Plain Language Essay Drafting Tips
Plain Language Essay Drafting Tips
The following are some basic guidelines to consider when drafting your essay answers.
Good writing communicates your ideas in a manner that is easily understood by the target audience. This is the reason for writing in plain language.
Plain language will help to reduce ambiguity, confusion and misunderstandings.
Plain language is about clarity of communication. It is straightforward and direct.
Plain language does not have to mean simple language; rather, it means clear, concise and accurate language.
Keep your sentences reasonably short.
You will communicate more clearly if you keep your sentences reasonably short, although this is a guide rather than an absolute rule.
Cover one subject or make one point in a separate paragraph.
Put separate points or ideas in separate paragraphs. The introductory sentence to each paragraph should indicate what it is about. Do not produce a document with very lengthy paragraphs. A paragraph extending over one page or more of the essay will be far too long.
Use more full stops than commas.
Do not make several points in one sentence, interspersing them with commas. Use separate sentences. In particular, do not insert a comma followed by however in the middle of a sentence. Start a new one.
Make sure you use the apostrophe correctly.
An apostrophe is used to indicate the possessive case. Test by asking if you can reverse the words and insert of between them
Bills dog the dog of Bill
The books colour the colour of the book
The same rule applies in the case of a word ending in s
John Burrowss book the book of John Burrows
In the case of a plural noun the apostrophe goes after the s
The books colour the colour of the books
Note that the possessive apostrophe is not used for its
Its colour the colour of it
An apostrophe is also used to indicate the omission of one or more letters in a word
That wasnt a good essay
Its a beautiful day
Its been a beautiful day
Do not use apostrophes in any other circumstances. In particular, do not use an apostrophe where the reference is simply to a plural word.
Use gender neutral language
Gender neutral language should be used when referring, generically, to a person or persons. However, this does not mean that you can mix a singular subject with a plural pronoun. Consider the following example:
A defendant may be held vicariously liable for a wrong committed by someone else, even though they are not blameworthy themselves.
This is grammatically incorrect. In the above sentence they and themselves (plural) refer to a defendant (singular). Avoid by using he or she, she or he, him or her, her or him, as appropriate, or by making the subject plural, or by rewriting the sentence. So the sentence might become:
Defendants may be held vicariously liable for wrongs committed by others, even though they are not blameworthy themselves.
Or
A defendant may be held vicariously liable for a wrong committed by someone else, even though he or she is not personally blameworthy.
Avoid verbosity
Just because the subject matter of your essay may be complex, do not add to it by presenting it in a convoluted or flowery manner. Do not be wordy. Get to the point.
Correct spelling
If you are aware that you are not good at spelling, try to do something about it. Check in a dictionary. Read more. Check that the names of the cases are correct. If your essay consistently misspells the names of the principal authorities that you are quoting, that does not inspire confidence in the quality of your answer.
Know the difference between principle and principal, their and there, its and its, effect and affect. Spelling can affect meaning too.
Tenses
If you are writing reported speech, for example by giving a summary of what Justice Smith said, put it in the past tense. This includes statements of what the law presently is. The point is that Justice Smith said it, and you are reporting that. Put your comments and analysis in the present tense.
Structure Your Writing.
Put the main message first.
Put the material in an order that makes the best sense to the reader/marker.
State related ideas in a similar grammatical form. Paralleling your language brings your thoughts together, and makes it easier for the reader/marker.
If you are asked to advise on more than one issue, deal with each one separately.
If you can turn a negative statement into a positive one without affecting its meaning, do so.
Avoid double negatives. Why say the procedure will not be ineffective, when you mean the procedure will be effective? Using more than one negative may muddle the meaning of your writing.
Avoid repetition. To make an idea clear, you do not need to state it in as many ways as is possible.
Use headings.
You are perfectly free to use headings, and they certainly can be helpful. They are signposts to the marker/reader, who will then know what will be discussed in the paragraph/section which follows.
Torts Essay 2024
(1) There are still compelling policy reasons for preserving the immunity of lawyers from negligence suits.
Discuss, with reference to relevant primary and secondary sources.
Or
(2) A long-established immunity for expert witnesses, founded upon considerations of policy similar to those which underlie an immunity of suit for advocates, ought to be maintained.
Discuss, with reference to relevant primary and secondary sources.
Instructions
Core reading
Todd on Torts 9th ed, 2023, ch 5, at para 5.7. (ch 6, para 6.7. in earlier editions)
Due date
Your essay must be uploaded to Learn by 12.00 midday on Friday 2 August. Please remember to attach a cover sheet to your essay (available online). Essays which are late and for which no extension has been granted will incur a penalty in the mark awarded. Any application for extension should be made on the standard form available from the floor 2 reception or online.
Length
The essay must be produced on a word processor. The maximum length is 2000 words, including footnotes but not including a bibliography, format as on the standard cover sheet. Please put the word count at the end of your essay. Do not exceed the limit, even by a few words. You will be penalised if you do. The penalty is 1 mark deducted for every 20 words over the limit.
Grade
Style and presentation will be taken into account in determining the mark to be awarded. As regards citations you should follow the Law School Style Sheet (available online). The essay is compulsory and counts for 20% of the years grade.
