About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

22 Second Draft 1 (2007-2008)

handle is hein.journals/secnd22 and id is 1 raw text is: U - II E-Commenting: Pros and Cons Leslie Rose, Golden Gate University School of Law In the beginning, there was the red pen. The pen became green, then a blue erasable. After dabbling in pencil, and typing a separate sheet of comments attached to student papers, I am now firmly on the electric commenting bandwagon. Despite a few downsides, I now wonder how I survived without comment balloons, in the same way I marvel at how I wrote my first appellate brief on a typewriter. The Method For the uninitiated, electronic commenting, or e-commenting, is a method by which you can embed your comments directly into a document. The most direct way to start, using Word, is to select the Reviewing toolbar from the View menu. From this toolbar, you will be able to (1) correct errors or insert text in another color by using the track changes function (track changes can also be found in the Tools menu), (2) insert comment balloons in the margin (the insert comment function can also be found in the Insert menu), and (3) highlight selected material.1 Students submit their papers to me as e-mail attachments; I return the papers in the same way. The students will see colored boxes enclosing typed, numbered comments linked to specific text in their papers, along with end comments written in another color. I highlight repeated technical errors in yellow. The Pros The paper has a visually cleaner look-one that is easier to process than the handwritten comments that often weave around a page. I find I can communicate more information, with less clutter. Students appreciate having typed comments, which are, of course, easier to read than the handwritten comments they are used to. They also like that the comments are right next to the relevant part of the paper.2 The students and I both have ready access to the paper and the critique. Students have a copy of the paper, with my comments, on their laptops-they don't have to worry about locating the hard copy, carrying it around, or losing it. I have a copy of the paper, with my comments, easily accessible on my computer when a student comes to a conference, or e-mails me with a quick question. While papers with written comments can be copied prior to returning them to the students, eliminating this step saves staff time and paper. I use the track changes function when I want to demonstrate a clearer or more concise way of expressing a particular point. This is much easier to write and to read than the interlineated scribbles I've made in the past. The students can see the work I've put into giving them feedback. While the amount of work is not necessarily more than when I would handwrite, the visual, especially the numbers on the comments, gives students a more palpable sense of the time it takes to provide a meaningful critique.3 The student who can quickly see that I've made forty- two numbered comments on a twelve-page draft argument is often inspired to work harder on the final brief. The Cons Although the pros outweigh the cons, two downsides are worth noting. First, because the track changes function makes it so easy to correct errors, I have to work harder to stop myself from becoming an editor, rather than a coach, especially when I'm short on time. Second, I'm tied to my computer more than I'd like to be. In the days of handwriting, I could sit anywhere with pen in hand, and could carry some papers with me when I went to a dental CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most