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| Preface | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Principles for All Legal Writing | |
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| Framing Your Thoughts | |
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| Have something to say-and think it through | |
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| For maximal efficiency, plan your writing projects. Try nonlinear outlining | |
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| Order your material in a logical sequence. Present facts chronologically. Keep related material together | |
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| Divide the document into sections, and sections into subparts as needed. Use informative headings | |
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| Phrasing Your Sentences | |
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| Omit needless words | |
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| Keep your average sentence length to about 20 words | |
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| Keep the subject, the verb, and the object together toward the beginning of the sentence | |
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| Use parallel phrasing for parallel ideas | |
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| Prefer the active voice over the passive | |
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| Avoid multiple negatives | |
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| End sentences emphatically | |
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| Choosing Your Words | |
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| Learn to detest simplifiable jargon | |
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| Use strong, precise verbs. Minimize is, are, was, and were | |
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| Simplify wordy phrases. Watch out for of | |
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| Turn -ion words into verbs when you can | |
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| Avoid doublets and triplets | |
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| Refer to people and companies by name. Never use corresponding terms ending in -ee and -or | |
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| Don't habitually use parenthetical shorthand names. Use them only when you really need them | |
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| Shim newfangled acronyms | |
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| Make everything you write speakable | |
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| Principles Mainly for Analytical and Persuasive Writing | |
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| Plan all three parts: the beginning, the middle, and the end | |
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| Use the "deep issue" to spill the beans on the first page | |
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| Summarize. Don't overparticularize | |
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| Introduce each paragraph with a topic sentence | |
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| Bridge between paragraphs | |
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| Vary the length of your paragraphs, but generally keep them short | |
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| Provide signposts along the way | |
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| Unclutter the text by moving citations into footnotes | |
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| Weave quotations deftly into your narrative | |
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| Be forthright in dealing with counterarguments | |
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| Principles Mainly for Legal Drafting | |
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| Draft for an ordinary reader, not for a mythical judge who might someday review the document | |
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| Organize provisions in order of descending importance | |
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| Minimize definitions and cross-references. If you have more than just a few definitions, put them in a schedule at the end-not at the beginning | |
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| Break down enumerations into parallel provisions. Put every list of subparts at the end of the sentence-never at the beginning or in the middle | |
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| Delete every shall | |
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| Don't use provisos | |
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| Replace and/or wherever it appears | |
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| Prefer the singular over the plural | |
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| Prefer numerals, not words, to denote amounts. Avoid word-numeral doublets | |
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| If you don't understand a form provision-or don't understand why it should be included in your document-try diligently to gain that understanding. If you still can't understand it, cut it | |
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| Principles of Document Design | |
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| Use a readable typeface | |
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| Create ample white space-and use it meaningfully | |
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| Highlight ideas with attention-getters such as bullets | |
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| Don't use all capitals, and avoid initial capitals | |
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| For a long document, make a table of contents | |
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| Methods for Continued Improvement | |
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| Embrace constructive criticism | |
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| Edit yourself systematically | |
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| Learn how to find reliable answers to questions of grammar and usage | |
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| Habitually gauge your own readerly likes and dislikes, as well as those of other readers | |
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| Remember that good writing makes the reader's job easy; bad writing makes it hard | |
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| How to Punctuate | |
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| Four Model Documents | |
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| Research Memorandum | |
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| Motion | |
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| Appellate Brief | |
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| Contract | |
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| Key to Basic Exercises | |
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| Bibliography | |
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| Index | |