General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW6313 / JDOC6313 |
| Course name: | Law as Data |
| Programme offered under: | LLM Programme / JD Programme |
| Semester: | First |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | This course is self-contained. No knowledge of Python is necessary although prior exposure to programming will be helpful. Knowledge of calculus and linear algebra is highly recommended. |
| Credit point value: | 9 credit / 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
Law is created, transmitted, and performed through speech. By summarizing and extracting information from large amounts of text, we can better understand legal behaviour and institutions. This course has three objectives. First, to introduce some of the building blocks for treating legal text as data. Second, to gain some hands-on experience in analysing text data using the Python programming language. Third, to explore how quantitative methods for text analysis can yield social scientific insights. Motivated examples are provided throughout.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Benjamin Chen | benched@hku.hk | CCT 512 | By email |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Describe and explain basic approaches to text as data.
CLO 2 Describe and explain how quantitative methods for analysing text can be used to illuminate empirical relationships germane to law and legal institutions.
CLO 3 Apply their knowledge and skills to assess the viability of academic studies or commercial applications that apply quantitative methods for analysing text.
CLO 4 Demonstrate their knowledge of quantitative methods for analysing text by ideating plausible studies or applications and recognizing their limitations.
2.2 LLM and JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Please refer to the following link:
LLM – https://course.law.hku.hk/llm-plo/
JD – https://course.law.hku.hk/jd-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Due date | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Five In-class quizzes | TBC | 20% | 1, 2, 3, 4 | |
| Programming assignment | 23 Dec 2024 | 30% | 1, 2, 3, 4 | |
| Proposal that applies law as data methods | 23 Dec 2024 | 50% | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s).
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
Learning Activities
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Seminar: | 3 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
To be advised by course convenor(s).
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | TBA |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/