Teacher(s)
Language
French
Main themes
Through its interdisciplinary approach, the course helps develop critical thinking and raises students’ awareness of major societal challenges related to the digital revolution and disinformation, as well as issues of sustainable development and inclusion.
By examining the notion of information from a legal perspective, the course also addresses topics related to the law of evidence, as well as information and communication law, freedom of expression, and data law.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
The general objective of the teaching unit (TU) is to provide training in academic working methods.
To this end, it specifically aims at the following learning outcomes of the Bachelor of Laws (as identified by the Faculty of Law at the Saint-Louis campus):
“I. Acquire a general education”
– Develop a critical understanding of general information sources (such as the press, new media and the internet in general, political discourse, surveys, statistics, etc.); – Acquire general knowledge and interdisciplinary skills through the development of a solid background in non-legal human and social sciences, enabling one to decode legal phenomena from a resolutely interdisciplinary perspective; “II. Acquire specifically legal knowledge”
– Develop a critical understanding of the main sources of law; – Acquire the foundations for the legal apprehension of facts, the relationship between law and facts, and the law of evidence; – Become familiar with data law, information law, and freedom of expression; – Apply these foundations to concrete legal situations (casus). “III. Acquire the methods and tools of the scientific approach”
– Integrate the main approaches and basic tools of research in the human sciences;– Acquire a critical and responsible use of artificial intelligence. “V. Master written and oral communication in French” – Learn to communicate, in writing, an idea, a line of reasoning, a problem, or an analysis. |
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Content
1. The course Critique of Information Sources is first and foremost a methods course, practice-oriented, focused on the application of the methods presented through questions, exercises, and legal casus.
The presentation of the principles and methods of research involves the theoretical definition of a number of concepts (categories of information sources, methods of documentary research, principles of source criticism, the legal foundations of the validity of information, and the basic legal rules related to the notion of information and data). This presentation is, however, systematically illustrated in a practical, and even participatory, manner. At the end of each theoretical section, a series of exercises are carried out during the lecture as a way of synthesizing the material.
Particular emphasis is placed, given the course’s place in a bachelor’s degree in law program, on legal information and on the handling of information in judicial contexts. Nevertheless, it also extends to political information, scientific information, journalistic information (and current events), as well as new media as a whole. During the course, students are thus systematically confronted with original sources of information (documents, research tools, websites, audiovisual sources, guest practitioners, etc.) which are then criticized and evaluated.
Given its practical dimension, the course does not dwell on distinguishing the epistemological premises or scientific affiliations of each principle and method presented. Its aim is to provide students with the greatest possible autonomy to ask the right questions and to manage in any environment and in the face of any issue they encounter; to help them acquire genuine critical reflexes. It therefore consists of an intensive intellectual “training” that should logically extend into all the work students will be called upon to carry out during their academic career, and beyond. In the first year of the law bachelor’s program, students are already required to apply these principles and methods in the context of the humanities seminar, which complements the course within the same teaching unit, as well as in the legal methodology seminar.
The course also deals with the legal apprehension of facts—including the notion of information and data—the relationship between law and facts, the law of evidence, and the critique of legal sources. Students must thus become aware of the importance of critical analysis within the legal field. To this end, the course is, as much as possible, connected with the content of the course on sources and principles of law, and with that of the legal methodology seminar.
2. The Humanities Seminar focuses on a discipline within the humanities: philosophy, history, psychology, linguistics, sociology-anthropology, criminology, political science, or information and communication. The seminar leads to the production of a summary, two syntheses, and an oral presentation, the latter prepared this time in groups. The content of each seminar varies depending on the instructor and the discipline in question, but all seminars follow the same framework.
The seminar simultaneously pursues two distinct yet complementary objectives. On the one hand, it aims to introduce students to a non-legal discipline within the humanities and social sciences. On the other hand, it seeks to familiarize them with the specific requirements of academic work, whether it involves carefully reading and understanding one or several scholarly texts, and then reporting on them by means of a written summary, an oral presentation, and written syntheses. The seminar thus addresses several questions: What is a scholarly text? How should it be read and understood in depth? How should one prepare a summary, a presentation, or a synthesis? How does one develop a problem statement and support an argument? How does one manage discursive polyphony? How does one handle the formal constraints of written or oral discourse? Finally, what are the foundations of a specific non-legal discipline in the humanities and social sciences?
The presentation of the principles and methods of research involves the theoretical definition of a number of concepts (categories of information sources, methods of documentary research, principles of source criticism, the legal foundations of the validity of information, and the basic legal rules related to the notion of information and data). This presentation is, however, systematically illustrated in a practical, and even participatory, manner. At the end of each theoretical section, a series of exercises are carried out during the lecture as a way of synthesizing the material.
Particular emphasis is placed, given the course’s place in a bachelor’s degree in law program, on legal information and on the handling of information in judicial contexts. Nevertheless, it also extends to political information, scientific information, journalistic information (and current events), as well as new media as a whole. During the course, students are thus systematically confronted with original sources of information (documents, research tools, websites, audiovisual sources, guest practitioners, etc.) which are then criticized and evaluated.
Given its practical dimension, the course does not dwell on distinguishing the epistemological premises or scientific affiliations of each principle and method presented. Its aim is to provide students with the greatest possible autonomy to ask the right questions and to manage in any environment and in the face of any issue they encounter; to help them acquire genuine critical reflexes. It therefore consists of an intensive intellectual “training” that should logically extend into all the work students will be called upon to carry out during their academic career, and beyond. In the first year of the law bachelor’s program, students are already required to apply these principles and methods in the context of the humanities seminar, which complements the course within the same teaching unit, as well as in the legal methodology seminar.
The course also deals with the legal apprehension of facts—including the notion of information and data—the relationship between law and facts, the law of evidence, and the critique of legal sources. Students must thus become aware of the importance of critical analysis within the legal field. To this end, the course is, as much as possible, connected with the content of the course on sources and principles of law, and with that of the legal methodology seminar.
2. The Humanities Seminar focuses on a discipline within the humanities: philosophy, history, psychology, linguistics, sociology-anthropology, criminology, political science, or information and communication. The seminar leads to the production of a summary, two syntheses, and an oral presentation, the latter prepared this time in groups. The content of each seminar varies depending on the instructor and the discipline in question, but all seminars follow the same framework.
The seminar simultaneously pursues two distinct yet complementary objectives. On the one hand, it aims to introduce students to a non-legal discipline within the humanities and social sciences. On the other hand, it seeks to familiarize them with the specific requirements of academic work, whether it involves carefully reading and understanding one or several scholarly texts, and then reporting on them by means of a written summary, an oral presentation, and written syntheses. The seminar thus addresses several questions: What is a scholarly text? How should it be read and understood in depth? How should one prepare a summary, a presentation, or a synthesis? How does one develop a problem statement and support an argument? How does one manage discursive polyphony? How does one handle the formal constraints of written or oral discourse? Finally, what are the foundations of a specific non-legal discipline in the humanities and social sciences?
Teaching methods
The teaching unit consists of two learning activities: the Critique of Information Sources (CSI) course and a humanities seminar in one of the disciplines covered by the programme.
The CSI course is taught ex cathedra in a large lecture theatre during the first term, at a rate of two hours per week. It is accompanied by optional tutorials.
The seminar consists of two lectures at the beginning of the term. It is then taught to small groups of students in five 2-hour sessions during the first term and four 2-hour sessions during the second term. Attendance at seminars is compulsory
The CSI course is taught ex cathedra in a large lecture theatre during the first term, at a rate of two hours per week. It is accompanied by optional tutorials.
The seminar consists of two lectures at the beginning of the term. It is then taught to small groups of students in five 2-hour sessions during the first term and four 2-hour sessions during the second term. Attendance at seminars is compulsory
Evaluation methods
The course Critique of Information Sources is assessed exclusively in French through a written exempting examination, organized during the January session, or through a final examination organized during the June and September sessions. Only grades higher than 10/20 are carried over to subsequent sessions within the same academic year (Art. 23 of the implementing provisions of the RGEE for the Faculty of Law).
The Humanities Seminar is assessed through continuous evaluation:
Students receive a final grade of 0A/20 for the seminar in the June session in the following cases:
Both learning activities result in a single final grade, at the end of the June and September sessions, corresponding to the average of the two assessments. However, both learning activities must actually have been completed in order to qualify for this average. A grade of 0 or A in one of the learning activities is binding, and the average will not be calculated in that case.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is not prohibited in the context of our practical assignments; it is even recommended to support you occasionally in carrying out certain tasks: linguistic revision of your text, translation of a text fragment, etc. However, the use of AI in no way exempts you from carrying out the required tasks yourself, which presupposes that you exercise discernment and critical thinking, reference your work scrupulously, and in short, respect all the principles of academic work. You are required:
The Humanities Seminar is assessed through continuous evaluation:
- writing a summary (October — formative assessment);
- writing a synthesis based on a reading portfolio (December — 25% of the final grade);
- an oral group presentation on a reading portfolio (March — 25% of the final grade);
- writing a synthesis based on the same reading portfolio (April — 50% of the final grade).
Students receive a final grade of 0A/20 for the seminar in the June session in the following cases:
- unjustified failure to submit an interim or final assignment;
- submission of a non-genuine assignment (e.g., submitting only a cover page or a largely incomplete work);
- submission of an assignment with a delay of 5 days; in the case of (unjustified) late submission, 2 points out of 20 are deducted per day of delay;
- unjustified absence during the oral presentation;
- more than one unjustified absence from seminar sessions, since attendance is mandatory.
Both learning activities result in a single final grade, at the end of the June and September sessions, corresponding to the average of the two assessments. However, both learning activities must actually have been completed in order to qualify for this average. A grade of 0 or A in one of the learning activities is binding, and the average will not be calculated in that case.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is not prohibited in the context of our practical assignments; it is even recommended to support you occasionally in carrying out certain tasks: linguistic revision of your text, translation of a text fragment, etc. However, the use of AI in no way exempts you from carrying out the required tasks yourself, which presupposes that you exercise discernment and critical thinking, reference your work scrupulously, and in short, respect all the principles of academic work. You are required:
- to respect the principles established by the Faculty on this matter (see the document Responsible Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence);
- to complete and sign the integrity commitment when submitting each assignment, failing which 2 points will be deducted.
Online resources
During the four-month term, PowerPoint presentations and certain accompanying texts, where applicable, will be made available to students via Moodle.
Bibliography
I. Bauthian, Gally, L’esprit critique, Paris, Éditions Delcourt, 2021.
G. Bronner, La démocratie des crédules, Paris, PUF, 2013.
G. Bronner, Déchéance de rationalité, Paris, Grasset, 2019.
S. Cuykens, D. Holzapfel, L. Kennes, La preuve en matière pénale, Bruxelles, Larcier, 2015.
B. Fosséprez, A. Pütz (dir.), La preuve au carrefour de cinq disciplines juridiques, Limal, Anthemis, 2013.
C. Gauvard, J.F. Sirinelli (dir.), Dictionnaire de l’historien, Paris, PUF, 2015.
K. Hillis, M. Petit, K. Jarrett, Google and the culture of search, New York, Routledge, 2012.
N. Marquis, E. Lenel, L. Van Campenhoudt, Pratique de la lecture critique en sciences humaines et sociales, Paris, Dunod, 2018.
D. Mougenot, « La preuve », Répertoire notarial, t. IV, Les obligations, livre II, Bruxelles, Larcier, 2012.
J. Pycke, La critique historique : un long chemin à parcourir entre le témoignage et la synthèse, 3e éd., Louvain-la-Neuve, Academia-Bruylant, 2000.
R. Quivy, L. Van Campenhoudt, Manuel de recherches en sciences sociales, 3e éd. rev. et augm., Paris, Dunod, 2006.
M. Romainville, À l’école du doute : apprendre à penser juste en découvrant pourquoi l’on pense faux, Paris, PUF, 2023.
Ch. Samaran (dir.), L’Histoire et ses méthodes, Paris, La Pléiade, 1961 (Encyclopédie de La Pléiade).
C. Scheepers (dir.), Former à l’écrit, former par l’écrit dans le supérieur, Louvain-la-Neuve, De
Boeck Supérieur, 2021.
C. Scheepers (dir.), Former à l’oral, former par l’oral dans le supérieur, Louvain-la-Neuve, De
Boeck Supérieur, 2023.
C. Scheepers (dir.), Former à la lecture, former par la lecture dans le supérieur, Louvain-la-Neuve, De
Boeck Supérieur, 2024.
C. Scheepers (2025). Accompagner le mémoire en formation d’enseignants, Louvain-la-Neuve, De Boeck, Supérieur, 2025.
C.R. Sunstein, Anatomie de la rumeur, Genève, Ed. Markus Haller, 2012.
A. Tihon, Critique historique, Bruxelles, syllabus des FUSL, 1987 (inédit).
2012.
G. Bronner, La démocratie des crédules, Paris, PUF, 2013.
G. Bronner, Déchéance de rationalité, Paris, Grasset, 2019.
S. Cuykens, D. Holzapfel, L. Kennes, La preuve en matière pénale, Bruxelles, Larcier, 2015.
B. Fosséprez, A. Pütz (dir.), La preuve au carrefour de cinq disciplines juridiques, Limal, Anthemis, 2013.
C. Gauvard, J.F. Sirinelli (dir.), Dictionnaire de l’historien, Paris, PUF, 2015.
K. Hillis, M. Petit, K. Jarrett, Google and the culture of search, New York, Routledge, 2012.
N. Marquis, E. Lenel, L. Van Campenhoudt, Pratique de la lecture critique en sciences humaines et sociales, Paris, Dunod, 2018.
D. Mougenot, « La preuve », Répertoire notarial, t. IV, Les obligations, livre II, Bruxelles, Larcier, 2012.
J. Pycke, La critique historique : un long chemin à parcourir entre le témoignage et la synthèse, 3e éd., Louvain-la-Neuve, Academia-Bruylant, 2000.
R. Quivy, L. Van Campenhoudt, Manuel de recherches en sciences sociales, 3e éd. rev. et augm., Paris, Dunod, 2006.
M. Romainville, À l’école du doute : apprendre à penser juste en découvrant pourquoi l’on pense faux, Paris, PUF, 2023.
Ch. Samaran (dir.), L’Histoire et ses méthodes, Paris, La Pléiade, 1961 (Encyclopédie de La Pléiade).
C. Scheepers (dir.), Former à l’écrit, former par l’écrit dans le supérieur, Louvain-la-Neuve, De
Boeck Supérieur, 2021.
C. Scheepers (dir.), Former à l’oral, former par l’oral dans le supérieur, Louvain-la-Neuve, De
Boeck Supérieur, 2023.
C. Scheepers (dir.), Former à la lecture, former par la lecture dans le supérieur, Louvain-la-Neuve, De
Boeck Supérieur, 2024.
C. Scheepers (2025). Accompagner le mémoire en formation d’enseignants, Louvain-la-Neuve, De Boeck, Supérieur, 2025.
C.R. Sunstein, Anatomie de la rumeur, Genève, Ed. Markus Haller, 2012.
A. Tihon, Critique historique, Bruxelles, syllabus des FUSL, 1987 (inédit).
2012.
Teaching materials
- Syllabus de Critique des sources d'information
Faculty or entity
