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LED027Law3 Unitsintermediate

Legislative Style,Syntax And Expression

This course lays the foundation for legislative drafting skills, focusing on composing legislative sentences and applying effective style. It covers selecting and expressing sentence components, legislative syntax, punctuation, and avoiding common errors. The course also explores stylistic devices to enhance clarity and effectiveness in legislative writing, enabling students to develop a personal drafting style within Nigerian conventions. It aims to equip learners with the ability to produce unambiguous, clear, and comprehensive legislative sentences.

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221h

Study Time

13

Weeks

17h

Per Week

none

Math Level

Course Keywords

Legislative DraftingLegislative StyleLegislative SyntaxLegislative ExpressionDrafting Conventions

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level

Builds on foundational knowledge

65%

intermediate

📚

Math Level

No Math

🔬

Learning Type

Hands-on Practice

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Legislative Syntax

2

Legislative Style

3

Drafting Conventions

4

Sentence Construction

5

Punctuation

6

Modifier Usage

7

Gender-Neutral Drafting

Total Topics7 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Tutor-Marked Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Final Examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Computer Based Test

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Legislative Drafter

Apply your skills in this growing field

Legal Counsel

Apply your skills in this growing field

Policy Analyst

Apply your skills in this growing field

Legal Advisor

Apply your skills in this growing field

Government Official

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

GovernmentLawPolicy MakingLegal ServicesPublic Administration

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week

1

Module 1: How Do We Compose & Express Legislative Sentences?

6h

Unit 1: How to compose legislative sentences

3 study hours

•Understand the essential processes involved in writing: analysis, design, composition, and scrutiny.
•Identify your personal approach to writing difficult sentences.
•Review Coode's principles of legislative syntax and their relevance to modern drafting.

Unit 2: Types of legislative sentences

3 study hours

•Examine examples of simple sentences that give effect to particular kinds of rules.
•Note the differences between various types of legislative sentences.
•Consider alternative ways in which drafters may treat the same material.

Week

2

Module 1: How Do We Compose & Express Legislative Sentences?

3h

Unit 3: The principal subject

3 study hours

•Learn how to select the grammatical subject of a legislative sentence.
•Understand how to decide which legal person should be the grammatical subject.
•Explore factors that influence the choice of terms for the subject.

Week

3

Module 1: How Do We Compose & Express Legislative Sentences?

3h

Unit 4: The principal predicate

3 study hours

•Learn how to decide on the principal predicate of a legislative sentence.
•Understand how to draft the principal predicate effectively.
•Explore how to select the appropriate verb for the principal predicate.

Week

4

Module 1: How Do We Compose & Express Legislative Sentences?

3h

Unit 5: Choosing the appropriate Auxiliary

3 study hours

•Learn how to draft a command, power, competence, right, qualification, liability, privilege, and direction.
•Understand the nuances of using auxiliaries like 'shall,' 'must,' and 'may' in different contexts.

Week

5

Module 1: How Do We Compose & Express Legislative Sentences?

3h

Unit 6: Predicate modifiers & Context clauses

3 study hours

•Understand predicate modifiers and how they refine the meaning of the main clause.
•Learn how to draft, introduce, and place context clauses effectively.
•Explore the use of conditional and relative clauses in legislative sentences.

Week

6

Module 2: How Do We Punctuate Legislation?

3h

Unit 1: Punctuating Legislation I

3 study hours

•Understand the function of punctuation in legislation and its impact on interpretation.
•Learn how drafters use punctuation and how it differs from general writing.
•Explore the use of full stops, colons, dashes, and semi-colons in legislative sentences.

Week

7

Module 2: How Do We Punctuate Legislation?

3h

Unit 2: Punctuating Legislation II

3 study hours

•Learn how to use brackets, commas, inverted commas, hyphens, and apostrophes effectively.
•Understand the specific rules and conventions for using these punctuation marks in legislative drafting.

Week

8

Module 2: How Do We Punctuate Legislation?

3h

Unit 3: Use of Capital Letters

3 study hours

•Understand when to use capital letters in legislative drafting.
•Learn when not to use capital letters and follow standard conventions.
•Explore the typical legislative uses of capital letters and their impact on clarity.

Week

9

Module 3: What Can Go Wrong In Legislative Expression?

3h

Unit 1: What can go wrong with subjects?

3 study hours

•Identify common drafting errors related to subjects in legislative sentences.
•Learn how to avoid imprecise linking of several subjects.
•Understand how to prevent ambiguous modifying of subjects and imprecise use of pronouns.

Week

10

Module 3: What Can Go Wrong In Legislative Expression?

3h

Unit 2: What can go wrong with verbs?

3 study hours

•Identify common drafting errors related to verbs in legislative sentences.
•Learn how to avoid imprecise linking of several verbs.
•Understand how to prevent ambiguous modifying of verbs and ambiguous use of participles.

Week

11

Module 3: What Can Go Wrong In Legislative Expression?

3h

Unit 3: What can go wrong with modifiers?

3 study hours

•Identify common drafting errors related to modifiers in legislative sentences.
•Learn how to avoid defective sentence modification.
•Understand how to prevent ambiguous prepositions and uncertain conjunctions.

Week

12

Module 4: How Can We Develop an Effective Legislative Style?

6h

Unit 1: General Considerations

3 study hours

•Understand the importance of indicating the purposes of legislation and using broad terms.
•Learn how to make legislation consistent by using the same expression for the same meaning.
•Explore how to use definitions for key concepts to ensure clarity and precision.

Unit 2: Developing a good legislative style

3 study hours

•Learn how to improve communication by creating a logical structure and sequencing of provisions.
•Understand the importance of providing finding aids and using a clear layout and format.
•Explore how to improve clarity by writing directly and avoiding complex expressions.

Week

13

Final Revision

6h

Unit 5: Should we draft in a gender-neutral style?

3 study hours

•Understand the principles of gender-neutral drafting and how to implement them.
•Learn how to use gender-neutral terms, repeat nouns, and use 'he or she' to avoid gender-specific pronouns.
•Explore how to restructure sentences to eliminate gender bias and promote inclusivity.

Final Revision

3 study hours

•Review all modules and units covered in the course.
•Practice drafting legislative sentences and applying stylistic devices.
•Prepare for final examinations by focusing on key concepts and principles.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

Read the complete course material as provided by NOUN.

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Create detailed outlines for each module, focusing on key concepts and principles.

2

Practice writing legislative sentences using different stylistic devices.

3

Review all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and Self-Assessment Exercises (SAEs).

4

Focus on understanding the application of Coode's principles and modern drafting conventions.

5

Create concept maps linking units on syntax, punctuation, and modifier usage.

6

Allocate specific time slots for reviewing each module and practicing drafting exercises.

7

Prioritize understanding the nuances of auxiliaries and their impact on legal meaning.

8

Practice identifying and correcting common drafting errors related to subjects, verbs, and modifiers.

9

Review examples of effective and ineffective legislative sentences to identify key differences.

10

Create flashcards for key terms and concepts, focusing on definitions and applications.

11

Form a study group to discuss challenging concepts and practice drafting exercises collaboratively.

12

Simulate exam conditions by completing practice questions within a set time limit.

13

Focus on understanding the principles of gender-neutral drafting and their practical application.

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