180: How to Write a Great Seminar Paper or Journal Note

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we're talking about setting yourself up to write a great seminar paper or journal note.  In this episode we discuss: Why selecting the right topic is probably the most important step in the writing process How to productively engage with your professors, your mentors, and even your law librarians about your topic selection and your writing Where to look for good topics that won't bore you (and your readers) to death The pros and cons of writing about circuit splits How to balance finding an original topic with existing authority Our own note and seminar paper problems – learn from our mistakes! Resources: Picking a Paper Topic: Picking a Topic (http://law.uakron.libguides.com/c.php?g=495094&p=3388056) Picking a Paper Topic: Circuit Splits (http://law.uakron.libguides.com/topicselection/circuit_splits) Finding a Topic for Your Law School Paper or Law Review Comment/Note (https://legalresearch.usfca.edu/c.php?g=523726&p=3580707) Scholarly writing for law students : seminar papers, law review notes and law review competition papers (http://doncore.usfca.edu/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2985225?lang=eng) Podcast Episode 170: Let's Talk About the Bluebook! (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-170-lets-talk-about-the-bluebook/) Podcast Episode 106: How to Go to Office Hours and Make it Worth Your Time (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-106-go-office-hours-make-worth-time/) Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-180-writing-a-great-seminar-paper-or-note/)    If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee