Reference no: EM132300103
Introduction to Forensic Science Assignment -
In this assignment, research a legal case where there were significant issues with the forensic evidence. Your case will be assigned to you by the subject co-ordinator or your demonstrator. This task is divided into two sections:
1. Case report - The Case report must be done individually.
Format - Your case report should be 4000-5000 words in length. References must be included using UTS Harvard referencing convention.
It should include;
1. A summary of the case details - Provide the circumstances surrounding the case (who, what, when and how).
2. A summary of the key forensic evidence that were presented in Court - Focus on the forensic evidence.
3. An explanation of issue/s that arose from the forensic evidence presented - The technique used was not validated; were there contamination issues? Was it collected under false pretences? etc.
4. Analysis of the issue(s) - This should be the bulk of your report, you should research the literature to determine whether this is a common issue, did it appear in other cases, how did it affect interpretation?
5. Reform or repercussions of the case - What was the outcome of the case, were there appeals? Was there any reexamination of forensic processes? How did the case impact to forensic science practices.
Marking Criteria - You will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Ability to understand and interpret case information.
- Depth of discussion and analysis of issues.
- Demonstration of research.
- Evaluation of forensic issue/s.
- Logical structure and organisation.
- Clarity of writing and use of appropriate language.
- Use of proper referencing.
- Critical evaluation of the impact of the case to forensic science practices.
2. Presentation - The presentation slides will be submitted via UTSOnline as a powerpoint (or PDF if it is a Prezi presentation). You will present during one of two of the workshop sessions, however you will be presenting to a staff member separate from the rest of the class. This is simply to ensure that you have adequate time to present. The location of this presentation will be given at a later date.
Based on your submitted case report, you will prepare a 15 minute presentation. You should try to summarise the information from your case report and present it in a way that is interesting to your audience. You should use the case report outline as a guide to your presentation. If your case report covers a number of issues, you may want to focus on just one, so you can explain it in sufficient detail.
Marking Criteria - You will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Quality and construction of slides
- Ability to present scientific information in an engaging manner
- Time management
- Logical flow
- Voice clarity
- Eye contact
Referencing cases -
If you are dealing with a criminal case, the reference should look something like this: R v Gilmore [1977] 2 NSWLR 935
- This shows that it's a criminal matter ('R' in this case is the Queen or the State)
- Accused - Gilmore
- Reported in 1977
- Part of the NSW Law Report series (NSWLR), you may also replace this with the court in which the hearing took place i.e. NSW Court of Criminal Appeal (NSWCCA), High Court of Australia (HCA) etc.
- Found in Volume 2, starting at page 935
If you're referring to an appeal brought against the Queen (the State), then it follows a similar structure, however the order of the parties is reversed (e.g. Milat v The Queen [2004] HCA 17).
In a civil case, the principles are the same, however you name the two parties involved: Makita (Aust) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705.
If you have found your court transcripts from a source such as Austlii, then this information should be fairly easy to find. If not, then the information should be located within the document itself.
Note - Total word count: 3500 and Slides for presentation.
Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar