Docket News  - 09.26.07

Upcoming Workshops

Tuesday, Oct. 2
Memo Focus: Paragraph Organization and Transitions
Noon-12:50 p.m., Rm. 303

Tues Oct. 9
Outlining
Noon – 12:50 p.m., Rm. 303

Tues Oct. 9
MPT Workshop, Part 1 (for 3Ls only)
Noon – 12:50 p.m., Rm. 302

Academic Hint #5

Improving readability at the sentence level greatly impacts the overall persuasive force of your paper. Often we forget or have little time left to focus on the sentence. Since the sentence is the primary carrier of the point you are trying to make, it deserves your devout attention. Take a look at the following cluttered example from Just Writing: Grammar, Punctuation, and Style for the Legal Writer (By Anne Enquist and Laurel Currie Oates, Aspen Publishers)

Comprehensible but wordy:
Furthermore, in addition to the procedure that is utilized to initiate the process, the supervisor of the plant must initiate the contingency or back-up system at that same point in time.

Better:
In addition to the procedure that begins the process, the plant supervisor must then start the back-up system.

To get started on your writing, try editing your paper by beginning at the end and reading toward the top focusing on these areas:
1) Say your messages simply.
2) Keep your subject and main verb close together.
3) Avoid packing too many ideas into one sentence.
4) Capture your meaning with powerful verbs.
5) Anchor your message around concrete vocabulary.

Spotting wordy or vague sentences takes practice but the skill can be learned—it just requires doing it. Likewise, working on your paragraph organization and how to make smooth and effective transitions is also important. Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at noon in room 303 for a hands-on workshop where we focus on troublesome areas.

Returning to your substantive courses, you also need to keep working, particularly with respect to outlining. While preparing outlines, you can utilize a number of strategies. One method is to wait to outline until after the professor finishes a topic. This requires you to be comfortable with that area of law because you can’t outline what you don’t understand.

One of the big mistakes some students make in outlining is to use a strict chronological method of outlining. Rather than outline the briefs you read and discussed, you should be outlining the rules, definitions, exceptions, policies, etc. that you derived from those class discussions. You can then use the cases and hypos as examples of those principles of law. Logically outlining material will make studying much easier – and give you a more complete understanding of that area of law.

Those students who wait until Thanksgiving to outline often regret that decision. Trying to outline and do most of your reviewing in mid-November until the end of classes makes that last few weeks a nerve-racking experience. You want to go into exams feeling prepared, not harassed and anxious.

Want to know more about outlining? Come to my workshop on the process of outlining on Oct. 9 at noon in room 303. Sodas will be provided – bring your lunch!

Writing and Moot Court Competitions

Please come by to look at a full list of Writing and Moot Court Competitions in Student Services, Rm. 101A. Also, please note that the online “Writing Competitions” link on our website is being updated and, therefore, does not accurately reflect all opportunities.

Be on the alert for the many fast approaching deadlines for External-SLU Moot Court Competitions. These postings are on the bulletin board next to the Office of Student Services.

If you are aware of other Writing and Moot Court Competitions or, other publishing opportunities, please feel free to forward them to my attention.

Lastly, if you are gearing up to write a seminar paper, why not peruse the “Writing Competition” opportunities to see if you can tie your class paper in with a competition? Get double duty from your seminar paper and, possibly, get a $ prize as well!

Kim Novak Morse, Asst. Director Writing Services, morseka@slu.edu

Have you recently published an article, comment, or won a competition?

Current and recent SLU law student grads are invited to send their name and their accomplishments to my attention to be posted on an upcoming website here at the School of Law.

Kim Novak Morse, Asst. Director Writing Services, morseka@slu.edu

Need Writing Feedback?

Just a friendly reminder…1Ls are strongly encouraged to make early appointments (2 weeks before due date). Evening appointments are available for part-time and evening students as well. Please email your request indicating a few dates and times.

2L and 3Ls are welcome to get feedback on seminar papers provided the professor agrees. I generally like to have at least three days to read a paper before meeting with students.

Lastly, if you are gearing up to write a seminar paper, why not peruse the “Writing Competition” opportunities to see if you can tie your class paper in with a competition? Get double duty from your seminar paper and, possibly, get a $ prize as well!

Kim Novak Morse, Asst. Director Writing Services, morseka@slu.edu

Student Legal Writers’ Assoc. Information Meeting

New and continuing members please join us for a brief touch-base meeting.
Wednesday, Sept 26, Noon to 12:50 p.m. in Rm. 304

The SLWA is a community of student writers who work on personal legal writing projects independent of classes for the purposes of publishing and competitions. The forum seeks to provide an infrastructure to aid students in successfully realizing their projects through peer edits and guest faculty feedback.

For More information, contact faculty advisers:
Kim Novak Morse morseka@slu.edu (314) 977-2022
Chris Rollins rollinsc@slu.edu (314) 977-2749

Bar Preparation Information

The Office of Academic Advising will hold a series of workshops designed to introduce and acclimate you to the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). The MPT is designed to test your ability to analyze, under time pressure, a situation you would face as a practitioner. The MPT is administered in the following states: Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas and West Virginia. In any event, you should check the requirements for the state in which you will sit for the bar examination in case there have been recent changes.

On Oct. 9, Part I of the MPT workshop will be held at noon in room 302. Part II of the series will be held on Oct. 16 at noon in room 302 and will also include information on planning for bar study. The entire two part series will be repeated on Oct. 27 at 9:00 am in room 302. This workshop is recommended for 3Ls.

Any questions? Contact Prof. Twinette Johnson. Her office is located in Student Services, Rm.105B. She is available on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. and otherwise by appointment. (johnsot@SLU.EDU)

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