How to Teach Factual Analysis: Assessing an Indian Evidence Law Course

Abstract

This article experientially narrates the innovative use of certain fact-finding and analysis methods, namely, ‘an investigation problem’, the Wigmorean chart method and the probability theory with Bayesian analysis (with the case law demonstrating its pragmatic application and limitation), by the author, an Indian law teacher, in teaching his ‘law of evidence’ course. This marks a departure from the conventional way of teaching evidence law in India, which presents its own challenges. In the course of this article, the author vividly shares his teaching experiences, discusses the academic resources used, highlights the key learning outcomes derived in administering these components, and delineates their overall positive impact on the learning of the subject. He further validates these experiences on the basis of the results of an empirical study conducted by him, in which a large number of his students voluntarily participated and gave their feedbacks. The results demonstrate the efficacy of these factual analysis methods individually, and their positive correlation with the increased understanding and knowledge of this course. This is descriptively demonstrated by the results obtained from Kendall’s Tau-b correlation which, along with the graphics, show a significant monotonic relationship between the said three methods and their cumulative contribution in terms of the overall learning of the subject. This empirical study also demonstrates an overall match between the author’s teaching experience as an evidence law teacher in teaching the avowed fact analysis methods, and his evidence law class’ experience as the students learning them, which is crucial for every effective teaching–learning exercise. After discussing important literature on teaching fact analysis and evidence law, the author concludes by justifying his overall use of the ‘hybrid approach’ in teaching his ‘law of evidence’ course. Consequentially, this study seeks to inspire other evidence law teachers to pedagogically assimilate similar methods in their curricula.