Doctoral Colloquium
LAW-999-001
Spring 2014
Room 516
Professor Leesa Klepper
(202) 274-4389
Room 515C
lklepper@wcl.american.edu
SCHEDULE:
Throughout the Spring semester, we will generally meet every other week, either individually or
as a class. The schedule below sets out the current plan for the semester, but it may be tweaked
as the semester progresses. The class meets from 10:00 a.m. – noon.
ATTENDANCE AND ON-TIME ARRIVAL:
Because attending the Doctoral Colloquium is the only required class you have as an SJD
candidate, I expect you to attend every class unless you are ill or have an unavoidable
emergency. Due to the intentionally small class size, your absence will have an impact on the
rest of the class. Please ensure that you attend all classes and that you arrive on time and are
ready to begin by 10:00 a.m. If you must miss class, you must contact me in advance.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND CREDITS:
The year-long Doctoral Colloquium is 2 credits in the Fall semester and 1 credit in the Spring
semester and is graded on a Pass/Fail basis each semester. Successful completion of both
semesters of the Doctoral Colloquium is required to obtain the SJD degree. My determination of
whether you receive a passing grade for the course this semester will be based on the following
factors:
Spring 2013
 Bluebook Worksheet #1 – 10%
 Bluebook Worksheet #2 – 10%
 Bluebook Worksheet #3 – 10%
 Memos to classmates providing feedback – 20%
 Class Participation and On-Time Arrival and Attendance – 20%
 Outline and Working Bibliography – 30%
Class Participation Expectations
To meet the class participation requirements, you must:
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read all assigned material;
attend and arrive on time for all seminars;
take an active part in the discussions in each course session;
timely submit all assignments; and
complete all assignments completely and thoughtfully.
**
In addition to the requirements set out in this syllabus, to maintain good standing in the SJD
Program you must also attend all SJD Dissertation Defenses scheduled during the first year of
your Program and timely complete all of the first-year milestones described in the SJD Student
Handbook. If at any point you believe you will not be able to complete an assignment or a
milestone, you should contact your faculty advisor, SJD Program Director Professor Lia
Epperson, or me (depending on the nature of the milestone) as far in advance as possible.
READING MATERIALS:
We will use the books below throughout the course and throughout your time as a candidate in
the SJD Program. At Orientation you will receive a complimentary copy of each of them. These
books will be vital to you over the next three years. I have assigned minimal reading from each
of these books for use in our Colloquium, but I strongly encourage you to read the unassigned
pages of these books over the course of your first year of the Program.
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THE BLUEBOOK: A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION (19th Edition)
Kate L. Turabian, A MANUAL FOR WRITERS OF RESEARCH PAPERS, THESES,
AND DISSERTATIONS (7th Edition)
Eugene Volokh, ACADEMIC LEGAL WRITING: LAW REVIEW ARTICLES,
STUDENT NOTES, SEMINAR PAPERS, AND GETTING ON LAW REVIEW (4th
Edition)
James P. Davis, THE ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD GUIDE TO WRITING WITH
SOURCES (4th Edition)
Additional required reading materials will be posted on MyWCL.
OFFICE HOURS:
The best way to set up an appointment with me is by emailing me at
lklepper@wcl.american.edu. Please make an appointment with me for all meetings.
TECHNOLOGY USE POLICY:
You are welcome to use a computer in class if it will assist you in learning the material we
discuss. The makeup of the class is purposely small, and your attention is required. Laptops
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may not be used for internet surfing, playing games, Gchat, Facebook, email, etc. Blackberries,
iPhones and other PDAs may not be used in class.
MyWCL:
MyWCL will be the main vehicle for mass communicating outside of class. I will post
information, announcements, and reminders about upcoming deadlines to the class site on
MyWCL. Please ensure that you check MyWCL regularly so that you do not miss any important
information. You can set up alerts so that you are automatically informed of any posts made to
MyWCL. I also encourage you to make use of the Course Discussion Forum to discuss issues
and challenges you are facing in the class and throughout the dissertation process.
WRITING AND EDITING SKILLS:
Unfortunately we do not have time to cover writing and editing skills in this class. Regardless of
the level of your writing skills, you can always improve your writing. I therefore encourage you
to read Volokh, pp. 105-40 and 344-51 and Turabian, pp. 283-330, which discuss vital editing
skills for producing a quality dissertation.
Spring 2014
Date
Tuesday,
January 14
Topic of
Discussion
Bluebooking I
Reading Due Day of Seminar
Bluebook, Inside front cover and
facing page,
pp. ix-xvii (Table of Contents)
pp. 1-2 (Introduction)
pp. 53-110 (Rules 1-11)
Skim: Entire Bluebook,
including Tables
Assignment Due Day of
Seminar
Many U.S. law students and
lawyers find it helpful to tab
the Bluebook to easily find
sections that are important to
their writing, research, and
citation. Tab your Bluebook
in a way that will be helpful
for you. Bring your tabbed
Bluebook to class today.
Turabian, pp. 120-21
On MyWCL:
List of editing symbols
Tuesday,
January 28
Bluebooking II
Bluebook, pp. 111-63 (Rule 12 –
17)
Complete and submit via
email to Professor Klepper at
lklepper@wcl.american.edu
the following:
- Bluebooking Worksheet #1
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Date
Topic of
Discussion
Reading Due Day of Seminar
Tuesday,
February
11
Bluebooking
III
Tuesday,
February
25
Correct
Citation
Practices;
Avoiding
Plagiarism;
Dissertation
Formatting;
Dissertation
Submission
Bluebook, pp. 164-214 (Rule 18- Complete and submit via
21)
email to Professor Klepper at
lklepper@wcl.american.edu
Skim pp. 277-425 (Table 2)
the following:
pp. 426-28 (Table 3)
pp. 428-29 (Table 4)
- Bluebooking Worksheet #2
(to be distributed during class
on January 28th)
Davis, pp. 3-6, 8-13 (middle),
Complete and submit via
16-48, 52-53
email to Professor Klepper at
lklepper@wcl.american.edu
the following:
On MyWCL
Deborah McGregor, THE
INTERNATIONAL LAWYER’S
- Bluebooking Worksheet #3
GUIDE TO LEGAL ANALYSIS AND (to be distributed during class
COMMUNICATION IN THE UNITED on February 11th).
STATES, pp. 87-97 (The U.S.
Concept of Plagiarism and the
- Proper citations for 10 of the
Proper Attribution of Authority). sources you cited in your
Working Bibliography.
AU Provost’s Dissertation Guide
The WCL Honor Code
Nicholas Kulish & Chris
Cottrell, German Fascination
with Degrees Claims Latest
Victim: Education Minister, N.Y.
TIMES (Feb. 8, 2013) available at
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/0
0/10/world/europe/germaneducation-chief-quits-in-scandalreflecting-fascination-withtitles.html.
Optional:
Volokh, pp. 143-60, 191-192 (K.
Summary), 334-38, pp. 171-89
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Assignment Due Day of
Seminar
(to be distributed during class
on January 14th)
Date
Topic of
Discussion
Reading Due Day of Seminar
Assignment Due Day of
Seminar
Monday, March 17th by 11:00 a.m.: Submit your outline and working
bibliography conforming to the Bluebook via email to all classmates and
me.
Tuesday,
March 18
Planning the
Argument and
First Draft;
Legal Analysis
v. Descriptive
Writing;
Review of
How to Cite
Atypical
Sources;
Revision
Turabian, pp. 48-70, 109-119
Volokh, pp. 47-80, 105-111
On MyWCL:
Nancy Levit, et al., Training
Independent Learners: Student
Self-Editing Checklist for Law
School Papers, Notes and
Comments, available at
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1130308
Optional: Pamela Samuelson,
Good Legal Writing: Of Orwell
and Window Panes, 46 U. PITT.
L. REV. 149 (1984).
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Date
Tuesday,
April 1
Topic of
Discussion
Discussion of
Outlines and
Working
Bibliographies
Reading Due Day of Seminar
Assignment Due Day of
Seminar
Review the outlines and
bibliographies of each of your
classmates and draft a memo
to each classmate discussing
suggested changes, gaps that
need to be filled, order of
topics, etc. Correct any
Bluebooking errors you find
on each bibliography. Submit
two copies of each memo
(one to me and one to the
candidate). Be ready to
provide substantive comments
and constructive criticism to
each of your classmates
during the class.
This exercise works only if all
students put in the time and
effort required to make the
experience helpful. Do not
skimp on the advice and
suggestions that you give your
classmates. Of all of the
assignments you must
complete this year, this one is
likely to be the most timeconsuming. Please ensure that
you set aside enough time to
provide thorough, critical
feedback to your classmates.
Week of
April 8
Individual
candidate
meetings
regarding
outlines
Tuesday,
April 8
Mock
Presentations
Turabian, pp. 71 – 81
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Set up a 40 minute
appointment during this week.
If you are not available during
any of the times shown on the
calendar, email Prof. Klepper
at lklepper@wcl.american.edu
to find a mutually convenient
time.
**Evaluations will take place
at the end of this class. Please
and the Path
Forward
Volokh, pp. 81-84
As you prepare for your
presentations, review the
readings on public speaking and
PowerPoint presentations that
you read for class on September
18, 2012.
Optional:
On reserve in the library is
GETTING A PHD IN LAW, by
Morris and Murphy. You are
encouraged to read the final two
chapters on publishing your
work and building your career as
a SJD candidate, pp. 106-132.
Tuesday,
April 15,
Noon –
2:00 p.m.
Final
Presentations
bring your computer with you
to class.**
Prepare a 20 minute
presentation describing a)
your thesis statement,
including any conclusions you
have drawn, b) a background
of the problem you are
addressing, including why it
needs to be solved, c) an
overview of your research
over the course of this year, d)
an overview of the substance
of your planned dissertation.
You may use PowerPoint for
the presentation, but it is not
required.
Polish your presentation
based on feedback from class
on April 11th.
You may prepare handouts for
the audience.
The presentations will be
open the public and advertised
throughout the American
University community.
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