What is IRAC and How Does it Help in Law Assignments?

Do you know Mathew Arnold’s method of Touchstone? Well, Arnold is a literary figure and critic and his theory too is a method of criticism. It means that a writer’s work must be measured against the passages or works of classical writers considered touchstones. However, you are a law student so you might not be aware of this theory. So let us break it down. The dictionary meaning of touchstone is a genuine thing that sets the benchmark of perfection against which the performance of others is measured. Similarly, the IRAC format is the touchstone to measure the presentation of your law assignment. 

IRAC is an abbreviation for Issue, Rule, Application and Conclusion. It was not developed by a single person but by a community of legal professionals. IRAC is often taught in Law Schools. So you must be aware of what it is. If not, here is a brief introduction. 

What does IRAC mean?

IRAC law method is a format for writing legal essays and papers. It helps lawyers and law students present their arguments and papers in an organised and logical manner. Basically, it is the guide that law students and lawyers follow to write a disciplined legal assignment. A touchstone that measures the perfection of the presentation of the assignment. 

As we have already seen, IRAC’s full form- Issue, Rules, Application, Conclusion- clearly shows a linear cycle to be followed while writing a law assignment. 

What does the Format of IRAC mean?

IRAC stands for Issues, Rule, Application and Conclusion. It helps in curating clear and logical legal assignments. Let’s deep dive into the IRAC format by understanding each word of it. 

  • Issue

As the name itself suggests, it is the issue that the legal assignment identifies and addresses. As lawyers, you must have read a lot of case studies and laws. So to write an assignment, you have to choose a particular field and go through the case studies. Learn about the existing laws in that field and how and how often they have been used. 

  • Rule 

Rule of the IRAC law method is the right law that you should pick up to demonstrate and address the issue you identified. Your law should be relevant not only to the field of study but also to the issue. Out of the ocean of laws, you have to use your intelligence to find those who are capable of resolving the issue. 

  • Application 

After stating the rules relevant to the issue, you have to demonstrate their application. You have to show how exactly the laws explain the issue. Don’t beat around the bushes. Start with the general law but come to the specific ones that correctly frame the issue and its facts. 

  • Conclusion 

After your arguments in the application of the laws to address the issue, conclude your assignment through a conclusion. The conclusion must logically weave the seamless justification of how the rule addresses the issue and gives a solution. 

So IRAC format can be followed to create a smooth and logical flow of the law assignment. However, it is not the format of the assignment. It is a guide on how to organise your arguments and thoughts, not the rules to be followed to format the assignment when you write it. So consult law assignment help in formatting your assignment. 

For now, this might help:

Basics of Law Assignment

  • What is the Assignment about?

Firstly, you need to understand your assignment carefully. You have to note down the keywords, the laws that it requires you to address and the field of study where you have to find the issue. 

  • Research 

After you have a clear idea of the requirements of the assignment, start your research. Find case studies similar to the field of study assigned to you. Go through them and find the issue or problem in them. Also, read about the laws that are applicable to the field of study so that you can apply them again and find a different conclusion. 

  • IRAC 

Here comes the role of the IRAC format. Structure your arguments and thoughts according to the rules of IRAC. This will help you create a formal, logical and concise argument and presentation. 

  • Feedback and Submission 

Before submitting your assignment, seek feedback from experts. Check plagiarism and AI content presence. Rectify your assignment based on the feedback from all these mediums. When you are confident about your assignment, submit it. 

Format of Law Assignement

Since you are a student of Australian University, you need to follow the format assigned to your by the University. However, keep the following elements in mind that remain almost unchanged 

  1. Title Page 
  2. Table of Content 
  3. Abstract 
  4. Introduction
  1. Purpose and scope of assignment 
  2. Issue and structure of the assignment
  1. Main Body
  1. State the issue
  2. Legal analysis through IRAC 
  3. Critical analysis 
  1. Conclusion 
  2. References

So that’s all! You are a student of law and you must be well-versed with the ethics of breaching the credibility and rules of assignment. So be careful about those factors and don’t let them ruin your hard work. The article aimed to give you a guide for the right way to write a law assignment. So if there is anything unaddressed, seek help from law assignment help.

Being a law student, you have the responsibility to protect the legal framework of society. Each step you take must be measured because it can have an unexpected impact on society. So realise your responsibility, be proud of leading it and serve your purpose through your assignment.

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