Legal writing on this page refers to the writing of legal dissertations or law assignments. Other than showing you how to search for relevant materials in FIND@HKUL, there are some tips on three main stages of writing: I. Before you start writing; II. During your writing; and III. Post writing.
Hope you find them useful and beneficial!
Visit the Libraries’ collection for more resources on legal writings via FIND@HKUL:
Stage I - Before you start writing
Brainstorming
Beginning of writing may be hard when you have little or too many information in hand. To clear up your mind, brainstorming would be a good way to help by writing down all your thoughts and ideas regarding the topic or subject area. You may then filter undesired ideas and focus on the remaining ones. The use of “spider diagram”, also known as mind map, is one common example of how brainstorming is being practiced. When brainstorming, there is no right or wrong answer. Just be bold and list out all the thoughts and ideas you have, this is the beginning of organizing your mind and getting a direction.
Set an outline
Having an outline before the actual writing helps to offer a concise direction of where the piece will go. For instances, the sequence of how different ideas will be presented, which cases or legislations will be introduced and discussed in which paragraph, how this presentation will strengthen the convincingness of your arguments and etc.
Surely, an initial outline can be further changed and revised throughout your writing. Still, a good practice of setting up an outline before you start your writing will facilitate the organization of your train of thoughts.
Keep asking questions
Similar to the 5W1H method stated in Legal Research tab, you are encouraged to generate questions not only in the beginning but also throughout your writing. This will require your critical thinking skill in constant examining and reflecting on the information and materials you collected, which helps to eliminate unnecessary points or blind spots that was not being aware of initially.
Stage II – During your writing
Language & Grammar
While writing your paper, it is vital to pay attention to your use of language and grammar in formatting sensible sentences and paragraphs. In general, simple English is always the best.
Below are some free online resources and tools in enhancing your language and grammatical skills:
Cite While You Write
Referencing of the works of others in your paper are crucial in the academic context. You are encouraged to cite references while writing your papers to avoid missing out of any citations. Thus, EndNote will be a beneficial tool in supporting such practice. You may refer to our EndNote tab or the HKUL EndNote LibGuide for more details on how it operates.
Stage III – After you have written
Proofreading
Once you have finished writing your paper, it is always a good habit to have it proofread. You may examine whether ideas are presented and explained clearly, whether the tone of writings is appropriate, and etc. This is important to identify potential blind spots or points that have been missed out.
Another effective way is to seek help from others in reviewing your work. This may concern your peers or someone you trust. It is ideal that a person with no prior knowledge on the subject is able to understand and follow your path of thoughts.