Assignment title: Information
BUS203 BUSINESS LAW AND ETHICS
ASSESSMENT TASK 2_ASSIGNMENT 2016
DUE DATE: Friday 6 May 2015 (midnight) (Week 9)
Note that the topic for this assessment item, Consumer Law, has been moved to
week 6, and in week 7 you will be given specific assignment help.
TOTAL MARKS: 30 marks (30% of overall assessment)
WORD LIMIT: 1500 words
SUBMISSION: Submit your work electronically in Black Board under the
Assessment tab. Ensure that you include a cover page with your name, the name
of your tutor and day and time of your tutorial.
Carrie likes to do all her shopping online. She receives a weekly email from Eziebuy
Ltd advertising its latest specials. She likes the Eziebuy company because it sells
Australian products. The following statement from the company appears in the emails
sent to Carrie by Eziebuy each week:
"We sell only Australian products. Think globally but buy locally! You will be getting
the best deals and supporting the Australian economy."
Last Christmas, Carrie was most excited by the catalogue and amazed with the range
of items for sale. She bought lots of presents for her family and friends but has been
disappointed with the following:
a) Carrie bought an electric blanket for her parents for $150.00. Some fifteen
minutes after her father plugged the blanket in and turned it on he smelt something
burning. He discovered that the heating element in the blanket was faulty and had
burnt through to the sheets and covers on the bed.
b) Carrie wanted to buy her brother David a razor that he could easily use on his
business trips. She rang the Eziebuy sales line and asked the salesperson if the
razor advertised could be used with batteries. The salesperson assured Carrie that
the razor could be operated by batteries or via mains electricity supply. Carries
purchased the razor for $59.95. David discovered that it would not take batteries.
c) Carrie ordered some wool for her Aunt Ellen. Ellen is a keen knitter and currently
has a passion for alpaca. Carrie ordered twelve balls at $8.50 each. The wool was
advertised as alpaca on the internet but Aunt Ellen immediately recognised it as
angora and not alpaca.
On closer examination of her purchases, Carries found that the electric blanket was
made in Korea, the razor was made in China and the wool was manufactured in India.
She is not happy because the company advertised its products as Australian products.
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She doesn't believe that she got the 'best deal' or that her purchases are supporting
the Australian economy.
When Carrie contacted the Eziebuy sales staff by 'phone after Christmas to complain,
she was referred to the buying cart of the Eziebuy website on which appeared the
following:
'Eziebuy Ltd offers no exchange or replacement for items purchased through this
catalogue.'
When asked about the products being made overseas the salesperson said: "Oh well,
they are mostly packaged or repackaged here and that gives us jobs."
You are asked to advise Carrie as to any action she could take against Eziebuy. Your
discussion should be limited to a consideration of the Australian Consumer Law.
ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
The following guidelines are based on a review of common errors made in Business
Law and Ethics assignments. Students are asked to read these guidelines carefully as
they will be taken into account in marking your papers. Students are also referred to
guides to Harvard style referencing available from the bookshop and Student
Services.
The information to follow is presented under the headings of:
Content and analysis
Structure and style.
CONTENT AND ANALYSIS
Generally the content (or coverage of the topic) is assessed according to two main
requirements. These are:
Demonstration of a knowledge of the law, assessed according to accurate
statement of legal principles
Demonstration of an understanding of the law, assessed according to logical
and coherent application of legal principles to the facts.
The following guidelines stem from the requirements stated above:
It is not enough to discuss the facts in a general way without reference to legal
principle/s.
It is not enough to state relevant legal principles without explicitly applying those
principles to the facts.
Statements of legal requirements/ principles must be accurate. Use of your own
words is encouraged but must convey the substance (meaning of) the legal
principle/s.
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Merely reproducing the facts given in the problem will not attract marks. This
problem commonly occurs in written introductions, where it would appear that the
writer is not sure where to start.
Answers should include an introduction, analysis and conclusion (but not include
these headings as such).
The introduction should contain statements of:
The legal terms given to the relevant parties on the facts
The nature of the action to be taken by the party advised
The party who must prove the action (burden of proof)
The relevant standard of proof
The elements of the action requiring proof.
The analysis should state:
The elements requiring proof (from the legislation) and interpretation of
An application of the legal requirements (elements) and their interpretation
A consideration of legal remedies available to the injured party should the
The conclusion should contain:
A summary of previous discussion and conclusion as to the likelihood of
those elements (from legislation and case authorities as appropriate)
to the facts in question
action be proven.
proof of the action. No new material should be included in this part of an
answer.
Accurate and full reference to cases and legislation must be used (see further
below).
STRUCTURE AND STYLE
The following guidelines reflect the requirements of formal academic writing
generally and those more specifically relevant to law.
Executive summaries should NOT be included.
Headings may be used.
Headings using 'Introduction', 'Analysis', and 'Conclusion' should NOT be
used.
Headings should reflect the legal issues raised by the problem.
Avoid abbreviations- eg use 'has not' instead of 'hasn't'.
Avoid informal language- eg use 'Therefore..' instead of 'So..' or 'Well..'.
Avoid use of emotive language- eg use 'I argue.., "I would argue..', 'I assert.., or
'I contend..' instead of 'I believe..', 'I feel..' or even 'I think..'.
Be mindful that legal analysis is about logical argument based on principles as
applied to the facts and not about personal responses- emotional or value-laden.
Avoid use of 'slang' (or poor grammar generally)- eg use 'should have' instead of
'should of'.
An opinion may be stated but must be based upon an application of legal principle
to the facts.
Check spelling and grammar; use the spell and grammar checks available on
computer.
Full sentences, containing a subject, verb and object must be used.
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