TMA 02: Law undergraduate guide - Question 1 & 2

Introduction to TMA 02

TMA 02 is worth 20% of your overall score for the module. For more information on module assessment, see Section 3.2 of the Module Guide. TMA 02 has two questions, together worth 100 marks.

 

Question 1 is worth 90% of the marks, and Question 2 is worth 10% of the marks. You are expected to answer the TMA in your own words. The word limit for TMA 02 is a maximum of 2000 words. Any words over this cannot be credited, in accordance with Section 9 of the Law undergraduate guide.

 

You should use a maximum of 1800 words for Question 1 and a maximum of 200 words for Question 2. Remember, all the words you use to answer the question, including headings, quotations and citations, but not footnotes, count. You must provide a reference list and a word count at the end of your work. The reference list is not included in the word count.

 

Question 1 You should use up to 1800 words for this question. Answer the following question in the style of an essay.

 

In light of the way devolution to the UK nations has developed since 1998, the UK can no longer sustain being a unitary state and should become a federal state. Critically evaluate this statement in light of the legal development of national devolution within the UK.

 

The essay requires you to: concisely explain the difference between federal and unitary states with reference to the UK constitution analyse the development of the law governing devolution to some of the UK nations (discussing at least two of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) evaluate whether the UK would be able to be more effectively governed as a federal state, in light of your analysis throughout the entire essay, develop a balanced argument that will either agree or disagree with the statement, addressing relevant counter-arguments. You should reflect on your submission and feedback for TMA 01 when completing this assignment. (90 marks)

 

Question 2 You should use up to 200 words for this question. Select one piece of developmental feedback from your tutor for TMA 01 that identifies an area for improvement relevant to this TMA, other than in relation to referencing technique. Complete a short piece of reflective writing explaining how you have implemented that feedback in completing Question 1 of TMA 02. (10 marks)

 

Guidance on writing your assignment The Law undergraduate guide contains definitions of words used in TMA questions. It also gives advice on referencing in Section 8. You should read this guide before attempting TMA 02. You can find further advice about referencing and plagiarism on the Referencing and plagiarism page of the Library website. This includes links to: Cite Them Right online, a practical guide to referencing that is commonly used by UK universities a downloadable and printable Quick guide to Cite Them Right referencing for Law modules.

Question 1: Evaluating UK's stance on federalism

 

This TMA is primarily designed to test your knowledge of elements of Units 5 and 6, but also draws on your knowledge of earlier units. This TMA requires you to write an essay that shows understanding of the relevant areas of the law as well as demonstrating skills of analysis, evaluation and making a reasoned argument.

 

It also requires you to reflect on your TMA 01 feedback and discuss how you have implemented that feedback for TMA 02. Your answer should be written in standard English. It should not include any sort of list. For Question 1, you should not write in the first or second person (e.g. ‘I’, ‘we’, ‘my’, ‘our’, ‘you’, or ‘your’); instead you should use phrases such as ‘A person is …’ or ‘This answer will …’. For Question 2, you may write in the first person.

 

Question 1 For Question 1 you should write a full evaluative essay that answers the question set. As well as the relevant module materials, primarily from Units 5 and 6, you may find it helpful to review relevant aspects of Chapter 12 of your constitutional law textbook (Loveland, 2021). You are not required to conduct your own independent research outside of the resources used in the module materials in order to answer this question.

 

In addition to the resources suggested above, you may find it useful to review the Essential legal skills activities on ‘Academic writing for law’ and ‘Developing a reasoned argument’ before completing this assignment. Do not forget that you have prepared an outline of an essay for TMA 01, and you should review and reflect on your TMA 01 feedback from your tutor, before and while preparing this assignment.

 

You should aim to define the key constitutional principles relevant to the question, explain the relevant law, analyse the legal position and evaluate the merits of different arguments and ideas, while, from your introduction and throughout your essay, making an argument that answers the question set.

 

You should critically evaluate the extent to which legal developments in national devolution in the UK challenge the unitary state and make a federal state a more effective structure. You should avoid attempting to describe how the law governing national devolution has developed since 1998, but should aim to select specific examples from the law to support your points of argument relating to the question.

 

Your argument should focus on whether, in light of your evaluation, you agree with the question statement; i.e. the UK should become a federal state given the devolved powers of its nations. You should make reference to relevant constitutional principles and characteristics to support your argument. You should structure and style your answer as an essay, including an introduction and conclusion.

 

You may wish to include headings, but should do so only when they add to the structure and flow of your answer. Guidance on the structure of a law essay is given in Section 6.1.3 of the Law undergraduate guide. You should use your essay to present a coherent, well-reasoned answer to the question asked, supported by evidence. You should choose the evidence and arguments you use selectively and carefully, ensuring you are always focused on answering the question asked.

 

You should write in your own words. Any quotations should be properly cited in-text. When writing your essay, you should: structure it appropriately in essay form, including an introduction and conclusion make an argument from the beginning and throughout that answers the question use evidence to support the points you make address points and evidence both for and against your argument link every point you make back to the question and connect each to your overarching argument.

 

Question 2 Question 2 requires you to identify and reflect upon a piece of constructive feedback received from your tutor about TMA 01, and demonstrate how you implemented that feedback when answering Question 1 of this TMA. The purpose of this question is to enable you to demonstrate personal development in your W203 studies. To complete this question of the assessment, you are required to do the following: Identify a relevant piece of feedback from TMA 01.

 

State in your own words what that feedback is telling you that you need to do, i.e. what your starting point is. Identify the specific actions, resources and/or guidance you considered to help you understand how to implement the feedback. Explain what you used the identified resources and guidance for, and what you learned from them. Implement what you learned in Question 1 of this TMA.