1. Professor Ursula Weigold AEP Workshop for 1Ls April 2013

2. I. A distinct thesis II. Organized, clear writing III. Careful editing

3. I. Have a clear thesis. II. Organize, explain, and support your thesis. III. Revise and polish your writing.

4. A. Decide what you think. B. State your thesis in one sentence. C. Keep it handy as you write. D. Modify it as needed.

5.  How do your sources expand, limit, or change the law?  Do they further the law’s underlying policies?  What impact will this rule have? What problems may arise? Is it good or bad?

6.  “This rule sacrifices the best interests of adoptive children to serve outdated policies relating to Native-American tribes.”  “This rule surrenders a Native-American tribe’s compelling interests in its children and culture to the local prejudices of state courts.”

7. ◦ Write it on an index card, and tape it to your computer. ◦ Compare all your content to your thesis to make sure it is directly relevant.

8. ◦ Keep an open mind. ◦ Change your mind, if necessary. ◦ Replace extreme statements with more supportable ones.

9. I. Have a clear thesis. II. Organize, explain, and support your thesis. III. Revise and polish your writing.

10. Write for an unfamiliar reader. Your structure should include:  Introduction/Background  Analysis/Argument  Conclusion

11. Give a roadmap of your key points and follow it. Use topic sentences to lead the reader through your analysis. Use transitions to link previous points to new ones.

12. Explain your arguments, reasons, and authority. Spell out inferences. Anticipate and answer questions. Take counter-arguments seriously.

13. A. Check your substance. B. Check your organization. C. Check your writing style. D. Check your mechanics. E. Check your citation use and form.

14. Is it accurate? Is it focused on your thesis? Have you included enough? Have you included too much?

15. Is there a clear roadmap? Do your paragraphs have thesis sentences? Do you use transitions to link previous points to new ones?

16. Edit surplus words. Keep your sentences short. Keep your sentence structure simple. Use ordinary words.

17. Check for typos. Check your grammar. Check your punctuation. Use the Redbook or the Texas Manual on Style.

18. Use the Bluebook’s inside cover for examples. Avoid common mistakes. If in doubt, look it up!

19. I. Have a clear thesis. II. Organize, explain, and support your thesis. III. Revise and polish.

20.  Divide your project into smaller chunks.  Start with something easy.  Give yourself permission to write a bad first draft.  Leave enough time for revising and polishing.