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/)

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Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee