Writing for JournalsAEP Workshop for 1Ls

March 2012

Critical analysis and depth

Organized, clear writing

Careful editing

What journal editors look for:

Have a clear thesis.

Organize, explain, and support that thesis.

Save time for polishing.

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis.◦ Decide what you think about the case.

Does it expand, limit, or change the previous law? How?

Is it a good decision or a bad one? Why? Does it suggest a future direction for this

area of law? Does it require correction or change?

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis.◦ Decide what you think about the case.◦ State your thesis clearly in one sentence.

This case makes it virtually impossible to establish standing.

Because this claim is no longer viable, victims will have to sue under tort law theories instead.

To make recovery possible at all, courts will have to change the standard to “predominant cause” rather than “sole cause.”

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis.◦ Decide what you think about the case.◦ State your thesis clearly in one sentence.◦ Keep that sentence in front of you as you

write.

Write it on an index card, and tape it to your computer.

Look at it before you write a section. Compare all your content to that thesis

to make sure the content is relevant.

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis.◦ Decide what you think about the case.◦ State your thesis clearly in one sentence.◦ Keep that thesis in front of you as you write.◦ Modify the thesis as you write.

Replace extreme statements with supportable ones.

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis.◦ Decide what you think about the case.◦ State your thesis clearly in one sentence.◦ Keep that thesis in front of you as you write.◦ Modify the thesis as you write.

Replace extreme statements with more supportable ones.

Narrow or broaden the statement as needed.

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis.◦ Decide what you think about the case.◦ State your thesis clearly in one sentence.◦ Keep that thesis in front of you as you write.◦ Modify the thesis as you write.

Replace extreme statements with more supportable ones.

Narrow or broaden the statement as needed. Change your mind, if necessary.

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis. Organize, explain, and support that thesis.

◦ Introduction◦ Background◦ Analysis◦ Conclusion

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis Organize, explain, and support that thesis.

◦ Assume an unfamiliar reader.◦ Explain and support your thesis.

Include information that answers your reader’s questions about the thesis.

Address counter-arguments.

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis. Organize, explain, and support that thesis.◦ Assume an unfamiliar reader.◦ Explain and support your thesis.◦ Make your organization obvious.

Roadmaps Thesis sentences Transitions

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis. Organize, explain, and support that thesis.

Save time for polishing.

◦ Edit out surplus words.◦ Read slowly and carefully for errors and style.

Use the Redbook or the Texas Manual on Style

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis. Organize, explain, and support that thesis.

Save time for polishing.

◦ Edit out surplus words.◦ Read slowly and carefully for errors and style.◦ Save more time for citation than you think you

need.

To improve your submission

Have a clear thesis. ◦ Decide what you think about the case.◦ State your thesis clearly in one sentence.◦ Keep that thesis in front of you as you write.◦ Modify the thesis as you write.

Organize, explain, and support that thesis.◦ Assume an unfamiliar reader.◦ Explain and support your thesis.◦ Make your organization obvious.

Save time for polishing.◦ Edit out surplus words.◦ Read slowly and carefully for errors and style.◦ Save more time for citation than you think you need.

To improve your submission