PPTs--Class1

7/26/2019 PPTs--Class1

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Thesis Writing for Law Students

Prof. Gary Chodorow

BFSU 2007-200 Se!ester "


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C#ass $

% What is s&ho#ar#y writing'

% The (ro&ess of s&ho#ar#y writing% "ns(iration) Choosing a to(i& *

de+e#o(ing a ,ai!


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W/T "S SCL/1L W1"T"3G'

$. "!(#i&it#y dire&ted to #egis#ati+e4 e5e&uti+e4

and6or udi&ia# de&ision !a8ers.

2. 3or!ati+e 9infor!ed :y a so&ia# goa#; and

(res&ri(ti+e 9re&o!!ending a !eans to that

goa#;.

< Co!(are) Literary &riti&is! !ore inter(reti+e< Co!(are) 3atura# * so&ia# s&ien&es !ore

des&ri(ti+e

What "s S&ho#ar#y Writing'


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=ifferen&es Between S&ho#ar#y

Writing * ,Pra&ti&a# Writing

1. Audience) Pri!ary audien&e is a&ade!i&ians andinterested #ega# readers 9not a udge or ient orsu(er+ising attorney;.

2. Purpose) To infor! or edu&ate reader a:out a #aw-re#ated ai! 9not (redi&t #ega# resu#t or ad+o&ateon :eha#f of ient;.

>. Source of topic) S&ho#ar#y writing to(i&s are&hosen. Pra&ti&a# #ega# writing ,&o!es with theient.


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Si!i#arities Between S&ho#ar#y

Writing and ,Pra&ti&a# Writing

$. Sa!e ana#yti&a# s8i##s) e.g.4 ana#y?ing

statutes4 ana#y?ing &ases4 using fa&ts4

ana#ogy4 synthesis.

2. Sa!e writing s8i##s) e.g.4 C1uP/C4

(aragra(hing4 &itations4 @uotations4

gra!!ar4 usage4 (un&tuation4 sty#e.


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What Aa8es S&ho#ar#y Lega#

Writing Good'

% An Original, Important, and Timely

ThesisSays so!ething a:out the #awthat hasnt :een said :efore.


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What Aa8es S&ho#ar#y Writing

Good' 9&ontd;

2. ComprehensivePro+ides suffi&ient:a&8ground !ateria# to ena:#e any #aw-s&hoo#-edu&ated (erson to understand and e+a#uate theauthors thesis.

3. CorrectThe fa&tua# and des&ri(ti+e !ateria#!ust :e a&&urate.

4. LogicalThe (resentation !ust :e we##

reasoned and we## organi?ed.5. Clear and readable styleAust :e in aso!ewhat for!a# sty#e that a+oids :oth the(o!(ous and the &o##o@uia#.


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For!at of S&ho#ar#y Writing

". "ntrodu&tion)

% P#ain#y states your claim !a.".a. thesis#$

yo%r original analysis o& the legal

problem ' proposed sol%tion.% 1oad!a(.

"". Ba&8ground 9fa&tua# * #ega#;

""". /na#ysis"I. Conusion


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For!at 9&ontd;)

Extensive Footnotes

Three fun&tions)

$. /uthority.

2. /ttri:ution.>. Te5tua# footnotes.


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TH P1CHSS F SCL/1L

W1"T"3G

See handout

The Pro&ess of S&ho#ar#y

Writing


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"ns(iration) Choosing a

Su:e&t * =e+e#o(ing a C#ai!

$. Choose and narrow your Su:e&t

2. Find a C#ai!

Next Week.

% Test our C#ai!

% Pree!(tion Che&8


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CSH / SUBJHCT

What are you interested in'


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What do you ha+e e5(erien&e in'

/s8 a (rofessor4 udge4 or (ra&ti&ing

/ttorney for an idea.


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Try 1eadingK

$. Lega# writing &o!(etition to(i&s

2. 3ews(a(ers * #ega# news(a(ers

>. West#aw igh#ights * Le5is ot To(i&s

D. /nnua# sur+ey issues (u:#ished in !any #awre+iews

E. Hditors notes in &ase:oo8s

. Law re+iew arties !ention re#atedunreso#+ed issues in the &onusion or in

footnotes

7. Law :#ogs


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3/11W U1 SUBJHCT

Thin" narro( ' deep,

not broad ' shallo(

Why'

$. To :e origina#) So !u&h has a#ready :eenwritten that &o!!ents on genera# trends or

o+er+iews of entire areas of #aw are usua##yredundant.

2. This !a8es your resear&h * writing !ore!anagea:#eM


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)o( to *arro( +o%r %b-ect

% =eter!ine whi&h of the $0 su:-

&ategories of s&ho#ar#y writing to fit into.


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Use your i!agination #i8e a ?oo! #ens.

Micro view

Medium view

Macro view


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Categories of argu!ent fro! /ristot#es

Rhetoric)% =efinition

% Co!(arison

% Causation

% Su:stantiation


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/s8 a series of @uestions)

$. ow &an the su:e&t :e defined'

2. "s this a new su:e&t'

>. Can the su:e&t :e di+ided into (arts or

as(e&ts'

D. Can the (arts :e grou(ed in any way'

E. /re there ana#ogous su:e&ts'

. What are the ad+antages of this su:e&t or

as(e&t'7. What are the defe&ts in this su:e&t or as(e&t'


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/s8 a series of @uestions 9&ontd;)

. What other dis&i(#ines dea# with the su:e&t

and to what end'. "s there &ontro+ersy &on&erning ter!ino#ogy'

$0. /re there dis(utes &on&erning theory'

$$. "s a definiti+e so#ution (ossi:#e'$2. What future e+ents !ight affe&t the su:e&t'

$>. Who is affe&ted'

$D. "s the su:e&t affe&ted :y (o#iti&a# or (u:#i&(ressure or +ested interest'

$E. Who is interested in the su:e&t'


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F"3= / CL/"A

C#ai! N our origina# ana#ysis of the #ega#

(ro:#e! and (ro(osed so#ution.

"t is enough to ,find one (oint4 one new

insight4 one new way of #oo8ing at a (ie&e

of #aw4 and organi?e your entire artiearound that. ne insight K is a## you

need.


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Chara&teristi&s of a Good C#ai!

rigina# N

% /dds so!ething to the :ody of #iterature

on the to(i&.

% 3ot enough that you &a!e

u( with idea on own.


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+o% dont have

to be /instein to

&ind an original

claim.


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Chara&teristi&s of a Good C#ai!

9&ontd;

$. "!(ortant N not tri+ia#4 not o:+ious4

usefu#.

2. Ti!e#y N new * e!erging issue or fresh

#oo8 at o#d (ro:#e!.


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Find our C#ai! :y a Criti&a#

1eading of the Literature on our

Su:e&t

As" 0%estions as yo% read1

$. What is the te5ts thesis'

2. What are the (ro:#e!s the authoridentifies' 9Bias' +er-si!(#ified' /rethere other ways to &hara&teri?e the

(ro:#e!';>. /re the fa&ts (resented a&&urate#y' =oes

the author &hara&teri?e authority (ro(er#y'


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D. "s the authors reasoning ear and #ogi&a#'

9=oes the author ha+e an unstated reason forhis (osition' Cou#d other argu!ents :e !ade';

E. =oes the author !a8e @uestiona:#eassu!(tions'

. /re the authors &onusions ustified :y thee+iden&e' What other &onusions &ou#d :erea&hed'

7. =oes the author res(ond to (otentia# &ounter-

ana#yses'

. "f the authors so#ution is ado(ted4 what are the#i8e#y &onse@uen&es'


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Arg%ment &romrecedent1 Co%nterArg%ment1

Pre&edent !ust :efo##owedO the !ateria#

fa&ts are identi&a#.

% The !ateria# fa&ts aredifferent.

% Pre&edent shou#d :eo+erru#ed.

Pre&edent shou#d :e

e5tended fro! anana#ogous situation.

The situation is not

suffi&ient#y ana#ogous

There are two &o!(eting#ines of (re&edent. Line /

is :etter.

Line B is :etter.

Read for Argument Type:


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Interpretive Arg%ment1 Co%nterArg%ment1

The (#ain !eaning ofthe statute shou#d :ea((#ied.

% The statute isa!:iguous.

% The (#ain !eaning&onf#i&ts with

#egis#ati+e intent or&reates an a:surdresu#t.

% The #anguage !ust

:e read in &onte5t.


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*ormative Arg%ment1 Co%nterArg%ment1

Aora#ity re@uires this

resu#t.

The resu#t is not !ora#.

Good so&ia# (o#i&yre@uires this resu#t.

% So&iety wi## not:enefit.

% The har! wi##

outweigh the :enefit.

H&ono!i& &on&ernssu((ort this resu#t.

H&ono!i& &on&erns donot su((ort this resu#t.

Justi&e :etween the(arties ustifies thisresu#t.

Justi&e :etween the(arties re@uires theo((osite resu#t.


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Instit%tional Arg%ment1 Co%nterArg%ment1

Courts are :est-e@ui((ed to!a8e this ty(e of de&ision.

3o4 the #egis#ature is.

This is an area where the stateis free to !a8e #aw.

Federa# #aw (ree!(ts state#aw.

This ru#e wou#d ,o(en thef#oodgates

% Few #itigants &ou#d in+o8ethis ru#e.

% Gates a#ready o(en.% There &ant :e too !u&h

usti&e.

Courts6uries ha+e diffi&u#ty

with this +ague standard.

Courts6uries use standards

#i8e this a## the ti!e.

This is a :right-#ine ru#e4 easyto a((#y.

% The ru#e is inf#e5i:#e.

% =raw the #ine e#sewhere.

This ru#e &reates a ,s#i((erys#o(e.

The ru#e is narrow and (re&ise.


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ead &or %rispr%dence) i!agine how

different a((roa&hes wou#d affe&t the

out&o!e)

$. Law and H&ono!i&s

2. For!a#is!

>. Lega# 1ea#is!D. Lega# Pro&ess

E. Funda!enta# 1ights

. Criti&a# Lega# Studies7. Fe!inist Juris(ruden&e


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robe the Conte6t

% H5a!ine the Lega# Conte5t)

< Legis#ation) Loo8 at

% Pur(ose of statute.

% Prede&essor statute.

% ther #egis#ati+e a&ti+ity on su:e&t.

< Court de&isions)

% Loo8 at #ower &ourt de&isions.

% Co!(are your &ase to other &ases raisingana#ogous issues.

% Pro:e the Broader Conte5t) =o history4 so&io#ogy4

e&ono!i&s4 (sy&ho#ogy4 et&. i##u!inate the su:e&t'


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Sa!(#e 1eading Journa#

Su!!ary of i!(ortant

(arts of sour&e with(in&ites.

our rea&tions fro!

&riti&a##y reading thete5t4 (#us your @uestionsand ideas for your thesis

. . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Citation to source in

Bluebook format


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Tips for Your Reading Journal

a. "n your su!!ary of the sour&e4 use

@uotation !ar8s for 7 words fro! the

author or for !e!ora:#e #anguage.

9e#(s a+oid a&&identa# (#agiaris!;.

:. /rrange your reading ourna# entries :y

ty(e of sour&e 9e.g.4 statutes4 &ases4 #aw

re+iews; or issue.

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