Vermont Bar Journal, Vol. 40, No. 2 Spring 2014, Vol. 40, No. 1 | Page 41

STEP THREE QUESTIONS:

The Argument. Why are we going and
how do we get there?
1. Is your Point clear and relevant?
2. How long does it take for you to get
to it?
3. Do you, right off the bat, let the
judge know who, what, when, where,
why, and how?
4. Do you focus on the reasons/arguments why you win rather than simply on telling about cases?
5. Do your headings provide an answer
to the questions or concerns of the
court?
6. How many times does your reader
have to wonder where s/he is?
7. Do you follow a well-defined path?
8. Can the judge follow the path you
are taking and its connection to your
destination?
9. Do you take the shortest and most
scenic route?
10. Do you organize your sections and
paragraphs by answering a question
you expect the court to ask along the
way?
11. If you were to read your headings,
subheadings, and topic sentences
out loud would the judge know your
POINT and the who, what, where,
why and how?
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“Theo,” said Chance, “I think I am beginning to see the light. I researched and I
wrote, but I wasn’t mindful of my audience.
I didn’t strategize or spend enough time
thinking about my essential design thesis
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THE VERMONT BAR JOURNAL • SPRING 2014
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