Key Writing Tips
- Outline
- Avoid bullet points, professors prefer a traditional outline such as: I, A, 1, a, i
- For an example, see the Outline of a well-organized law student paper below
- Format & Organization
- Use a source like Volokh
- Examine the structure of a good source, such as a recently published law review note, or one of the examples highlighted in the chart below.
- Style & Grammar
- Use a legal writing style guide
- Proofread!
- Avoid Plagiarisim
- Use quotations & citations. If in doubt, cite!
- See Plagiarism.org for a good introduction
- Outline of a well-organized law student paperPDF Outline: Megan K. Reese, Kentucky Courts Have Taken the "Bite" out of Dog-Bite Legislation: Reforming
the Law to Impose Strict Liability on Dog Owners, 47 U. Louisville L. Rev. 215 (2008)
Publishing
- Submission of Law Student Articles for PublicationThis article offers suggestions for law students who want to publish their research papers and presents a chart of the policies of 196 law reviews identifying if they publish content submitted by non-affiliated students.
Writing Resources
For more guidance on writing & researching for the law, see the library's Legal Research & Study guide.
Academic Legal Writing by Call Number: KF250 .V65 2016ISBN: 1634598881Publication Date: 2016Shelf range: Reserve Section
Detailed instructions for every aspect of the law school writing, research, and publication process.
Legal Writing by Call Number: KF250 .R39 2018ISBN: 1683284593Publication Date: 2018Shelf range: Reserve Section
A desktop reference for legal writers.
The Redbook by Call Number: KF250 .G375 2018ISBN: 1642421006Publication Date: 2018Shelf range: Reserve Section
The go-to source for all questions of legal style.
Plagiarisim
Plagiarism is a serious concern when writing papers, and is a breach of the Honor Code, even when accidental. In order to avoid plagiarizing make sure to cite as you write. Even if you don't include full citations in a first draft, ALWAYS use quotation marks and include some sort of reference to your source for any material you quote, paraphrase, or summarize.
- How can I avoid plagiarizing?Information from the UofL Writing Center about plagiarism.
- Using Paraphrasing, Summary & Direct QuotationUniversity Writing Center graphic guide to paraphrasing, summary & quotation.
- Plagiarism.orgResources to understand & prevent plagiarism.
- Avoiding Plagiarism in Law SchoolShort course introducing law school students to plagiarism. Register for a free account with Indiana University to access the free tutorial.