Yo, law review/journal mastermen - Forum

[Veyron]

How many pages are student comments usually? What makes something "publication quality?" Assume secondary journal.

[zomginternets]

Your journal usually sets the minimum length/# of footnotes. On ours it's 60 pages triple spaced + 160 footnotes (IIRC).

Publishable quality usually means that you haven't been preempted, good style/grammar/syntax, interesting and contemporary topic, and good bluebooking. on our LR, the EIC has the final decision about who gets published, so there's an element of just random subjective like/dislike of your topic.

[smokyroom26]

How many pages are student comments usually? What makes something "publication quality?" Assume secondary journal.

Your journal should have some kind of document that will tell you all the policies related to student notes, including recommended length and tips on what makes something publishable. My journal strongly suggests limiting a note to 20 pages. A "publication quality" note will usually be on a narrow legal question and will take a novel approach to the resolution of that question. It should advance the conversation about a topic rather than rehashing arguments that have already been made, or generally going over well-worn ground.

Volokh's Academic Legal Writing is a good place to start.

[kalvano]

45 pages here.

[Veyron]

45 pages here.

Spacing?

A "publication quality" note will usually be on a narrow legal question and will take a novel approach to the resolution of that question. It should advance the conversation about a topic rather than rehashing arguments that have already been made, or generally going over well-worn ground.

Volokh's Academic Legal Writing is a good place to start.

TY

[kalvano]

45 pages here.

Spacing?

Um, double-spaced? Is there any place that does anything else?

I don't think we have a footnote requirement, just an "appropriate" amount.

[Veyron]

45 pages here.

Spacing?

Um, double-spaced? Is there any place that does anything else?

I don't think we have a footnote requirement, just an "appropriate" amount.

Another poster in this very thread mentioned triple spacing.

[kalvano]

45 pages here.

Spacing?

Um, double-spaced? Is there any place that does anything else?

I don't think we have a footnote requirement, just an "appropriate" amount.

Another poster in this very thread mentioned triple spacing.

So they did. My brain completely filled in "double" in place of "triple". Wow.

[03121202698008]

LR Note: 27-45 pages double spaced, appropriate footnotes but no required #. That's technically the reqs to fulfill the obligation, we've had shorter/longer when ready for publication. We have to publish a Note before eligible for comment.

Quality means the things you'd think...no preemption, well-written, etc. It's read by the Note board who provide feedback. Depending on extent of changes needed, it's then re-read in full, part, or sent straight to publication. If it fails the second read, it's not publishable. We're a light-edit journal so there is some weird indistinguishable line between what must be changed and what doesn't have to be.

[Veyron]

LR Note: 27-45 pages double spaced, appropriate footnotes but no required #. That's technically the reqs to fulfill the obligation, we've had shorter/longer when ready for publication. We have to publish a Note before eligible for comment.

Quality means the things you'd think...no preemption, well-written, etc. It's read by the Note board who provide feedback. Depending on extent of changes needed, it's then re-read in full, part, or sent straight to publication. If it fails the second read, it's not publishable. We're a light-edit journal so there is some weird indistinguishable line between what must be changed and what doesn't have to be.

Dumb question - what is the difference between a note and comment?

[kalvano]

Casenote is talking about one particular case. Comment is a discussion on the state of the law in a particular area.

[NoleinNY]

LR Note: 27-45 pages double spaced, appropriate footnotes but no required #. That's technically the reqs to fulfill the obligation, we've had shorter/longer when ready for publication. We have to publish a Note before eligible for comment.

Quality means the things you'd think...no preemption, well-written, etc. It's read by the Note board who provide feedback. Depending on extent of changes needed, it's then re-read in full, part, or sent straight to publication. If it fails the second read, it's not publishable. We're a light-edit journal so there is some weird indistinguishable line between what must be changed and what doesn't have to be.

"No preemption" as in no writing about the preemption doctrine?

[zomginternets]

"No preemption" as in no writing about the preemption doctrine?

No, as in someone else hasn't already argued your thesis. It's fine for others to have generally written about your topic as long as you have something original to contribute to the discussion.

[03121202698008]

Casenote is talking about one particular case. Comment is a discussion on the state of the law in a particular area.

Eh, that's not really right.

WHAT IS A NOTE OR COMMENT?

There are two types of submissions: A Note is a student-authored piece of academic writing which discusses and analyzes an original legal issue or problem in some depth. A Comment is a student-authored piece of academic writing that is centered around an analysis or critique of a recent case, piece of legislation, law journal article, or law-related book. Comments are also significantly shorter than Notes.

[kalvano]

I guess it depends on the journal then. Ours had to be about a specific case.

The Stanford thing is completely the opposite of how ours works.

[03121202698008]

I guess it depends on the journal then. Ours had to be about a specific case.

The Stanford thing is completely the opposite of how ours works.

I'm not sure the distinction matters much anymore but ours is like the Standford one. At your school, they sound reversed. Ironically, the seem to be called "Case comments" by most of the T14.

[Veyron]

So, what I'm trying to do is a comment. Length?

[03121202698008]

So, what I'm trying to do is a comment. Length?

Around 25 pages double spaced would meet most standards I'm aware of. I've seen Comments as short as 7-8 pages but I doubt that meets your obligation.

[Geist13]

Ours had to be about a specific case.

You lucky fucking bastard.

[kalvano]

Question about comments - how much does getting something published matter? Is it any boost at all?

[Veyron]

Question about comments - how much does getting something published matter? Is it any boost at all?

For getting hired, I dunno. Can't hurt.

A history of publishing in a certain niche area does, however, does help to establish you as an expert in that area which can be good for attracting clients.

[kalvano]

I just ask because, instead of a comment, I get to do an article on significant cases in an area over the past year that might get published. I took it because it's far more interesting than a comment, and I'll be done by the end of January, instead of dragging it out through the semester.

But I didn't know if being published means that much. More idle curiosity than anything, since it's not why I took the assignment. Though I would imagine it might be a boost if I apply for a clerkship, no?

[PirateCap'n]

I guess it depends on the journal then. Ours had to be about a specific case.

The Stanford thing is completely the opposite of how ours works.

Ours is the same as yours. A Note is about a particular case, and a Comment gives you a little more freedom to talk about an area of law, recent trends, etc.

[Veyron]

I just ask because, instead of a comment, I get to do an article on significant cases in an area over the past year that might get published. I took it because it's far more interesting than a comment, and I'll be done by the end of January, instead of dragging it out through the semester.

But I didn't know if being published means that much. More idle curiosity than anything, since it's not why I took the assignment. Though I would imagine it might be a boost if I apply for a clerkship, no?

Oh yah, definitely a boost for clerkships. Didn't mention that perk because I have no interest at all in clerkships.

[VA Politco]

WHAT IS A NOTE OR COMMENT?

There are two types of submissions: A Note is a student-authored piece of academic writing which discusses and analyzes an original legal issue or problem in some depth. A Comment is a student-authored piece of academic writing that is centered around an analysis or critique of a recent case, piece of legislation, law journal article, or law-related book. Comments are also significantly shorter than Notes.

I like that the Stanford Law Review website doesn't know how to properly use the word "centered." (HINT: You can't be centered "around" something. That makes no sense. You are centered ON something)