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Write-on Competition General Rules

GENERAL RULES

Pre-Competition Rule and Information

1. Disability policy: We have a policy for students with disabilities. Please contact the Coordinator of Student Programs, Holly Parrish, for more information. (This is to preserve your anonymity.)

Rule for the Write-On Competition

To ensure that the competition remains fair to everyone, each participant must adhere to the following rules:

1. USE ONLY MATERIALS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET. Do not under any circumstances resort to outside research. If you violate this rule, we will, at the very least, have to disqualify your packet.
2. THE WORK YOU SUBMIT MUST BE YOUR WORK AND YOURS ALONE. Do not discuss the topic with anyone, including other participants, until after the competition. Do not have your entry edited or proofread in any way by another person.

Note: It is permissible to have the casenote professionally typed; however, you must instruct the typist not to correct any errors. You are responsible for ensuring that no one but you contributes to your packet. You may not ask professors, attorneys, hairdressers, dentists, or anyone else anything about the materials in the packet. You may not ask hypothetical questions that have any bearing on the issues of your casenote.

FOLLOW THE DEADLINE AND SPACE LIMITATION RULES METICULOUSLY! Specific rules for each of the competition’s three components are provided in those sections of the packet. Heavy point penalties will result from violations of spacing or font rules, and from late submissions; such deductions may keep even the “best” packets from being accepted.

The difference between scores can be narrow. Since point deductions for lateness or space limit violations can significantly drop your packet’s score, we can’t emphasize enough that you should take every possible precaution to ensure compliance with the rules set forth in each section. Don’t waste your hard work by overlooking or neglecting the rules!

EVALUATION OF PACKETS

Each component of the competition will be scored separately. Each casenote will be evaluated by six second-year members of CLR on a scale of 1 to 20. These scores will be normalized through a computer program to account for the differences among graders. The casenote score comprises 60% of an applicant’s total score. The editing component will be graded by one second-year member of CLR, and will comprise 20% of an applicant’s score. Finally, the personal statement will be evaluated by eight second-year CLR members, none of whom will evaluate casenotes or editing packets. The personal statement comprises the remaining 20% of an applicant’s score.

PROCEDURE

WHAT TO SUBMIT: A completed packet must include:

1. SEVEN COPIES of your casenote. We ask that you copy your casenotes double-sided. This will make it less expensive and less cumbersome for you to submit to us, and for us to mail to our graders. Thanks!
2. TWO COPIES of your corrected editing packet.
3. NINE COPIES of your personal statement.

LABELING YOUR SUBMISSION: Do not put your name on any component of your packet! Your completed packet must be identified by your spring semester exam number. Place your exam number on the upper right corner of the first page of each of the packet’s three components; do not put it anywhere else in your submission. Either use an exam sticker, type the number, or legibly print it on there. Be sure to affix the exam label before you make the requisite number of copies of each component so that the number appears on each copy. The packets will be evaluated by number. When all scoring is completed, the registrar will convert the accepted entry numbers to identify the selected participants.

HOW TO SUBMIT: You may submit your entry in EITHER of the following ways:

1. Turn in your completed packet to Room 592 of Simon Hall by 8 pm on Monday, May 23rd. Please note that we will only be in the office until 8 pm. As such, papers received by personal delivery after 8pm on Monday 23rd will not be accepted at all.
2. Send your completed packet to:

Your packet must be postmarked by Monday, May 23rd and must arrive no later than Tuesday May 24th. (In other words, if you mail your packet on Mon.. May 23rd, you must send it by overnight express mail service by midnight on Monday, May 23rd. Papers sent by an overnight express mail service postmarked after Monday, May 23rd will not be accepted at all. Please check the locations and hours of the nearest service office ahead of time.

NO EXCUSES FOR LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

If you send your entry by overnight express mail, you are responsible for the proper payment. Entries that attempt to bill CLR or Shalini Goel for overnight express charges will not be accepted (and will make us really mad!). If you are sending your entry, we strongly suggest that you retain a proof of mailing.

If you would like confirmation that your entry was received, please print or type your name and address on a self-addressed, stamped postcard and enclose it with your entry. When we receive your packet, we will return the postcard.

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