CLN4U Canadian and International Law

Step 1: Choose a legal issue Some examples of contemporary issues might include: workplace safety, reproductive rights in developing countries, access to clean water, resource extraction and development, mental illness, the justice system, freedom of expression for journalists, the rule of law, piracy, causes of criminal behaviour, human rights of children, wrongful convictions, prison conditions or the relationship between certain groups and members of the justice community. These are only examples. my legal issue: Are transgender youth adversely affected by rules that bar them from using bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identity? https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/09/15/shut-out/restrictions-bathroom-and-locker-room-access-transgender-youth-us Step 2: Ask Questions Formulate different types of questions to guide your investigation into the current legal issue that you have chosen. For example: How are the laws intended to prevent terrorism in Canada different from those in the United States and Great Britain? How would you describe the relationship between First Nations and the police in Canada? How do we balance the need for national and international security with the need to protect our civil liberties such as freedom of expression? Step 3: Research Now it is time to select and organize relevant evidence and information from primary and secondary sources (e.g., primary sources: case law, legislation; secondary sources: newspapers, websites, journals, books) in order to learn more about your topic. Please consider:

How will you know when you have sufficient evidence? Generally speaking it is a good idea to gather a number of different sources. This allows you to verify information, consider different perspectives and achieve depth in your understanding. It is possible however to have one, very detailed, reliable source. For example you might have chosen a book or lengthy study to read (e.g., This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein, The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King, On the Farm: Robert William Pickton and the tragic story about Vancouver's Missing Women by Stevie Cameron, Boiling Point: Government Neglect, Corporate Abuse, and Canada's Water Crisis by Maude Barlow, City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp by Ben Rawlence, The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the World's most Wanted Man by Luke Harding, Shake Hands with the Devil by Romeo Dallaire or any number of others). Be certain to ascertain that the work you have chosen was written by a reputable author. You can use this work as a "springboard" into a particular area of study. Be wary of perspective; most authors write for a very specific purpose which is to convince you of their point of view. You will devote significant time to the reading of a book. How do you know if they are "good" sources? It is important to assess the credibility of sources. You might wish to ask yourself: Are the sources reliable? How do you know? Is the source both accurate and relevant? Who was the source created for?

Be sure to gather information that supports different perspectives. One of the questions you always ask of a source is, "Is there a bias?" Remember that reading a piece that has a distinct perspective can be invigorating - just be sure to read with your mind wide open! Seek out differing opinions.

Keep a detailed list of all of your sources, including the URL of websites. Record the information you feel is necessary. NEVER cut and paste! ALWAYS read, understand and put the information into your own words. Include the source of these ideas and information. IF, AND ONLY IF, the words are brilliant and you simply must include them in your project, may you copy them and YOU MUST use quotation marks to indicate that the words are not your own. This is what is needed:

One source that you have assessed using the CRAAP test. Your inquiry questions. Your works cited page. A brief outline of your ideas and plan for your culminating project.