Transcript Introduction to the Bluebook

Global Legal Skills Conference III
Facultad Libre de Derecho de Monterrey
We Deal Excitement! Taking Legal Skills
Courses from Dull to Delightful
Conrad Sturm, J.D., LL.M.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Law
Northwestern University School of Law
[email protected]
Tel.: 312 503 0437
LEGAL SKILLS COURSES ≠
SUFFERING
The serious and demanding study
of legal skills does not preclude
us from having a little fun.
I. The Importance of Presentation
II. The Benefits of Law Games –
“Family Feud” Style
III. The Value of Implementing a
Variety of Teaching Methods
I. The Importance of Presentation
“The lecturer’s own attitudes and enthusiasm have
an important effect on student motivation.
Research on student ratings of teaching as well as
on student learning indicates that the enthusiasm
of the lecturer is an important factor in effecting
student learning and motivation.”
McKeachie, J., & Svinicki, M., McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies,
Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers (Houghton
Mifflin Company 2006)
Course Evaluation XYZ

The teacher displayed knowledge of the subject
matter.

The teacher was well prepared for class.

The teacher was enthusiastic about the subject
matter.
I. The Importance of Presentation
a) Get students excited about the course material
- Give Legal Skills Courses Purpose
- Positive Framing
b) Get students excited about you and how you teach your
class
- Enthusiasm
- Extremely Positive Attitude
- Supportive Learning Environment
“Effective lecturers combine the talents of
scholar, writer, producer, comedian,
entertainer, and teacher in ways that
contribute to student learning.”
McKeachie, J., & Svinicki, M., McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies,
Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers (Houghton
Mifflin Company 2006)
Sample Law Games - “Family Feud”
Style
THE CLRC GAMES
HOSTED BY PROF. STURM
(Because this stuff can actually be a lot of fun)
STRUCTURE

Six teams – 5 or 6 students per team

Top finishing team will receive 2 bonus participation
percentage points

Second place team will receive 1.5 bonus participation
percentage points

Third place team will receive 1 bonus participation
percentage point

PLUS – Gift from the CLR Department!

Bonus participation points will be added to your
participation grade (accounting for 10% of your final
grade)
BEFORE WE BEGIN:

Teams – Need names of each team and each team
member
ROUND 1
FORMAT





Individual Competition - E.g. Individual from Team 1 vs
Individual from Team 2, 3 vs 4, and so on…
6 Questions per round
+ 2 Points for each Correct Answer – points increase
Incorrect Answer allows other party to answer with the
help of his or her team
No Notes Allowed – Computers and Bluebook closed!
(this varies with each round)
TASK – Citations ( Also can test doctrine, legal reasoning)
AS AN EXAMPLE…
Question #1
Explain the parts of the following citation:
White v. Black, 23 N.E.2d 56, 62 (Ill. 1999).
Question #1 Answer

Case name; Published source: volume,
reporter (North Eastern Reporter,
Second edition), first page & jump cite
page; Parenthetical: court (Illinois
Supreme Court) and year.
II. The Benefits of Law Games –
“Family Feud” Style

Reinforce Substantive Knowledge

Encourage Individual Preparation

Foster Teamwork/Collaboration – Cooperative learning

Create Healthy Competition

Increase In-class Participation & Interaction with Professor

Encourage Outside Classroom Discussion

Increase Student Confidence

Motivate Students with Sizable Rewards – Bonus
Participation Grades, Prizes, Recognition

Value Formative Assessment over Summative Assessment
– Track Student Learning

Add Excitement
III. The Value of Implementing a Variety of
Teaching Methods
Provide a cohesive learning experience by
integrating a variety of teaching methods that keep
your class fresh.

Lecture
 Socratic Method
 Practical Exercises
 Law Games
Suggested Articles:
• Marci L. Smith and Naomi Harlin Goodno, Bluebook Madness: How to Have Fun
Teaching Citation, 16 No. 1 Perspectives: Teaching Legal Res. & Writing 40 (2007).
“We look around the large, windowless lecture hall. More than 250 first-year law
students are intently focused on The Bluebook, driven to read citation rules, and
seemingly enjoying it. A dream? It seemed like one, but this actually happened at
Pepperdine's first annual citation competition. And even though attendance at the
competition was voluntary, the room was packed and the atmosphere was pitched.
The students all wanted their section to win. Many even brought signs suitable for
getting on television at a sporting event. (Two examples: Cite This! and Go Section
B!) In other words, our students were actually having fun learning citation.”
“A final benefit of the competition is that you may actually find yourself with a new,
improved attitude toward teaching citation. In fact, you might even become downright
enthusiastic about the subject. Inevitably, this will make you a better teacher.”

James B. Levy, The Cobbler Wears No Shoes: A Lesson for Research
Instruction, 51 J. Legal Educ. 39, 40 (2001) (discussing “the direct
link between a teacher's passion for the subject matter and the student's
ability to learn it”).

Sheila Simon, Top 10 Ways to Use Humor in Teaching Legal Writing,
11 Perspectives: Teaching Legal Res. & Writing 125 (2003).