1.4.7 T is for Timeliness The date when information was produced or published can be an important aspect of quality. This is not quite as simple as saying that 'good' information has to be up to date. Here is an example of a news item from an on-l 7.4.3 Modelling errors be aware that it is often possible to provide an estimate of error for numerical values derived from the application of theoretical models to a data set. For me, thinking about the use of models convinces me of some of the benefits of ‘problematising’ science – as we've been doing in the commentary so far. Indeed, my feeling is that using models reflects something more general about how scientific understanding is built up. By this I me 7.3 Multiple interpretations in science Talking of media reports of the Chernobyl episode, Millar and Wynne point out that: [disagreements between scientists] become difficult to interpret, other than in terms of bias or incompetence. Divergences between the data and interpretations of pressure groups … and the official sources are attributed to the former [bias]; those between different official agencies … to the latter [incompetence]. Only in a han 3.1.1 (A) Science and certainty Pupils should appreciate why much scientific knowledge, particularly that taught in school science, is well established and beyond reasonable doubt, and why other scientific knowledge is more open to legitimate doubt. It should also be explained that current scientific knowledge is the best that we have but may be subject to change in the future, given new evidence or new interpretation of old evidence. Introduction This unit is designed as an introduction to the academic study of the concept of rules, but will also serve as an introduction to a variety of different writing styles that are used in the academic world. It will challenge you to think about why some statements are rules and some are not, and what it is that distinguishes rules from habits and customs. It also looks at more formal rules and how such rules are applied and enforced. Rules shape our lives because they set out what we may and may Starting with law Acknowledgements Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following sources for permission to reproduce material in this unit: Except for third party materials and otherwise stated (see terms and conditions), this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Licence Glossary Click on the link below to open the unit glossary. 9.4 Mind maps Mind mapping or spider diagrams have become popular in recent years. If you haven't tried this way of making notes, it is well worth a try. When making a mind map, you generally put the central topic in the middle of the page and then arrange the different aspects of the topic around it. However, you can give free rein to your creativity with mind maps. There are no hard and fast rules. Try experimenting with different colours or even pictures if you have artistic skills. Mind maps do g 9.2 Marking up a text Although you might not think of this as note-taking, marking the text as you read can be a very useful part of the note-taking process. You can do this by using a highlighter pen, by underlining key points or by making notes in the margin. However, try not to overdo it and only highlight important points. 8 Magistrates Magistrates have been a part of the English legal system since the Justice of the Peace Act 1361. Their main role has always been in the criminal justice system. There are now over 30,000 magistrates (also known as Justices of the Peace) hearing over one million criminal cases per yea 3.7 Europe Two very different European sources of law have had an impact on our legal system since the middle of the twentieth century. In this sense, they are one of our most recent sources of law. These two sources are first, the organisation of member states referred to as the European Union (EU), and second, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). They are distinct sources of law. They each act as a source of law in different ways. Membership of the EU is by application. 1.1 The constitution The UK has a common law legal system. It is very difficult to give a simple definition of the legal system in the UK, but you may find it helps to think of it as the system that covers how all civil and criminal laws are made, used and enforced. A fundamental part of any legal system is its Author(s): 6.1 Influences on the law-making process In Part E I will discuss the influence of pressure groups in the rule-making process and assess the role that citizens can have in influencing the laws Parliament makes. As you have seen already, most Acts of Parliament are the outcome of the policy decisions taken by Government and the actual policies pursued will depend upon the political goals of that Government. Most Acts result from Government Bills sponsored by the relevant Minister. Education legislation, for example, will be int 4.13.4 Volume The large volume of delegated legislation produced every year (some 3,000 SIs annually) means that it is very difficult for Members of Parliament, let alone the general public, to keep up to date with the present law. This is exacerbated by the fact that delegated legislation is made in private, unlike Acts of Parliament which are made following public debates in Parliament. 4.9 The control of delegated legislation You may have been surprised to read that through delegated legislation an enormous amount of law is made every year outside of the democratically elected parliamentary process and therefore this law is being made by non-elected people. There are, however, certain safeguards to ensure that delegated legislation is controlled by way of both parliamentary and judicial control. 4.5 Byelaws Byelaws can be made by local authorities and certain other public corporations and companies concerning issues within the scope of their geographic or other areas of responsibility. So, a County Council can make byelaws affecting the whole county, whilst a District or Town Council can only make byelaws for the district or town. Byelaws are usually created when there is no general legislation that deals with an issue that concerns people in a local area. If a council wishes to make a byelaw it 4.2 The volume of delegated legislation Delegated legislation is a very important source of legislation quite simply because of its volume. There are far more pieces of delegated legislation created each year than Acts of Parliament. For example, in 2005 there were only 24 general public Acts of Parliament passed whereas there were 3,699 Statutory Instruments made. You will learn about Statutory Instruments as one type of delegated legislation. 3.3.4 Report stage A Bill that has been amended in committee stage is reviewed by the House in which it started. The amendments will be debated in the House and accepted or rejected. Further amendments may also be added. 3.3 Procedure by which Bills become law In order to become an Act of Parliament a Bill will have to be passed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. A Bill may start in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords, with the exception of Finance Bills which always start in the House of Commons. A Finance Bill is introduced by the Government shortly after the Budget to bring the Government's tax proposals into law. Before a Bill can become an Act of Parliament it must undergo a number of stages.
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Starting with law explores key legal concepts such as legal capacity and the rights and responsibilities of the individual. You will examine how laws are made, and how they affect us at different points in our lives. This unit is ideal if you are a beginner or returning to study. First published on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 as Author(s):
Author(s):