Assessments: Legal Essay Writing
- Thread starter SpaceGirl
- Start date
Hello, I don't do GDL but the way I approach writing a legal essay is by having a structure first. I often think about what to write first before writing my content. I also found it important to not be merely descriptive and factual as legal essay writing requires a high degree of analysis. The more analytical and critical of the topic, the better. It is always good to play devil's advocate to boost your essay marks to show your critical thinking capabilities. As for the content, I can't comment in-depth as it depends on the subject area.
Thanks yanerlim!
Is there anywhere I can get my hands on legal essays that range from really bad to distinction level so i can annotate to look at what is required?
I am not sure where to get such sources so I cannot advise accordingly. In fact, I rarely follow sources on the internet because they are very subjective. However, when I first started law school and was clueless on how to write a legal essay, I always speak to my lecturers. Formative essays are very useful because it helps with your development as a law student. Feedback is very important to understand what is required to write a good essay, and the requirements often differ amongst lecturers. Comparing your work with your peers are important as well because you get a well-rounded view on how others write.
There's no shortcut to legal essay writing unfortunately.
You will have to put the hours in reading numerous articles, statutes and cases to get a wider understanding of the topic you're covering.
One thing i'll say is that you should have an underlying opinion of the essay question(s). By this, I mean you should give arguments FOR and AGAINST the essay question but ultimately - you should PERSONALLY side with the essay or go against it.
You will have to put the hours in reading numerous articles, statutes and cases to get a wider understanding of the topic you're covering.
One thing i'll say is that you should have an underlying opinion of the essay question(s). By this, I mean you should give arguments FOR and AGAINST the essay question but ultimately - you should PERSONALLY side with the essay or go against it.
