A research paper is an expanded essay that presents your own interpretation or evaluation or argument Using the points that you have gathered, you can now come up with an outline for your legal research paper. Make a note of the main points in your paper and highlight them while including the sources where necessary. For each source, note down the information that you find useful and include citations to Second, determine what kind of research paper or essay you are writing. The different kinds of legal papers can include: briefs for class assignments, analytical papers (term paper type), bar exam format papers, appellate briefs, and actual legal document filings. The first three types mentioned will be discussed here
Sample Legal Memos - Case Brief Examples | National Legal Research Group, Inc.
The key elements of writing a legal research paper are: knowing the reader, providing a statement of the facts, defining the question, providing a brief answer, analyzing the law, ensuring proper citations and formulating conclusions. The paper should be objective and concise. It should help its reader understand how the law relates to a particular situation.
This will help the reader decide on a course of action. Be aware of who will be relying on your research paper. The reader might be a lawyer, a judge or a layperson. A lawyer or judge likely will understand certain legal terminology. This might allow you to avoid having to explain certain legal terms that legal professionals are likely to know.
If the research is for a layperson, he or she might not comprehend certain legal terms. As a result, you should eliminate legalese and use plain language, format of legal research paper.
Explain any legal terms that cannot be eliminated. Organize each section of your legal research paper with sub-headings. Sub-headings will make your research paper easier to read. It also will allow the reader to find certain sections quickly.
Begin the legal research paper by writing down a clear statement of the facts. The format of legal research paper do not contain opinions or conclusions, they describe the events that give rise to a legal question. These facts will tell the reader the who, what, where and how of a particular situation. The facts, if not yet proven, are allegations.
Ensure that the reader is aware of whether the facts are allegations. Next, write down each question that your research paper will address.
The questions should include key facts. Format of legal research paper sure t frame each question concisely. After each legal question, write a short answer. The short answer does not include detailed legal analyses of the legal issue.
Instead, it is a brief response to the question presented. The short answer should be one or two sentences. Your paper should then provide the analysis of the law. This section should discuss how the law relates to the facts of the problem you are researching. The analysis should not contain your personal opinions. Instead, it should discuss how courts have applied the law to the facts in cases that are similar to your fact situation.
The analysis should include cases that are both favorable and unfavorable. This will help ensure objectivity. Writing a paper with a biased tone will not help a reader make decisions objectively. Persuasive legal writing is not the point of a legal research paper.
Provide appropriate citations to the laws and other legal materials that you reference in the legal research paper, format of legal research paper.
The blue book provides the rules on how to abbreviate, italicize and structure citations. Format of legal research paper final section of a legal research paper is the conclusion. The conclusion should summarize the paper. It should also contain options for handling the problems associated with each question presented. This section also might provide recommendations to the reader, format of legal research paper.
Christopher John Last Modified Date: January 22, Please enter the following code:. Login: Forgot password?
All About Legal Research Papers
, time: 8:25Home - Legal research and writing - LibGuides at University of Victoria Libraries
A research paper is an expanded essay that presents your own interpretation or evaluation or argument Sample Legal Research Memos & Briefs Topical Index: These sample legal research memos and briefs were prepared by National Legal Research Group's Senior Attorneys and are categorized by both subject matter and author. Administrative Law: Ban on Targeted Direct Mail Solicitations by Attorneys Was Unconstitutional · Here is another sample, incorporating legislation and secondary sources, provided by Kim Nayyer, Librarian and Legal Research and Writing Instructor at the University of Victoria: If this bill becomes law, the effect of the ninth item of the proposed new s (4)
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