Announcements for the January 31st Workshop:

• Our second workshop will take place on Tuesday, January 31 at 12:15 in room 156.

• Light refreshments (quesadillas and taquitos) will be served.  Please bring your own drink. 

• No preparation is required for this workshop session.  If you want, however, you may read pp 15-20 in Plain English for Lawyers (5th ed.) Copies are on reserve.  Work through a few of the exercises on those pages, and check your answers with the Appendix in the back of the book.

• For those who are working towards a Plain English certificate, make sure to email your exercises to Senior Writing Fellow Alysha Tseng no later than Monday, January 30.  Because we will be distributing sample answers at the Tuesday workshop, Alysha cannot accept late exercises. Alysha's email is tsenga@email.arizona.edu. 

• We understand that workshop participants may occasionally need to miss a workshop session.  Therefore, in order to qualify for a Plain English certificate, you need only attend six workshops and complete the exercises for those six workshops.  We do encourage you, however, to attend as many of the workshops as possible.

   

I was delighted that so many people attended our first Plain English for Lawyers workshop.  Below are some announcements that we discussed in the workshop session today.

• Those wishing to earn a Plain English for Lawyers certificate must attend at least six workshop sessions and must complete at least six workshop assignments.                                                     
• The assignment for this week's workshop is to complete -- from the hard-copy exercises that were distributed in class today -- two problems of your choice from Additional Exercise 1, two problems of your choice from Additional Exercise 2, and two problems of your choice from Additional Exercise 3.   By January 30, email your answers to Senior Writing Fellow Alysha Tseng at tsenga@email.arizona.edu.  Alysha will return her feedback to your student folder.                                                                                                                   
• If you would like to work through these assignments in a collaborative setting, come to Alysha's office hours in room 138 on Thursday, January 26 from 12:00 noon to 1:15 p.m. Alysha will be available at that time to answer questions and coach you through the exercises.                                                                                                                                          
• Our next class session will be Tuesday, January 31 at 12:15 in room 156. No preparation is required.  If you want, however, you can read pp 15-20 in Plain English for Lawyers (5th ed.) Copies are on reserve.  Work through a few of the exercises on those pages, and check your answers with the Appendix in the back of the book.

Preparing for the First Workshop

There is no requirement that you do anything at all before attending our first workshop session, but if you want to be super prepared, I recommend the following reading and introductory exercises:

1. Read pages 3-15 in Plain English for Lawyers (5^th ed.) Copies are on reserve, or you can order the book from an online bookseller.  Just be sure to get the 5th edition.

2. Work through the following problems:

•  Exercise 1, problems 1 & 2 (page 10)
•  Exercise 2, problems 1 & 2 (page 12)
•  Exercise 3, problems  1-5 (page 14)

Spring 2017 Schedule -- Plain English for Lawyers

 On nine Tuesdays  this semester, I will offer this not-for-credit noontime workshop.  The workshop is geared to J.D. students, but all College of Law students are welcome to attend.  Our text will be Plain English for Lawyers (5^th ed.) by Richard C. Wydick.  Several copies will be on reserve.  You can also purchase your own copy from an online bookseller. (There are inexpensive used copies available on Amazon and elsewhere, but be sure to get the 5^th edition.) All workshop sessions will be in room 156.  Refreshments will be served.


Plain English for Lawyers, 12:15 p.m., room 156

Jan. 24             Chapter 1 – Why Plain English?

Chapter 2 – Omit Surplus Words (exercises 1-3)

Jan. 31             Chapter 2 – Omit Surplus Words (exercises 4-5)

Feb. 7              Chapter 3 – Use Base Verbs, Not Nominalizations (exercise 6)
                        Chapter 4 – Prefer the Active Voice (exercises 7-8)

Feb. 21            Chapter 5 – Use Short Sentences (exercise 9)
                        Chapter 6 – Arrange Your Words with Care (exercises 10-11)

Feb. 28            Chapter 6 -- Arrange Your Words with Care (exercises 12-14)

March 21        Chapter 7 – Choose Your Words with Care (exercises 15-16)

March 28        Chapter 8  -- Avoid Language Quirks (exercise 17)

April 11           Chapter 9 – Punctuate Carefully (exercise 18)         


April 18           Catch-up and Review