Data Analysis for Legal Professionals

Course description

While there are many programmes and courses on policy development, monitoring and evaluation and the like, none appear to engage directly with issues of data and statistics from the point of view of a non-specialist in an accessible manner. Existing courses make assumptions about the degree of comfort and understanding participants may have with understanding and interpreting data, which appear to assume knowledge of statistical concepts, or which omit to address the topics at all. The course aims to enable participants to engage with data presented by analysts and to interpret and question that data, toward answering questions of policy, impact and evaluation, which may be key to policy development. The programme aims to fill an educational and market-based gap. It does so in a manner not replicated in similar programmes offered by other institutions.
The focus of this course is on being able to engage with data and statistics toward policy development and analysis, rather than becoming a data specialist. The course is designed to be highly interactive and accessible and does not require a high degree of prior
mathematical literacy. The course will look at the language and meaning of data, and easy to remember rules of thumb for engaging with data and creating own analyses of data. The primary market includes legal professionals or those working in legal contexts who are policy-makers (in politics or government), in non-governmental organisation engaging in advocacy, or academics writing on policy, who may not have had any formal training or qualification in statistics but who must engage with data and statistics in the course of their work. The course will be presented online on a weekday, after-hours (17h30 to 19h30).

Course details

Session 1: Introduction to legal reasoning and (social) scientific reasoning
In this session, the similarities and differences between legal reasoning and scientific reasoning, especially in the social sciences will be discussed. The social sciences in particular frequently make use of what is called “quantitative analysis”. The nature of such analysis has implications for legal professionals, policy makers and activists who may wish to make use of such analysis. The session will make use of real-world examples. Expectations for the course ahead will also be discussed.

Session 2: The lexicon of data analysis
Just like the law, data analysis has its own language. Very specific meanings are ascribed to words or terms, which are common in ordinary language but their precise meaning in the context of data analysis must be understood. Terms such as information, records, data, datasets, survey, census, observation, variable, universe, population, representative, sample, weighting, statistics (descriptive and inferential), research, indicators, rates, fractions, percentages, significance, amongst others; will be clearly explained with real-world examples. The terms will be introduced in this session and returned to in later sessions.

Session 3: Critically assessing ‘statistics’
"Lies, damned lies, and statistics" is a phrase describing the persuasive power of statistics to bolster weak arguments. In the modern world we are inundated with the results of research, frequently designed to persuade us of something. Policy-makers in particular are faced with advocacy from a number of different sources. In this session, we will discuss how to ask questions of data and statistics and whether they should be considered to be persuasive or not. The various useful rules of thumb will help with this, as well as the crucial importance of being clear on numerators and denominators when understanding rates and percentages.

Session 4: Basic analysis and report writing with data In this session we will discuss how to understand and write a coherent report based on data tables provided by an analyst or statistician, or available in the public domain. This will include how to read a statistical data table output, and the appropriate vocabulary to describe what the table indicates. In this session participants will also formulate a simple research question and be guided as to quantitative sources or methods of answering the question. Methods of presenting results will also be discussed. Participants are invited to bring any of their current research for discussion.

Session 5: Review of assignments and recap
In this session the results submitted by course participants will be discussed and there will be feedback on these. There will be an opportunity to recap on everything covered in the previous five sessions.

Statement of purpose

Data is power and data is integral to the fourth industrial revolution in which we find ourselves. An inability to understand the language of data and to engage confidently with data is increasingly a form of illiteracy which no professional and no legal professional can afford not to address.
The purpose of this course is to equip participants with the beginnings of literacy in the language of data, to enhance their ability to engage with data and with data analysts, and to enhance their confidence in critically engaging with the issues of the day as they interact with law and policy.

Course outcomes

On completion of this course participants should be able to:
• Identify the key difference between scientific reasoning and legal reasoning and discuss the
implications
• Explain and apply the specific meaning and implication of words used in data analysis and
interrogate and justify the uses of different types of data
• Engage critically with data, including indicators, presented in the media, advocacy or research
• Examine and elaborate the implications of statistics provided by analysts
• Incorporate appropriate data and data analysis into research reports to strengthen policy
development

Entry level requirements

- Alternative admission at the discretion of the university is permitted on condition that participants have at least 3 to 5 years working experience in the field of law, policy or government.
- NQF5; degree of career in legal or policy field recommended.
- Learning assumed to be in place: This course is designed for working people, or aspirant new graduates, or third or fourth year students with a background in law, policy or government. Accordingly, basic communication and report-writing skills are assumed to be in place.

Planned course dates

To be confirmed

Course evaluation

This will take place through analysis of course completion rates, assessment results and participant feedback questionnaires. The evaluation results will be disseminated to the faculty in order to improve the curriculum and increase participant enrolment.

Assessment criteria

Participants are assessed on their attainment of the following, as demonstrated in participation and in weekly tests:
• The key differences between scientific reasoning and legal reasoning are clearly identified and the implications elaborated
• The specific meaning and implication of words used in data analysis are correctly explained and
applied and the uses of different types of data are interrogated and justified
• Data, including indicators, presented in the media, advocacy or research are critically engaged with
• The implications of statistics provided by analysts are examined and clearly elaborated

Participants are assessed on their attainment of the following, as demonstrated in the assignment:
• Appropriate data and data analysis are incorporated into research reports to strengthen policy
development.

Assessment methods

For the Certificate of Competence
• Weekly class tests (MCQ and short answer) to be completed by the end of each week. 5 tests in
total. Two attempts per test allowed (40% of total assessment)
• Written assignment 1500 words: Each participant will undertake a written assignment of up to [1500] words in the form of developing a research question, answering it making use of data and data analysis, using skills developed during the course (60% of total assessment).

For the Certificate of Attendance
• Record of attendance and active engagement in at least 80% of the sessions
• Record of participation in 50% of MCQ and short answer class tests
• Development of a research question for the assignment

Teaching & learning strategies

The teaching and learning strategy for this course aims to use the tools of a student-centered interactive learning approach in an online course using both synchronous and asynchronous learning, teaching and assessment. Online technology, including breakout small-group sessions, and the university’s learning management system, will be used to interact with other participants and with the lecturer.
Interactive learning: promotes flexible access and interaction with the learning material by a diverse student body.

Lectures and videos: course content will also be covered in online videos and narrated lectures uploaded to Ikamva, for participants, being busy professionals, to engage with the content in their own time.

Prescribed, Recommended and Additional Materials: consisting of, academic and journal articles, data sources and scientific reports, as well as less formal sources including documentaries, videos, articles and blogs: These will be uploaded from the UWC Law Library for the participants and placed on the course webpage.

Course material & equipment

Course Materials and Equipment includes the minimum equipment/devices/materials needed by participants.

The course outline, timetable, assignments, schedule of activities, marking system and deadlines will appear on the course webpage. There is no prescribed textbook. Prescribed materials consist of: academic publications (journal articles, chapters in books), policy documents, scientific reports, documentaries, podcasts, educational videos, articles and blogs.
Each week includes a list of readings and resources for each class. Participants will also be provided with a list of questions and topics to be covered in each class. The materials are uploaded from the UWC Law Library Online Database and placed on the course webpage.
Participants are required to have access to a laptop or PC with a camera and microphone, as well as a stable internet connection, and sufficient data and an appropriate venue to ensure they are able to engage with their cameras on during the seminar.

Modes of delivery

The course will be presented Online making use of the University's Learning Management System (Aspire).