At some point in law school, you professor may decide to assign you the task of writing a law essay addressing a legal topic. This kind of essay may be tricky because the law is always evolving. For you to come up with a winning paper, you must be ready to conduct thorough research and come up with a very compelling argument.
Law School Essay Tips
1. Choose a
Topic
Your professor may assign you a specific topic to work
on or give you the option of choosing your specific topic. This will be
specified in the instructions you will be provided with, the format of the
paper and any additional instructions should also be included. It is prudent to
choose a topic that you are passionate about or one which affects you in some
way; this acts as a driving force so that you don’t get bored while in the
middle of it. You should, however, be cautious when choosing a topic and ensure
that it meets the instructions for writing the paper. If you are not sure about
the topic, consult with your professor.
Check whether the instructions are specific about the
sources that you should use when writing your essay, that is, whether there are
specific books that you should use or any part of your lecture notes that you
should refer to.
Once you have the topic, you should put it to the test
by brainstorming ideas and coming up with an “idea map†of how your essay will
be structured. Write your topic at the top of a page and try coming up with new
questions on the topic, facts or arguments based off of the topic. Go through your
class lectures and group discussion notes to check whether they have enough
background material to help you select a topic. You may find that your “idea
map†helps you come up with a better and more solid topic compared to the one
you had since you have a clear map of which questions your essay should
address.
2. Research
the Topic
The sources you need to research your essay could be
stated in the set of instructions provided. Be sure to check that before you
begin this step. If they are not stated, you should determine the materials
that you need for the research.
There are three varieties of sources; primary,
secondary and tertiary.
Primary sources include actual versions of the subject
matter. Secondary sources evaluate primary sources. Tertiary sources collect
information from primary and secondary sources. You may find that you are
limited to the number of sources you can use, for example, you could be asked
to use both primary and secondary and find that you are prohibited from using
tertiary sources.
You may also be limited or restricted from using
internet sources. This, however, does not mean that you cannot use them to
guide you to the primary or secondary sources at your local library.
Always begin with tertiary sources. As stated earlier,
they gather information from textbooks, encyclopedias, and dictionaries, among
others. These sources should be enough to provide you with the information you
need and provide references. Tertiary sources should however not be cited in
your essay; they should act as a guide to find the primary or secondary sources
used.
If possible, visit a law library which will have a
wider range of resources. The librarian can help you get access to the books
that you need and any other materials like subscription-only search engines.
Once you are convinced that you have gathered all the
materials that you need to conduct your research, you can comfortably sit down
and begin. Ensure that you note down all the important facts, statistics and
arguments that will help you build on your essay and that you cite them
accordingly.
3. Create an
outline
Using the points that you have gathered, you can now
come up with an outline for your law essay. Make a note of the main points in
your essay and highlight them while including the sources where necessary. For
each source, note down the information that you find useful and include
citations to refer to later on. Note down the arguments and evidence that you
find helpful. Include arguments and counter-arguments and write down evidence
to support the argument. Once you’ve listed everything down, you can play
around with the points to determine which ones will form the introduction,
body, and conclusion of the essay.
4. Write the
Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is the argument you’re making. It
is a summary of the issue that you are going to be addressing in your whole
essay. All arguments that you will include in your essay should strive to
answer the thesis statement. Take a look at your outline and determine which argument
your outline portrays.
5. Begin the
Writing Process
Having come up with a thesis statement and armed with
your outline, then this current step should be much easy. Follow your outline
to help you navigate through the writing phase. Your introduction should be
captivating and pique the reader’s interest. The introduction explains the
importance of the subject and offers a summary of the argument. It gives the
reader an idea of what you will be discussing. Your thesis statement should be
written at the end of the introductory paragraph and should narrow down the
question you will be answering.
Your argument should be developed in the body of the
essay. State your points and include the applicable sources to support the
argument, remember to include citations. A good essay addresses the opposing
points of view and uses evidence and argument to persuade the reader to accept
your argument and disregard the counter-argument. Your essay should show that
you have a clear and deep understanding of the issues you are addressing. It
should show a natural and systematic flow which develops and builds as it
progresses. Along with the evidence and arguments you have provided, you should
be able to clearly and effectively state your opinion. You should challenge
ideas and criticize them. Your opinion matters and could earn you a lot of
marks if it is sensibly executed even if your professor does not agree with it.
Your conclusion should summarize the whole essay
without restating every single point. You should restate your thesis statement
in the last paragraph.
6. Editing
Go through your essay once you are done and confirm
that everything is correctly written. Check whether the tenses are in the
correct form and that the sources are correctly cited. This is crucial and
should be properly checked; the wrong citations could cost you marks.
Plagiarism is a serious offense with severe consequences; it is crucial to
confirm that you have cited everything correctly to avoid penalties. Read the
instructions and make sure that you have adhered to them. Read your thesis
statement and confirm that your essay fully answers and addresses it. If
necessary, get someone to go through the essay and correct you where they find
mistakes. If you are content with what you have written as the final draft, you
can go ahead and submit the essay.
Just a recap:
1. Choose a
topic
2. Research
the topic
3. Create an
outline
4. Write the
thesis statement
5. Write the
essay
6. Edit the
essay
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