Law Students’ Essay Writing Performance and their Writing Difficulties

Using transparency as a visual variable in 3D geo-visualization offers several advantages since it can encode underlying data and at the same time relieve the occlusion. However, the usability of transparency has yet to be tested with intended users and it might vary from one application domain to another or from one task to another. This research project addresses the usability of transparency in 3D cadastre visualization, more specifically whether it helps users delimit property units (administrative boundaries) with their physical counterparts (e.g., walls) in condominium situation. In this situation, three types of boundaries (simple physical, simple administrative, and linked boundary, which is both physical and administrative) are involved in visualization, and three different transparency levels are used to represent these types. Empirical tests are administered in the form of an online questionnaire for university students in law (notarial law) and land surveying. The results show that, in general, using three different transparency levels is preferable and efficient solution to help users demarcate property units with their physical counterparts, and 63% participants correctly achieved their visual tasks with this design. Also, the transparency settings influence user's performance. For example, applying very high transparency to simple administrative boundaries as compared to simple physical boundaries improves user certainty. Another important discovery is that many university students in notarial law are inexperienced with 3D visualization, and such inexperience affects the viewer's certitude when carrying out visual tasks.

Personality Factors and Civic Moral Disengagement in Law and Psychology University Students

<p>A number of studies have been undertaken about the mental health of law students and the reports as to the findings of those studies have all expressed concern about the high levels of psychological distress suffered by them. Australian studies indicate that while university students suffer from emotional distress at a rate greater than that of the general population and at a higher rate than their non-student (age group) peers, law students are more distressed than their university peers. This has led to many calls for action.</p><p><br />Most law students undertake their degree with a view to practising law. It is now also accepted that legal practitioners suffer depression or emotional distress at higher rates than other professionals, other workers more generally and the general population. Research shows that there is a strong correlation between high levels of emotional distress and the incidence of mental illness. Law students suffering high or very high distress levels are therefore at an increased risk of suffering a mental illness, most commonly anxiety and/or depression.</p><p>Faced with this problem, the question arises: how should legal education institutions respond? This article describes the approach taken by one legal education institution, The College of Law, Australia (the College), in answering this question. The College identified the value in improving students’ mental health literacy and stress management and now trains its lecturers to deliver an educational workshop (the workshop) in these areas. The workshop forms part of the core curriculum for the College’s practical legal training program (PLT).</p><p>Part 2 of the article reviews some of the literature about health promotion, health literacy, mental health literacy and promoting student wellbeing, providing the underpinnings for the intervention. Part 3 describes the development of the workshop for pre-admission graduate law students. Part 4 outlines the content of the workshop and delivery methods. Part 5 considers evaluations of the workshop, from both the student and teacher perspective and student learning outcomes, and Part 6 contains recommendations based on our experience in designing and delivering the workshop.</p>

The paper investigated ICT utilisation skill of undergraduate law students in Nigerian university law libraries. The objectives of the study were to determine whether ICT sources were available to law students; the frequency of use thereof; how the students sought information on the Internet and the challenges faced by law students using ICT sources in the law libraries. The sampling size consisted of 12 universities, 1534 law students, 12 deans and 12 librarians. Questionnaires were administered to the students, and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from deans and librarians. Observation was also done in the 12 law libraries. Data collected were analysed with Excel Statistical version, while data from the interviews were transcribed and arranged into themes for content analysis. Findings revealed that 90 % of the respondents were ICT literate and could independently search information using ICT facilities from the Internet, though most of the students neither accessed nor used the law library ICT sources. The paper recommends that ICT skill training is included in the law curriculum as a compulsory subject of the law faculties.

This study aimed to explore law students' perspectives on the intersection of legal education and social responsibility, focusing on how current educational practices align with the goals of fostering social awareness and responsibility among future legal professionals. Employing a qualitative research design, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 law students from various law schools across the country. The participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure a diverse range of experiences and viewpoints. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key themes and subthemes related to students' perceptions of their legal education and its role in preparing them for socially responsible legal practice. Five main themes emerged from the data: Perceptions of Legal Education; Social Responsibility in the Legal Profession; Personal Development and Identity; Institutional Support and Resources; and Future Directions for Legal Education. These themes encompassed a range of categories and concepts, including the importance of interdisciplinary coursework, the role of creative and reflective practices in fostering ethical reasoning, the impact of legal education on personal and professional identity, the critical role of institutional support, and recommendations for integrating technology and promoting diversity within legal education. The study highlights law students' recognition of the importance of social responsibility within their profession and the need for legal education to more effectively foster this attribute. It suggests that by incorporating interdisciplinary content, encouraging reflective practices, and enhancing institutional support, legal education can better prepare students to meet the challenges of contemporary legal practice with a strong sense of ethical and social responsibility.

Even if research on online collaborative writing is largely abundant, studies on the effects of varied digital collaborative tools applied to different stages of process writing are limited. This paper, therefore, presents the findings of a quasi-experimental study on the effects of three Web 2.0-based collaborative writing tools on university English language students’ writing performance and motivation. A one-group within-subjects quasi-experimental repeated-measures time series design was employed. Sixteen University students were comprehensively selected. Data were collected over four rounds using writing performance tests and a motivation questionnaire. The Friedman test was utilized to compare the mean scores of the related samples. Additionally, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was calculated to determine the concordance in the rating. The results revealed that Web 2.0-based collaborative writing had a statistically significant effect on students’ writing performance and motivation when applied to the different stages of process writing. Therefore, it is essential for teachers, schools, and curriculum designers to make a concerted effort to integrate Web 2.0 writing tools for collaborative writing. 

Being a university student is a vulnerable period marked by transitions and uncertainties which can impair their physical and mental well-being as well as overall quality of life. The existing literature suggests that certain groups of students might be particularly affected by that. In addition, quality of life might have been further affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this article investigated university students’ quality of life and its determinants during the COVID-19 pandemic using an online survey among students of one German university. Quality of life was measured using SF-12’s physical (PCS) and mental dimension (MCS). We conducted stratified descriptive analyses followed by regression analyses. 875 respondents completed the questionnaire, of whom 63.0% were female and 95.7% had a German nationality and 16.0% reported having a migration background. Mean age was 23 years. Medical (17.7%) and law students (15.8%) were the biggest groups, but all other faculties of the university were also covered. Concerning respondents’ health-related quality of life, mean PCS was 51 (95%CI = (47–55)), while mean MCS was 36 (95%CI = (30–43). Students with non-German nationality (PCS: 49; MCS: 29) and students with migration background (PCS: 50; MCS: 31) showed particularly low quality of life in the mental dimension. In multivariable regression analyses, associations of the included determinants with PCS were rather weak. In contrast, there were strong associations between MCS and having a migration background with regression coefficient β = -26.1 (95%CI = (-38.5 – -13.7)) and studying Law with β = -17.7 (95%CI = (-28.2 – -7.2)). When comparing these findings with pre-pandemic studies, it seems that university students’ quality of life during the pandemic was as low as it had been before while–as in pre-pandemic studies–certain groups of students generally fared worse than others did. This suggests that universities should actively promote students’ health and should implement measures to specifically support particularly vulnerable students such as students with migration background or students of certain subjects.

Public stigma toward psychological help-seeking is a critical barrier to mental health service utilization, particularly among university students in culturally conservative and academically demanding disciplines such as law. In China, where Confucian values emphasize social conformity and face preservation, law students may internalize societal narratives that associate mental illness with personal weakness, deterring them from accessing psychological services. This study translated and examined the psychometric properties of the Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help (SSRPH) among Chinese law students. A total of 1257 undergraduate law students from five universities in China participated in the study. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on a randomly selected subsample (n = 628) to examine the scale’s factor structure, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on a second subsample (n = 629). Results supported a unidimensional factor structure with strong internal consistency (α = 0.82). CFA yielded a good model fit (CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.95). Significant negative correlations with help-seeking attitudes (r = −0.37, p < 0.001) supported discriminant validity. While further validation is warranted, the Chinese SSRPH appears suitable for assessing perceived public stigma in legal education contexts and may inform future research and program design in stigma reduction and mental health promotion.

Reports into university students’ experiences indicate that student engagement is decreasing. Universities need to be able to effectively engage with students to foster teaching and learning. In light of the recent endorsement by the Council of Australian Law Deans of the threshold learning outcomes - that emphasises legal education as being more than legal knowledge - the use of authentic assessment may become far more relevant as a means of developing broader knowledge and skills. The literature has consistently linked authentic assessment with student engagement. But what is the reality of using authentic assessment to engage with students? This article reports on a study into the use of authentic assessment by law academics as a means of engaging with students, in the first and second years of a regional law program. The study reports on law academics perceptions of what is student engagement, what is student engagement and how do law academics use authentic assessment. The study reveals some negative experiences of both law students and law academics associated with using authentic assessment. The study also identifies some possible factors that, if taken into account, may positively assist with the use of authentic assessment as a means of promoting student engagement.

Background The construction of the rule of law in the new era places higher demands on university students majoring in law. In addition to solid professional competence, positive psychological qualities such as stress resistance, empathy, and professional identity are core supports for their adaptation to legal practice. At present, university psychological assessments lack evaluation systems for cultivating positive psychology that are tailored to the characteristics of law majors, resulting in cultivation efforts that lack precise guidance and scientific feedback. Therefore, it is necessary to study in connection with the training goals of law professionals to establish a systematic and practical evaluation system for cultivating positive psychology, providing theoretical and practical support for improving the mental health of law students. Methods This study selected 240 participants, including law students and faculty from three universities at different levels, as well as legal practitioners. A literature review was used to identify the core dimensions of positive psychology, and evaluation indicators were initially drafted based on the characteristics of the legal profession. The Delphi method was used to optimize the indicator system through two rounds of expert consultation, ultimately determine ng four primary dimensions and twelve secondary indicators. A “Positive Psychological Cultivation Evaluation Scale for Law Students” was developed, and a pre-survey was conducted with 180 students. Exploratory factor analysis was used to test construct validity, Cronbach’s α coefficient was used to test reliability, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to determine the weights of each indicator. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Results As shown in Table 1, the evaluation system constructed in this study includes four primary dimensions: cognitive efficacy (weight 0.28), emotion management (0.25), professional identity (0.27), and social adaptation (0.20). In the pre-survey, the scores for each dimension were: cognitive efficacy 3.72 ± 0.58, emotion management 3.56 ± 0.61, professional identity 3.85 ± 0.53, and social adaptation 3.63 ± 0.59. Secondary indicators cover logical reasoning, stress management, and belief in the rule of law. The scale showed good reliability and validity, with a total Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.89 and α coefficients for each dimension ranging from 0.78 to 0.85. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a fit index χ2/df = 2.31, RMSEA = 0.07, and CFI = 0.92, indicating good structural fit. Discussion The evaluation system developed in the study shows that professional identity and cognitive efficacy account for the highest proportions, aligning with the core needs of talent development in the field of law, and possessing good scientific validity and practicality. This system can help accurately identify gaps in cultivation, optimize training programs, and in the future, it can expand sample coverage and dynamically adjust indicator weights using longitudinal tracking data, enhancing the system’s adaptability across different universities and promoting the standardized development of positive psychological cultivation in the legal profession.

Introduction: Stress is the result of a set of disorders that occur on a daily basis, causing an irregularity in the individual's homeostasis. Entering the academic environment brings with it various divergent situations that can culminate in a possible appearance or increase in stress, bringing changes in the emotional state due to the more intense pace of life, learning difficulties, and a decline in academic performance. Aim: To carry out a comparative study on perceived stress among Physiotherapy and Law students at the Centro Universitário de Caratinga (UNEC) - Nanuque Campus. Methodology: This is a quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study, in which the presence of stress was studied and analyzed among Physiotherapy and Law students from the 1st and 9th periods enrolled at the UNEC - Nanuque Campus, using a structured and validated questionnaire that assessed the students' level of stress. Results: Composed of 107 students from the Physiotherapy and Law courses from the 1st and 9th periods, the sample identified that in both courses more than 50% of the students showed medium stress, the Physiotherapy course showed higher levels of stress than the Law course and when compared by gender between the courses, women showed a higher level of stress than men. Conclusion: The study highlighted the possible reasons for increased stress in students, showing that it can negatively affect some aspects of social and academic life, and that attitudes are needed to minimize damage and possible stressors.

The proposed monograph is devoted to the study of Mikhail Nikolaevich Kapustin's (1828-1899) legal theory, which includes the doctrine of domestic and international law. The Russian legal science of the second half of the 19th century is characterized in the context of its compliance with the developing legal practice. The main stages of M.N. Kapustin's creative evolution are identified, and their characteristics are provided in the context of his solution to the problem of creating a general theory of law and developing a scientific methodology for the study of law, etc. The monograph is intended for students of law faculties and universities, postgraduate students of law, teachers, and anyone interested in the history and methodology of legal science.

Sexual and reproductive health in Spanish University Students. A comparison between medical and law students

This case study aims to investigate the implementation of the 5E-flipped approach combined with an interactive e-learning module (5E-flipped e-learning) as a novel framework for teaching speaking skills. It focuses on how this model creates an e-learning environment that enhances EFL learners’ speaking abilities. A total of 23 law students were selected as participants using a purposive sampling technique with some specific criteria. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, observation, and documentation techniques and were then thematically analyzed. The findings indicated that the 5E-flipped e-learning provides a new structured framework for improving law students’ speaking skills within a focused and supportive learning environment. The results suggest that implementing the 5E-flipped e-learning approach in speaking instruction is highly recommended, as it significantly enhances learning outcomes and reduces speaking anxiety. This study also offers instructional insights for EFL teachers, students, and syllabus designers. By highlighting the benefits of this instructional approach, the study encourages the adoption of its methods to foster more dynamic learning environments, enhance student participation, and incorporate authentic assessment strategies to learners’ speaking abilities in EFL settings.

The paper investigates the challenges associated with utilization of legal information resources in the faculty of law libraries in federal universities of northern Nigeria. The study employed quantitative research method using cross-sectional survey research design. The population of the study comprised of 1,348 postgraduate law students in the libraries studied. Simple random sampling equation (SRS-Equation) was used to select the sample size for the study. A total of 308 postgraduate law students was therefore the sample size chosen for the study. A self-developed questionnaire was used to collect data. A total number of 308 copies of questionnaire were administered personally by the author and 4 research assistants, out of which 271 were returned and found useful for further analysis. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid of SPSS (v21). Findings revealed that, the printed legal information resources were highly utilized by postgraduate law students except e-resources and on-line legal databases that had low utilization. Some challenges associated with the utilization of legal resources were insufficient copies of books, inadequate reading facilities and defaced information resources; inadequate infrastructure for accessing resources electronically, insufficient computers and interrupted power supply, among others. The study concludes that, despite the technological advancement and globalization the world is experiencing, postgraduate law students in federal universities of northern Nigeria are yet to fully enjoy the vast electronic legal information resources, and this could significantly affect the quality of legal researches and academic excellence in legal profession. The study recommends among other things the need for the provision of adequate electronic legal information resources and regular subscription to online legal databases in the faculty of law libraries in federal universities in northern Nigeria.&#x0D; Keywords: Utilization, Legal Information Resources, Postgraduates, Law students, Libraries