5 Things that College Students Can Learn from Law Essays
"The Hunger Games" won't teach you a thing or two about the law. In other words, writing law essays could be harder than what other college students (from other departments) would do during the term, paper writing included. If you find it hard to believe, then the next few paragraphs should give you a clue on what you need to improve on your paper writing.
Studying law requires long hours of reading, which could be exhausting more or less. Self discipline would tell if it should be a brief period or a longer time, but there's one thing to know. If you want to be a good essay writer, if not one of the best students in your department, then you should not have any trepidation about the struggles you would encounter here. It's natural to experience inconveniences, but it must not be compared with your first driving lesson. You may not want to listen to your professor's objective remarks on your early words, but you don't have any other choice other than hearing constructive criticism. You must have an open mind.
Your professor would want the best from you, which could be overwhelming whenever you think of it. But don't. If you really want to make great strides in your writing abilities, then don't think twice of looking for a few law essays. It's OK if you don't understand everything, as you need to read some paragraphs slowly. And carefully. If you still haven't figured it out, then the first thing that you must do is not to try too hard to read between the lines. You must come up with some questions, and answer it. If this task would take you some time, then the next part could enlighten you.
Answer the Following Questions (and Don't Vomit on the Page)
What makes law essays stand out from the other papers? The law is a complicated subject, which can be interpreted in many ways. If you've read too many John Grisham novels, then you should know that it's all about winning strategies. Weighing on uncertainties may be a risky move, but it could win a case. (Agatha Christie would agree on it.) It can be an analogy to your assignment on a novel, if not a poem. You may have limited time to read a book of several hundred pages, but you're not expected to beat CliffNotes. You could determine a theme after a few hundred pages. You should have an opinion about it. There's no right and wrong answer on this one, as your perspective would matter most. Go for it.
What writing mistakes you must avoid? Law students make three mistakes whenever they pen their (law) essays. They didn't read (or understand) the questions that are set to them. They didn't state their argument right away, which is the outcome of the previous statement. And they didn't write their paper with conviction. These three things could apply to literary criticism as well. You don't want to annoy your professor right away.
What is the best way to start an essay? Law students are reminded to make their arguments known in the first paragraph. In other words, readers (or their professors) must have a general idea of what the succeeding paragraphs would be all about. It seems direct to the point, but you're not composing a prose. And it would be a waste of time to think of an introduction to your novel. (It's short and simple, also direct to your point.) Rambling would confuse your professors. Think of the hard work and long nights, and how you become empty handed.
What is the best approach to research? You can put social media to good use, where you can have an exchange of ideas (or opinion) with your coursemates. It should be a stimulating activity, which could help you finish your assignment ahead of the deadline. Writing may be a solitary activity, but the sharing of ideas could help you on your next step.
How can you manage your time? There’s no other way than to have a mindset of a dedicated professional. In other words, work on your essay during the morning (or afternoon). Don’t ever consider procrastination, as your sleep-deprived self might not make you attentive during the lecture. Caffeine may (or may not) be enough, but you don’t want to bet on it. The 9-to-5 approach may require lots of willpower on your part, as you need to prioritize your assignments over other things. It doesn’t deprive you of social life, as you must be wise to devote your Friday night (or weekend) for such an activity.
Do Whatever You Can Do
Walk away when you’re done with the draft of your paper, and it hardly matters if you finish ahead of the deadline or you’re a few hours away from missing it. Any distraction should help you forget it, which enables you to notice the mistakes when you proofread your work. And don’t be afraid to let your roommate (or coursemate) read your work. A different opinion could be a light-bulb moment, recalling something you overlook during writing. Moreover, the honest opinion could be a life saver.
