISA brochure;
this brochure is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies. It outlines a few study
skills that will enable you to become more independent as a student and answers some of the
common questions asked by students. It sets out various study techniques and guidelines. It is
important to familiarise yourself with its contents before embarking on your studies in the various
modules offered by the different departments. It also contains the reference or citation guide
prescribed in the School, which you are expected to apply in all your modules to avoid plagiarism.
4
Tutorial Letter 301/4/2023
General information and referencing guide
for all students in the School of Law
LLBALLF
College of Law
School of Law
This tutorial letter contains important information
about the School of Law and your law studies.
BARCODE
1
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 4
1.1 A word of welcome from the School of Law ............................................................................. 4
1.2 Purpose of tutorial letter 301 ...................................................................................................... 4
2 ORIENTATION TO OPEN DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL) ............................................................ 5
2.1 The nature of ODL ......................................................................................................................... 5
2.1.1 Open learning ................................................................................................................................ 5
2.1.2 Courses and curriculum ............................................................................................................... 6
2.1.3 Learning material and resources ................................................................................................ 6
2.1.4 Student support ............................................................................................................................ 6
2.1.5 Communication ............................................................................................................................. 6
2.1.6 Student and staff management systems .................................................................................... 6
2.2 A shift towards an ODeL model ................................................................................................... 7
2.3 First-year experience programme @ Unisa ................................................................................ 8
3 WHAT THE SCHOOL OF LAW EXPECTS OF YOU ..................................................................... 9
4 LEARNING STRATEGIES ........................................................................................................... 10
4.1 Allocating your time ................................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Reading for understanding ........................................................................................................ 10
4.3 Making your own glossary ......................................................................................................... 11
4.4 Re-using effective learning strategies ...................................................................................... 11
5 ASSIGNMENTS............................................................................................................................ 11
5.1 The value of assignments .......................................................................................................... 11
5.2 Read the assignment .................................................................................................................. 12
5.2.1 Find the keywords ...................................................................................................................... 13
5.2.2 Compile a list of things to establish ......................................................................................... 14
5.2.3 Researching the assignment topic(s) ....................................................................................... 15
5.2.3.1 Study guide and prescribed textbook ..................................................................................... 15
5.2.3.2 Other recommended sources ................................................................................................. 15
5.2.3.3 Selecting relevant information ................................................................................................ 16
5.2.3.4 How to make notes ................................................................................................................. 16
5.2.3.5 Assessing sources .................................................................................................................. 17
2
, LLBALLF/301/4/2023
5.2.3.6 Answering the assignment ...................................................................................................... 18
5.2.3.7 Formal requirements .............................................................................................................. 22
5.2.4 Prescribed style of referencing ................................................................................................. 22
5.2.4.1 Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) ................................ 23
5.2.4.2 Basic rules for referencing ............................................................................................................ 24
5.2.4.3 Citation guidelines and specific rules for different types of sources: OSCOLA............................. 30
(a) In text: ........................................................................................................................................... 30
(b) Footnotes: ..................................................................................................................................... 31
(c) Bibliography: ................................................................................................................................. 34
5.2.5 Ethical behaviour as a student .................................................................................................. 37
5.2.6 How to approach multiple-choice questions ........................................................................... 39
6 EXAMINATION ............................................................................................................................. 41
6.1 Planning and revising ................................................................................................................. 41
6.2 In the examination ...................................................................................................................... 42
6.3 Supplementary/aegrotat examination ....................................................................................... 43
6.4 FI Concession ............................................................................................................................. 43
7 IMPORTANT CONTACT DETAILS .............................................................................................. 44
7.1 ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTAL STAFF OF THE SCHOOL OF LAW .............................. 44
7.2 University..................................................................................................................................... 45
3
, Dear Student
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 A word of welcome from the School of Law
It gives us pleasure to welcome you as a new or as an existing student in the School of Law
(School), under the College of Law (CLAW). We are pleased that you have chosen law as a field
of study. Law graduates play a vital role and contribute significantly to our society in various ways.
We hope that your study experience will be pleasant and stimulating, and that you will successfully
complete your studies.
This tutorial letter contains important information that will assist you in your studies in the School.
Please read it carefully and refer to it when working through the study material, preparing the
assignment(s), preparing for the examination, and addressing questions to your lecturers.
At the outset it is very important to remind you that you must read all the tutorial letters you
receive during the semester immediately and carefully. The information they contain is
always important and may well be urgent. They often contain additional study material or
information about recent developments in the law that is prescribed for the examination. They also
provide general feedback on the assignments and comments on the examination.
Enjoy your studies. I wish you all the best!
Director
School of Law
1.2 Purpose of tutorial letter 301
This tutorial letter contains important information that will assist you in your law studies and the
style of referencing prescribed in the School. It should be read with the STUDY@UNISA brochure;
this brochure is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies. It outlines a few study
skills that will enable you to become more independent as a student and answers some of the
common questions asked by students. It sets out various study techniques and guidelines. It is
important to familiarise yourself with its contents before embarking on your studies in the various
modules offered by the different departments. It also contains the reference or citation guide
prescribed in the School, which you are expected to apply in all your modules to avoid plagiarism.
4
