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leslieknope · Post by **leslieknope** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:18 pm

rnoodles22 wrote:
Companion Cube wrote:
unsweetened wrote:
rnoodles22 wrote:So... anybody got any good tips on how to cut a memo down by a full page?
reduce the font size by 0.5 and widen the margins a tiny bit?
They likely have formatting guidelines they have to adhere to. You have excess words/arguments. Get rid of them. You may not see them at first but they're there. I promise. It's difficult now but doing this kind of thing will get easier. Just read the sentence and ask yourself, is this absolutely necessary? Could this be more concise?
Yes, I have formatting guidelines. If I didn't it'd be a lot easier! haha

That's great advice. Followed it, and cut it by about half a page. But I'm reaching the point where I'm wondering if what I'm cutting out is crucial to it making sense or not.

If your memo has a fact section, go through it clause by clause and make sure that every fact you've got in there is a fact that you're using in your analysis. I cut down over a page just by editing out the excess verbiage and unnecessary facts.

unsweetened · Post by **unsweetened** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:32 pm

Didn't realize we were getting all serious about LRW in here. Might want to look each sentence individually and see if you can be more concise. I took a couple days off from working on my memo and realized it was terrible when I came back to it.

rnoodles · Post by **rnoodles** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:34 pm

No fact section, unfortunately. Just one issue CREACC, so it's all really just analysis and counteranalysis (only about a page and a half is the CRE part).

I like the six rounds of edits idea though. Definitely will do that for the next memo assignment I get, if nothing else than to try it out. I've gone through a few rounds myself over the past few days, but it's due tomorrow so it's a bummer I don't have more time to do it now without risking the blindness you mentioned.

Edit: Unsweetened, you've freaked me out haha I don't have a couple days to come to that realization, and I hope my professor doesn't come to that realization either after I turn it in.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:36 pm

unsweetened wrote:Didn't realize we were getting all serious about LRW in here. Might want to look each sentence individually and see if you can be more concise. I took a couple days off from working on my memo and realized it was terrible when I came back to it.

See? I'm not crazy.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:37 pm

Btw, you should all be happy your LRW professor has the decency to assign the memo now. I knew people who didn't turn it in until the Monday after thanksgiving. Having to juggle that and preparing for finals would blow.

buckiguy_sucks · Post by **buckiguy_sucks** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:16 pm

Post removed.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:24 pm

buckiguy_sucks wrote:How many hours is everyone putting in?

Our school and some 2Ls keep insisting we should be putting in 60ish hours a week (30+ hours for assigned reading) but I have no idea how I would get close to that. Other than not having started outlining what else would I be doing to get myself to this absurd number of hours.

That's insane don't do that.

rnoodles · Post by **rnoodles** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:26 pm

Companion Cube wrote:Btw, you should all be happy your LRW professor has the decency to assign the memo now. I knew people who didn't turn it in until the Monday after thanksgiving. Having to juggle that and preparing for finals would blow.

We still have to do that man. This is all just practice leading up to the real one due at the end of Nov.

buckiguy_sucks wrote:How many hours is everyone putting in?

Our school and some 2Ls keep insisting we should be putting in 60ish hours a week (30+ hours for assigned reading) but I have no idea how I would get close to that. Other than not having started outlining what else would I be doing to get myself to this absurd number of hours.

That just sounds horrific. How you can be productive for that much time is beyond me.

xylocarp · Post by **xylocarp** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:37 pm

I put in 80 hours/week so that I can be top of the class

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:43 pm

rnoodles22 wrote:
Companion Cube wrote:Btw, you should all be happy your LRW professor has the decency to assign the memo now. I knew people who didn't turn it in until the Monday after thanksgiving. Having to juggle that and preparing for finals would blow.
We still have to do that man. This is all just practice leading up to the real one due at the end of Nov.

buckiguy_sucks wrote:How many hours is everyone putting in?

Our school and some 2Ls keep insisting we should be putting in 60ish hours a week (30+ hours for assigned reading) but I have no idea how I would get close to that. Other than not having started outlining what else would I be doing to get myself to this absurd number of hours.
That just sounds horrific. How you can be productive for that much time is beyond me.

Then just don't procrastinate. Just because 2 weeks or whatever are given doesn't mean that's how long it has to take. Especially since you will have practiced. Get it done in half the time allotted then you can just take your time editing for the last week and it won't cut into your finals prep

Mack.Hambleton · Post by **Mack.Hambleton** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:44 pm

I go to class and do probably 2-3 hours of reading per night (incl taking notes).

This also includes TLS posting time

Hikikomorist · Post by **Hikikomorist** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:06 pm

Mack.Hambleton wrote:I go to class and do probably 2-3 hours of reading per night (incl taking notes).

This also includes TLS posting time

This sounds about right, but I also do some writing on occasion, sadly. I'm a really slow writer, because I prefer to reward myself for completing a paragraph by watching an episode or two of some television show.

BVest · Post by **BVest** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:05 pm

rnoodles22 wrote:So... anybody got any good tips on how to cut a memo down by a full page?

First, go to Format > Paragraph > Lines and Page Breaks and make sure Widow/Orphan Control is turned OFF.

Next, edit, edit, edit.

Finally, go through it looking for the paragraphs with the shortest last lines. e.g.:

The court will likely rule for the plaintiff
because the defendant is a stupid doodie
head.

Those are the easiest places to cut down by an entire line. You'll only need 23 lines to cut an entire page. On an 8 page memo, making each paragraph end at the right margin won't get you there, but it will probably get you 7 or eight lines. Use shorter synonyms. e.g.

The court will likely rule for the plaintiff
because the defendant is a stupid ass.

unsweetened · Post by **unsweetened** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:13 pm

buckiguy_sucks wrote:How many hours is everyone putting in?

Our school and some 2Ls keep insisting we should be putting in 60ish hours a week (30+ hours for assigned reading) but I have no idea how I would get close to that. Other than not having started outlining what else would I be doing to get myself to this absurd number of hours.

About 50 hours. It'll likely go to 60 when I start outlining and working on my open note memo.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:13 pm

Also, only string cite if it's absolutely necessary like (supreme court case + state Supreme Court/circuit court case from your jurisdiction). An unnecessary citation can be a whole line sometimes.

xylocarp · Post by **xylocarp** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:19 pm

xylocarp wrote:I put in 80 hours/week so that I can be top of the class

Just kidding, I have like 8 class absences and suck at law school overall

Hikikomorist · Post by **Hikikomorist** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:21 pm

xylocarp wrote:
xylocarp wrote:I put in 80 hours/week so that I can be top of the class
Just kidding, I have like 8 class absences and suck at law school overall

I wish I had the confidence to miss class.

Gray · Post by **Gray** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:34 pm

Mack.Hambleton · Post by **Mack.Hambleton** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:34 pm

Gray wrote:
xylocarp wrote:
xylocarp wrote:I put in 80 hours/week so that I can be top of the class
Just kidding, I have like 8 class absences and suck at law school overall
Y1LO

1LOL

buckiguy_sucks · Post by **buckiguy_sucks** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:46 pm

Post removed.

buckiguy_sucks · Post by **buckiguy_sucks** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:47 pm

Post removed.

Mack.Hambleton · Post by **Mack.Hambleton** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:47 pm

buckiguy_sucks wrote:First memo I wrote I had zero issue with word count should I expect to have failed that one because this seems to be a serious issue for most

Not enough analysis

GreenEggs · Post by **GreenEggs** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:49 pm

xylocarp wrote:
xylocarp wrote:I put in 80 hours/week so that I can be top of the class
Just kidding, I have like 8 class absences and suck at law school overall

How have you already missed 8 classes?

Poldy · Post by **Poldy** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:50 pm

DCfilterDC wrote:
xylocarp wrote:
xylocarp wrote:I put in 80 hours/week so that I can be top of the class
Just kidding, I have like 8 class absences and suck at law school overall
How have you already missed 8 classes?

Day after bar review?

GreenEggs · Post by **GreenEggs** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 10:52 pm

RancidSumo wrote:
DCfilterDC wrote:
xylocarp wrote:
xylocarp wrote:I put in 80 hours/week so that I can be top of the class
Just kidding, I have like 8 class absences and suck at law school overall
How have you already missed 8 classes?
Day after bar review?

No Friday classes

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