Law Student

Publication Guide
Lisa Levesque
Law Librarian, Toronto Metropolitan University

April 2023
 Law Student
Publication Guide
Lisa Levesque
Law Librarian, Toronto Metropolitan University

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Table of Contents
Why should I publish? 3
The legal publishing landscape 3

Where should I publish? 6

Is the journal open to receiving student manuscripts? 6
Does the focus of the journal match your focus as an author? 6
How do I assess a journal? 7

What is the journal submission process? 7

What is peer review? 8

Is my paper publishable? 10
How do I revise my paper before submission? 11
How can I improve my writing? 12

What do I need to know about copyright? 13

Attributing your sources 13
What is open access? 14
How can I find out if a journal is open access? 15
Publication agreements 15
Creative commons licences 16

Should I be a solo author or collaborate? 16

What are journal indicators? 17

How can I make it easy to find and access my article? 18

Practice knowledge translation 18
Increase access to your article 19
Develop a researcher profile 19

What is the emotional process of publishing? 20

FAQ 22
Helpful links 23
Library Research Guides 23

Bibliography 24

Law Student Publication Guide 2

Why should I publish?
Practically speaking, law students are in a good This guide is intended to clarify the legal publishing
position to publish scholarly work. Students landscape, help you assess your options, and
are immersed in learning about the law through answer common questions students face about
readings, in class discussions, and summer scholarly publishing. It is not a goal of this guide
employment, and these can all provide inspiration to downplay the amount of time, energy, and hard
for an eventual research question. Whether it work that writing a scholarly article requires. It is
makes sense for you to publish as a student is a serious commitment both for you as an author
entirely up to you and your career goals. Do you and for the journal editors and reviewers involved
plan on becoming an academic? If so, publishing in in the process. It requires very rigorous research
scholarly journals will eventually become essential and analysis and isn’t for the faint of heart (see the
to your career, and law school is not too early a emotional process of publishing). If you decide after
point to start. Do you plan on practising law? If so, reading this guide that writing a scholarly article
a publication on your CV can be an excellent way to isn’t for you, there is nothing wrong with that.
demonstrate your engagement with current legal There are other ways to get your ideas out into the
issues; imagine interviewing for a position at a law world (see different types of articles). In any case,
firm specializing in employment law when you have this guide will help you understand your options for
published a paper about recent legislative changes scholarly publishing and how to seek support.
in this area.
The legal publishing landscape
Students also have a wealth of resources available
to them: professors they can ask for expert Let’s start with the basics. What are scholarly
advice, librarians who can offer research support, journals? Scholarly journals, also called academic
on campus writing help, and the support of their journals or periodicals, are a primary output of
peers. Having access to—and making use of— scholarship for the academy, namely higher
such resources is important because academic education and research institutions. Journals
publishing contains unwritten rules that can be contain collections of articles that have undergone a
baffling, especially for first generation students. thorough editorial review process. Scholarly articles
In the spirit of demystifying scholarly publishing, typically address a legal issue of current concern
this guide will offer basic explanations of legal and analyze it using a conceptual or theoretical
scholarship and list resources for student authors perspective, sometimes offering a broad narrative
to learn about academic research and writing in overview of a topic or having an empirical research
more depth. focus. This form of writing is very different from
other practical formats of legal writing such as
There are also higher, loftier reasons to publish memos or factums, which seek to offer an objective
academic work. Doing so allows you to contribute statement of law or advance a persuasive argument
to the scholarly conversation on the topic. Have within a practice-oriented context.
you ever researched a topic you are passionate
about but weren’t able to find your dream article The standard scholarly article is well supported with
on — because it didn’t exist? That paper is waiting references, written in an academic tone, and lengthy
for you to write it. Engaging in scholarly writing (from 20-40 pages single spaced). Articles typically
can advance new ideas and move the needle on contain the same generic elements, including an
academic discourse. abstract, introduction, research question, literature

Law Student Publication Guide 3

review, discussion section, and conclusion. For a methodology and conceptual analysis,1 while others
brief overview of these elements, see the TMU argue that scholarship should reach practical
Library handout on reading strategically. In addition conclusions, arguing for revisions in law;2 the answer
to publishing scholarly articles, journals will often likely falls somewhere in the middle.
publish other works, such as book reviews and case
comments, that are still academic in tone but do not What are different types of articles?
fit the same format. These works are usually shorter,
may have a less thorough review process, and An academic article can take many forms, although
require less in-depth analysis (see different articles). there are several different common areas of focus.

Law journals present unique opportunities for • Articles might be critical in nature. They may
student engagement in the editorial and publishing argue for law reform, describing a problem with
process. In the USA student-run journals are a legal system and how it can be fixed. They
common; the top ten journals in the USA in 2021 on may advocate changes in practice or philosophy
the Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings are based on informed legal analysis.
all student-edited. In contrast, faculty-run journals • Articles might also be theoretical in nature,
and hybrid journals are more common in Canada. For drawing on a known philosophy or methodology
examples of these publication models, the University (e.g. positivism) or the work of a known theorist
of Toronto Law Journal is a faculty-run journal, the (e.g. Kant) to advance an argument. Theoretical
TMU Law Review uses a hybrid model, and the articles can shed new light on an old problem by
Saskatchewan Law Review is student-run. It is addressing it through a particular lens.
worth noting that student editorship is uncommon in
• Doctrinal scholarship uses inductive or
most academic disciplines outside of law.
deductive reasoning to describe and interpret
an area of law in order to make generalizations
Another unique aspect of law journals is the interplay
or predictions about it. It is also called “black
they allow between research and practice. Law
letter law,” focusing on the rules of law as they
schools commonly host a journal with their name,
have emerged, and it might be pragmatic (e.g.
as in the examples above. Scholarly articles are
how to operate within those rules) or academic
often cited in Supreme Court of Canada decisions,
(e.g. why we should critique those rules) in
and journals will rightfully brag about this on
nature. Doctrinal scholarship factors into
their homepages. Practicing lawyers and judges
different types of analysis.
may publish scholarly work, depending on the
journal. Given that law has such a broad impact, • There are also articles that offer a narrative
interdisciplinary journals also exist that allow legal summary of the history of an area of law.
researchers to communicate with colleagues in
• Another similar article type is the literature
disciplines with shared concerns such as criminology,
review, which offers an overview of the
business, or public administration. Due to the
literature, or secondary source writing, on
interplay between legal scholarship and practice,
a topic. The purpose of review articles is to
there is academic debate about how practical the
identify where a legal issue stands, how it got
conclusions reached in a scholarly article should
there, and what the landscape of concern
be. Some authors argue for a strong focus on
looks like.

1 Rob van Gestel & Hans-Wolfgang Micklitz, “Why Methods Matter in European Legal Scholarship” (2014) 20:3 ELJ 292–316.
2 Richard A Posner, “Legal Scholarship Today” (2002) 115:5 Harv L Rev 1314–1326.

Law Student Publication Guide 4

• Comparative law articles describe the • Book reviews are a critical assessment of
differences and similarities between legal a recent legal publication. A good review
systems. For instance, an article might describe indicates the strengths and weaknesses of a
how Canadian law could be improved if it were book in a way that will be useful to a researcher
reformed based on foreign law. who is considering reading it, and does not
merely summarize the content.
• Most articles use textual evidence when
making their argument, drawing on primary • Some law journals also include articles about
sources of law (e.g. legislation, case law) the practice of law or legal trends and
and secondary sources (e.g. books, articles). developments. For instance, an article about
Articles can also use empirical evidence for how artificial intelligence is impacting insurance
their argument. Original research may describe claims, or an article about the number of
the use of a quantitative or qualitative method clerkships available to students, might be
to collect data. published in this section.
• Interdisciplinary articles show the connections
This guide primarily focuses on scholarly articles, as
between different disciplines, describing how
these are a primary mode of academic knowledge
a legal question is relevant to another area of
dissemination. However, writing a scholarly article
study or how the practices in another discipline
is a serious time and energy commitment. After
can solve a legal problem. The law intersects
reflecting on the requirements of an academic
with many aspects of society, and different
article you might decide that writing a shorter
disciplines use different analytical approaches
work is a better fit for your current experience
and frameworks, meaning that the possibilities
and interests. Writing a shorter piece, such as a
for interdisciplinary articles are very broad.
book review or case comment, is a valuable way
to engage with publishing, especially for first-time
The areas of focus or articles are not mutually
authors. Non-scholarly writing, such as a blog post,
exclusive. For instance, an article might be
current awareness news post, or social media post
comparative in nature and cover the history
are all valid forms of communication that might
of an area of law, or be both theoretical and
better fit your needs, especially if you want to
interdisciplinary. In addition to these broad areas
engage the public or legal community at large about
of focus, journals may also publish other distinct
a topic (see resources for knowledge translation).
works. Sometimes these are published within
their own sections of journals and have their own
submission criteria, such as required word length. Writing Competitions
Writing competitions are another great way for
• Case comments describe a recent decision students to engage with publishing. These contests
including its facts, history, arguments, are often only available to current students and
reasoning, significance, and consequences. may have a financial prize or be featured on the
• A legislative note or statute note describes website of a well known journal or association. See
proposed or recently enacted legislation. This this list of writing competition opportunities which
includes a summary, analysis, and critique. is maintained by the Career Development and
Professional Placement Office (CDPPO).

Law Student Publication Guide 5

Resources submissions: Canadian Academic Law Journals
List. A small number of Canadian law journals focus
• For more information on different types of
specifically on publishing student scholarship.
articles, see “Archetypal Legal Scholarship: A
These are: Appeal: Review of Current Law and
Field Guide”3
Law Reform, Dalhousie Journal of Legal Studies,
• To learn more about specific methodologies University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review, and
see the Classic Legal Theory and Critical Legal Western Journal of Legal Studies.
Theory research guides.
• For more information on specific topics related Does the focus of the journal match your
to article focus (e.g. empiricism, doctrinal) see focus as an author?
the these legal encyclopaedias and introductory
Law journals fall along a spectrum: from being
books about legal theory
general in nature, covering all areas of law, to being
• For in depth resources on methodology highly specialized in terms of the scope of what
see these methodology databases and is accepted. Traditionally, journals describe their
book collections focus in an “aim and scope” statement, although
newer journals may include this information on
the website “about” page. Ideally, wherever it is
Where should I publish? located, this statement should tell you what kind of
work the journal publishes and why. For instance,
the Canadian Journal of Women and the Law aim
Is the journal open to receiving and scope statement reads:
student manuscripts?
When deciding where to publish, the first criteria The CJWL’s mandate is to provide an outlet
should be determining if the journal is open to for those wishing to explore the impact of
receiving student manuscripts. If they aren’t, law on women’s social, economic and legal
don’t proceed any further. This information can status, and on the general conditions of their
usually be found on the submissions page of lives. The Journal promotes the expansion of
the journal website. For instance, the Dalhousie women’s legal scholarship into new areas of
Journal of Legal Studies submission page states research and study, and it aims to increase
that it “publishes articles and case comments the volume and improve the accessibility of
from law students and recent graduates” and lists legal scholarship by Canadian women, on
the degree types accepted. Other journals are
specifically Canadian topics.
not as clear in their submission criteria, although
typically, general law school journals are more likely
If you were writing an article about a legal issue in
to accept student submissions than specialized
Canada affecting women, this journal could be a
journals. If you are unsure if the journal accepts
good fit. If you submitted an article that does not
student submissions, read through a few recent
match the aim and scope, such as an article about
issues. Ask yourself, “are there student authors?”
tax law with no gendered element, it would be
immediately rejected. To avoid the pain of rejection
In order to support students in navigating the
and save everyone involved time and energy, only
journal landscape, the Law Library maintains
submit to a journal with an aim and scope that
a journals list and indicates those journals
closely fits the focus of your work.
that explicitly state that they accept student
3 Martha Minow, “Archetypal Legal Scholarship: A Field Guide” (2013) 63:1 J Leg Ed 65.

Law Student Publication Guide 6

How do I assess a journal? your article requires conducting more research,
librarians can also provide direction and
To assess a journal, one strategy is to read the table
support, including helping you develop efficient
of contents and a few recent articles. As you do so:
and comprehensive strategies.
• Pay attention to article authors and Google
• If you have a specific question that only the
their names. Are they a scholar, practitioner,
journal editor can answer, you can email
or student? Are they an expert on this topic,
them. For instance, if you are unclear about
based on their education, experience, or
the submission deadlines you can ask for
societal role? What else have they written (a
clarification. However, as this guide will later
library resource like Search Everything can
describe in more detail, journal editors are
answer this)? How would you feel to see your
often unpaid and balancing a host of academic
name included next to theirs in this journal?
obligations. It is good to be cognizant that
• Determine if the majority of articles are well writing to them is requesting additional labour
written. Are they on topics you find novel, on their part and so to keep questions brief
engaging, and forward-thinking? Are the and narrowly related to the journal submission
articles well researched? process. It is also important to note that where
internal reviews are being conducted blindly,
• Pay attention to the presentation of the
prospective authors should be careful not to
articles online. Are they well formatted and
disclose identifying information that would
copy-edited, with no spelling or grammatical
affect the integrity of the review process.
mistakes? Can you easily access the material?
Scholarly journals are not typically focused
on beautiful aesthetics, but the journal Resources for choosing where to publish
presentation needs to be professional as this • Scholarly Communication Research Guide Tips
will reflect on your work as a published author. on Where to Publish
Another assessment strategy is to ask for help
from trusted, experienced researchers. What is the journal
• Ask a professor that you trust, perhaps one submission process?
who marked the paper you are considering
Every journal should have submission processes
revising for publication, about advice on where
posted on its website. These will typically describe:
to publish. Faculty members have subject matter
expertise and are familiar with reputable journals • If submissions are welcome on an ongoing
specializing in their area of focus. As publishing basis or if they must be submitted by a
is essential to an academic career, law faculty specific deadline.
have all published in law journals and can speak
• If the call for submissions must be on a specific
to their own lived experience of the process.
topic, usually for inclusion in a special issue,
• Ask a law librarian. They can tell you anything or if any submissions that fall within the scope
you need to know about how to access journals, of the journal are welcome at this time. For
including where they are indexed, journal an example of journal issues on special topics,
metrics such as ranking and citation rates, and see the Canadian Journal of Comparative and
about how to assess journal quality. If writing Contemporary Law.

Law Student Publication Guide 7

• The types of submissions accepted, ranging service. Do not submit the same article to more
from articles to shorter works like book reviews. than one journal at the same time.
• How to submit, which is usually either through
Journal websites usually also list the members
an online portal requiring an account (e.g. Open
of the editorial board and describe the editorial
Journal Systems, Bepress) or by email.
review process. In general, scholarly articles
• The formatting requirements for submissions, undergo the most thorough editorial review, and
including word length and citation style may undergo external peer review, in contrast to
required. A majority of Canadian law other article types, such as book reviews, which
journals use the Canadian Guide to Uniform have a less thorough review process (see different
Legal Citation, more commonly called the article types).
McGill guide.
• See the Legal Citation Guide for more What is peer review?
information on this citation format and access
Peer review, also called referring, is a process of
to the McGill Guide
assessment employed by scholarly journals with the
• Sometimes, but not always, the submissions intent of ensuring quality of scholarship. The “peers”
processes will include information on who can in peer review are typically two to three experts
submit articles, which is important to gauge if who are knowledgeable about the content of the
the journal accepts student submissions. submission. For instance, a faculty submission
about criminal law would be reviewed by other
It is also typical for journal submission pages to faculty or high-level researchers with criminal law
state that only original work not under consideration expertise. In addition, article submissions are also
elsewhere may be submitted. This is a good reviewed by the journal editors at several stages in
practice, as scholarly journals are operated with the manuscript submission to publication process.
volunteer labour, often as a form of academic

The peer review submission process

Accept Editorial review

Submission sent Accept with

to journal minor revisions

Does it meet the Copyediting

submission criteria and Yes Peer review and formatting
journals aims?

Review by author
No Reject and publication
agreement

Not published Revise and resubmit Published

This flowchart shows the peer review process from submission to publication.

Law Student Publication Guide 8

 written; it is original; are its ideas clearly
The typical submission process for a journal that communicated; and, does it make an important
uses a peer review model is shown in the diagram contribution to a topic within the scope of the
above. After being submitted to a journal, an initial, journal? Generally, spelling and grammar do not
internal review is conducted by the editors to fall under the purview of peer-reviewers unless
confirm that the submission meets the submission they are distractingly bad.
criteria, falls within the scope of work published by
• Peer review is typically conducted “blind”, or
the journal, and is substantively sound. Submissions
anonymously. In a single-blind model the author
that do not meet this criteria are rejected.
does not know the identity of the reviewers,
Submissions that do meet the criteria are then sent
while in a double-blind model neither the author
out for peer review. The reviewers will then send a
nor the reviewers know the others’ identities.
written appraisal of the article along with a decision
For a double-blind review, the journal editor will
to the editor. The decisions typically fall within these
ensure that identifying information, such as the
four options: the article is accepted, the article is
author’s name, is removed from the submission.
accepted with minor revisions, the article is rejected,
or the article needs to be revised and resubmitted. A • Ideally, the author and editor will work closely
revise and resubmit decision requires major changes together. The author has agency in how they
to the paper and a further round of peer review. respond to review feedback and to copyediting
Once it is accepted, an article that requires revisions suggestions. The editor cannot make changes
will receive an additional round of internal review. without the author’s permission.
All accepted articles will be cite-checked and • Reviewer and editorial suggestions are intended
copyedited for spelling, grammar, and syntax. The to produce articles of higher quality than the
article is then formatted into the typeset used by original submissions. Revisions might include
the journal. The author is able to review the article’s more clearly stating the objective of the paper,
proofs before publication, and an author agreement including new supporting references and
with the journal may be signed at this time. Finally, examples, or removing unnecessary passages.
the article is published in the journal, either on a
rolling basis or with a complete new issue. • Each step of the review process takes time.
It typically takes, at minimum, six months to a
It is worth noting that in the USA, student editors year to progress from submission to publication.
may also act as reviewers. This is uncommon in
More topics for the critical author to consider:
Canada and it is a controversial practice that some
American faculty would like very much to change.4 • The review process of the journal can tell you
Now that you have an overview of the peer review about the values of the journal. Is the model
process, here is information that might be useful rigorous? Does it have a tight timeline? Is it
as a potential author: confidential? Some social justice oriented
journals will have a review model that reflects
• Some journals use guidelines or a rubric for
its mandate, with open, democratic, and
reviewers to follow, and this is sometimes
collaborative elements incorporated into
available for authors to review. The typical
its processes.
review criteria include: is the article well

4 Paul Caron, “It’s Time To Replace Student-Edited Law Reviews With Peer-Reviewed Journals”, TaxProf Blog (16 November 2015), online.

Law Student Publication Guide 9

 • As an example, the European Journal Is my paper publishable?
of Legal Studies reflects on its peer
review process5 Papers that are good candidates for publication
are usually:
• Blind models of review do not always completely
• Original
protect the identity of authors and reviewers.
If your area of scholarship is niche or closely • On a topic of current interest or debate
connected to your identity it can be impossible • Well researched
to ensure true anonymity. For example, this
• Fit into the format of a scholarly article
article “The Complainant: The Canadian Human
Rights Case on First Nations Child Welfare”6 In meeting these criteria, students can encounter
is about the author’s role in a highly publicized some seeming contradictions that need to be
series of human rights complaints and could carefully navigated.
not have been subjected to a fully double-
blind review. For a long time, blind review was For instance, the originality of an article is
considered the highest form of review, but important and will appeal to journal editors, but
some journals are moving away from blind this does not mean that the topic has never been
review due to its challenges, the importance of written about before. For example, there are
personal voice, and the need for transparency in thousands of articles that have been written about
the work of Emmanual Kant. What matters is if
scholarly practices.
your article contributes a new idea to the scholarly
• The intent of peer review is to ensure quality conversation about Kant.7 Of course, you do want
of scholarship. There has been widespread to avoid writing the exact article someone else has
criticism of how effective it is at this task, as already written, so it can be useful to review the
peer review is subjective, promotes consensus literature thoroughly before deciding on a topic.
with established norms, and does not include a This process is sometimes called preemption,
fact-checking process. Bad articles are regularly especially by Americas, and the process involves
published, and some are eventually retracted searching through the literature, as described in
this guide to Preemption Checking for Law Reviews
(see Retraction Watch for current examples).
& Journals. Major legal resources are available in
• Despite this criticism of peer review, it remains the TMU Law Guide and a law librarian can assist
the gold standard for scholarly articles, with a comprehensive search strategy. There
especially in the sciences. are several approaches to finding opportunities
for original contributions.8 For instance, journal
articles sometimes include a discussion section that
Resources on peer review
describes areas for further research. Identifying
• COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers
• Queen’s Library Peer Reviewer Guidelines

5 O lga Ceran & Anna Krisztian, “From Inclusivity to Diversity: Lessons Learned from the EJLS’ Peer Review Process Editorial” (2018) 11:2
European J Leg Studies 1.
6 Cindy Blackstock, “The Complainant: The Canadian Human Rights Case on First Nations Child Welfare” (2017) 62:2 MLJ 285.
7 See Eric Yong Joong Lee, “Legal Editology and Publication of Scholarly Law Paper: How to Translate Academic Stimulus into Creative Legal
Writing?” (2020) 13:2 J East Asia & Intl L 277.
8 See Mathias M Siems, “Legal Originality” (2008) 28:1 Oxford J Leg Stud 147.

Law Student Publication Guide 10

where a gap in the literature exists can be a useful as it is highly unlikely your assignment requirements
resource for determining where a new voice is match the exact submission criteria of your
needed to respond to and progress scholarship. chosen journal. Scholarly writing is generic to
some extent. Just as most rock bands contain the
Another approach to progress the scholarly same instruments — a guitar, bass and drums —
conversation is to write about a topic of current most scholarly legal writing incorporates the
legal research, such as an emerging trend or same elements — such as an abstract, research
development of law. To learn about these it can question, and literature review — which stem from
be useful to review the resources in this guide to a long tradition of scholarship. The description
Keeping Current with the Law. However, very new of scholarly writing as a genre like rock music
topics can present challenges for research as there describes how it has cohesive elements within it
will be limited secondary sources available and but also how there is room for variation. The sound
limited judicial interpretation. One strategy when of rock music has changed drastically over time,
considering a development of law is to consider incorporating the influence of important musicians.
how developments have occurred in an analogous Scholarly writing is slow to change but it has
area. For instance, when cannabis was first increasingly incorporated novel elements from new
legalized in Canada authors would have researched scholarship. For instance, authors are increasingly
other controlled substances, such as alcohol likely to draw on their own identity as a relevant
regulation, control, and sale. source of knowledge, especially if engaging in
critical theoretical analysis. It is important for legal
Articles need to be well researched, containing scholarship to continue to evolve, and the voices of
citations that support the argument of the paper emerging scholars are an important component of
with relevant evidence. However, as an author you how this will occur. However, as a scholar you must
need to balance the inclusion of relevant research consider how to make your work fit into existing
with the importance of presenting a clear and scholarly formats in order to work through the
coherent narrative. Authors should avoid producing publishing process and be legible within this genre.
articles that have a laundry list of sources and
instead focus on the most effective resources that How do I revise my paper before
directly contribute to the content of the article. submission?
For example, when writing about Kant, it is not
necessary to cite the thousands of works about Articles will only be published in journals that are
Kant that have come before, but only to include a good fit, so it is worth considering how closely
the most relevant for your thesis. Additionally, your paper aligns with the journal to which you are
research is an iterative process. If a research paper submitting. To revise your paper for submission to
was graded in December and you are looking to a journal, carefully review the submission criteria
create a submission from it in April, it is a good and ensure that your paper falls within its aims and
idea to update your sources to reflect emerging scope and that it is of a high quality and appropriate
commentary and developments in law, especially academic tone. These revisions might require
when writing about a contemporary topic. removing excess content to meet the required page
length, which is a good opportunity to strengthen
Finally, your paper is only publishable if it fits into the paper. Remove any content that distracts from
the mold of what a scholarly article is. If you are the main focus and remove weak or supplementary
using an assignment as a starting point for an evidence. The goal should be to have a paper with
academic work it will require significant revision, a crystal clear focus, strong argument and solid
evidentiary support.

Law Student Publication Guide 11

When revising an article it is a good idea to involve research into your writing. The first draft of an
people that you trust. Find a peer that you trust article usually differs significantly from the final,
to provide feedback on the content and writing, published version. This can be a challenge for first-
acknowledging that these are different areas for time authors, who can become attached to first
review. A professor can also provide invaluable drafts and whose identities can become tied up in
feedback on your paper and suggest adjustment to their scholarly work.
an argument and resources for further research.
Having conversations about your paper might make One strategy that supports an iterative approach
some of its strengths and weaknesses more evident; to writing is to treat writing and editing as separate
if you cannot verbally explain the point of your processes. In this method, “writing” involves putting
article in under a minute it may require revision. ideas on the page and generating written content,
while “editing” involves finessing written content
During this revision process — indeed, during the by removing extraneous material, improving syntax,
entire research process — it is a good idea to keep and improving the flow of content within a cohesive
detailed notes. Notes make the writing process article structure. This two-step approach allows
much faster. Notes can become an outline, and writers to separate out steps of the writing process
an outline can become an article. Keeping notes that are very different, the creative and the critical,
prevents accidental plagiarism and avoids the awful and it prevents writing perfectionism. This strategy
situation of spending hours tracking down a lost also helps reinforce that you are not your writing.
reference. The journal submission process can Your writing can always improve, and as you develop
often involve lengthy revisions, and having research your skills as an editor you will develop your capacity
notes on hand, including for sources you did not to make improvements.
initially include, will simplify revisions. You might be
glad you kept copies of your outlines, initial drafts, Resources for the writing and revision process
and detailed research notes when reimagining a
piece of writing for publication. • A Guide to Legal Research and Writing is
available through the TMU Law Library. It
includes books on legal research, which requires
Resources for note taking
specific processes, analysis frameworks, and
• Citation managers such as Zotero track your resources. It also includes books on legal
references and annotations academic writing, which requires specific
formats, argumentation, and conventions.
• Note taking and project management web
applications such as Notion • Resources on the elements of scholarly articles
are available through TMU Libraries. This
• Note taking strategies such as mind-mapping
handout on reading strategically gives a brief
overview of the elements and what to scan for
How can I improve my writing? when reading. This guide on literature reviews
First-time authors are often unaware that writing is describes what they are and how to conduct
an interactive process. That is, writing down your them. And, this guide on critical legal theory
thoughts can help you better understand what describes different approaches to theory and
your thoughts are, which then informs revisions. how to research theory and research methods.
Revisions will also be required as you encounter
feedback from peers and incorporate emerging

Law Student Publication Guide 12

 Specific writing resources include: building on, critiquing, or adding nuance to their
ideas. This is how academic disciplines advance.
• The Legal Writing Manual is an open
It is worth keeping in mind that when you
educational resource from the University
cite a contemporary legal scholar, they might
of Georgia.9
have a mechanism set up to alert them of new
• This article “Legal Editology and Publication citations (see Develop a Researcher Profile).
of Scholarly Law Paper”10 contains a They might well read your work and could
advice on writing articles, including specific even respond, so it is important to engage
elements thoughtfully and respectfully.
• The article “A Writing Life: Reflections on • It is important to credit the originator of an
Legal Writing”11 contains writing advice idea. This is both morally correct and legally
from prominent legal scholars to early required. Under Canadian copyright law, you
career scholars can copy limited portions of another’s work
• Writing help is available through the Legal with attribution for the purpose of scholarly
Writing Center. It provides support through research through an exception to copyright
one-on-one teaching sessions that strengthen protection known as fair dealing. In an academic
writing expertise with a focus on big-picture paper, these exceptions might include textual
content and the personalised communication of references, short direct quotations, the use
ideas. This support is only available to students of a research method, and other limited uses.
at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law. To evaluate if your use of a work falls under
an acceptable use, especially if you are using
• Writing help is also available through TMU a large portion of a work or a whole image,
Writing And Language Support, which offers complete a fair dealing analysis.
workshops, group writing sessions, and one on
one support with grammar and academic writing. • Proper citation also allows readers to find
This support is available to all students at TMU. your references. References often serve as
evidence for an argument, so strong papers
generally have strong references. Some
What do I need to know scholars will even skim a bibliography before
about copyright? reading a paper. Imagine finding a paper about
a niche topic you are knowledgeable about and
realizing that the author did not cite the major
Attributing your sources scholars of that topic. Would you still read it?
Scholarly papers typically include lengthy lists of In legal scholarship it is important to reference
references. When writing your paper it is important the most relevant primary sources, relevant
to properly credit all sources used in the paper. This secondary sources, and emerging scholarship.
serves a number of purposes:
• It allows you to participate in what is called
the scholarly conversation. Your paper is
responding to the work of other scholars by

9 Jean Mangan, “Legal Writing Manual” on OpenALG, 3rd ed (Athens, GA: University System of Georgia).
10 Lee, “Legal Editology and Publication of Scholarly Law Paper”, supra note 7.
11 Linda H Edwards, “A Writing Life Reflections on Legal Writing” (2009) 61:3 Mercer L Rev 867–898.

Law Student Publication Guide 13

The only sources that do not require citation are and the costs are significant, from an annual
the ones you would use in a preliminary stage fee that can be hundreds of dollars per journal
of research, such as reference works like an or thousands of dollars per large database. This
encyclopedia or dictionary. Unless you are quoting creates hierarchies in information access, with
from these directly, which would be unusual in a lower income institutions, individuals not affiliated
scholarly paper, citations are not required because with a research institution, and small firms not
your research has gone above and beyond these having equal access to information. It can even be
conventional starting points and should be anchored the case that researchers cannot access their own
in the relevant primary and secondary sources. scholarship if they are not at an institution with a
subscription. Subscription resources have been
Resources on Copyright criticized for transferring publicly funded research
by scholars into private collections, with public
• TMU Copyright Basics funds moving from public institutions, such as
• A basic overview of Copyright, including libraries and universities, to private companies.13
detailed information on users’ rights and fair
dealing, is included in Canadian Copyright: Open access journals refer to those that are
A Citizen’s Guide12 publicly available to be read at no cost. In contrast
to subscription models of publishing, open access
research increases access to information. It
What is open access? reduces hierarchies in access to information
Open access refers to resources that are freely because it is open to anyone to read, which results
available for anyone to use. The open access in more information sharing between researchers
movement arose in response to problems with the at different institutions, regardless of wealth.
subscription model of scholarly publishing, which Open access scholarship also reduces barriers
requires payment for access to resources. to knowledge faced by researchers in developing
nations. As a result of their ease of access, open
Subscription journals refer to those that cost access articles have been shown to have increased
money to access, either on a yearly basis or readership and citation counts compared to articles
per article. Generally, the costs associated with that are behind paywalls.14
subscription resources are paid to the publisher;
the journal editors, reviewers, and authors are all There are many different models of open access.
unpaid. Subscription journals can be described Some, namely gold open access, have associated
as having limited or closed access, because only costs for institutions and authors. Currently the
subscribers who can afford access can view it. Toronto Metropolitan University Library does not
Generally, subscriptions are paid for by libraries, offer funding for article processing charges (APCs)
higher education institutions or large law firms, associated with gold open access publishing.

12 Laura J Murray & Samuel E Trosow, Canadian Copyright: A Citizen’s Guide (Canada: Between the Lines, 2013).
13 Kelly Crowe, “Why does it cost millions to access publicly funded research papers? Blame the paywall”, CBC (9 March 2019), online.
14 Heather Piwowar et al, “The state of OA: a large-scale analysis of the prevalence and impact of Open Access articles” (2018) 6 PeerJ e4375.

Law Student Publication Guide 14

As an author it is your choice where to publish. important to read this agreement carefully as it may
Open access publications are increasingly common place limitations on your use of the article. Does
because of their equity focus, which is a concern the transfer agreement include moral rights? Are
for justice-minded individuals and can be a part of you comfortable fulfilling agreement stipulations,
decolonizing scholarship. However, if your article such as allowing your paper to be indexed in major
topic matches the focus of a particular subscription databases or mentioning the journal as the first
journal, that journal might be the best fit. The point of publication in subsequent reprints? Before
publication model of a journal as subscription signing a licensing agreement, read it closely and
or open access has no bearing on the quality of know that you can ask the publisher for clarification
scholarship published. and changes.

How can I find out if a journal is A small number of law journals require authors to
open access? transfer copyright to the journal.16 Under Canadian
copyright law, copyright exists at the moment a
• Check the Canadian Journals List maintained work is created. When you write a scholarly article
by the TMU Law Library you automatically own the copyright for your work.
• Use the Directory of Open Access Journals, Transferring copyright to a journal means that you
or DOAJ no longer own the article you wrote, which can
make it challenging to share the work or adapt it
• Review the journal homepage, including
in later writing.
the about page. For instance, the Windsor
Yearbook of Access to Justice states that they
are open access and articles use a creative Resources for navigating
commons licence publication agreements
• The SPARC author addendum includes
Resources on open access publishing information on author’s rights and can be used
• This book provides a good overview of open to modify a licensing agreement.
access publishing models and other major • Sherpa/Romeo provides summaries of publisher
concepts in scholarly publishing: The STM copyright and open access archiving policies
Report: An Overview of Scientific and Scholarly on a journal-by-journal basis. This is not a
Journal Publishing15 comprehensive resource and not all Canadian
law journal publishers are included.
Publication agreements • For an example of a publishing agreement, see
The Journal of Law and Social Policy. With this
Before publication, authors are often required
agreement, the author retains copyright but
to sign a publication agreement with the journal.
grants the journal certain rights, such as the
This agreement sets out the terms of publication,
reproduction of the article and its inclusion in
and depending on what it requires this agreement
article databases.
could alternately be called an author, licensing, or
copyright transfer agreement. As an author it is

15 M
 ark Ware & Michael Mabe, The STM Report: An Overview of Scientific and Scholarly Journal Publishing, 4th ed (International Association
of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers, 2015).
16 Benjamin John Keele, “Copyright Provisions in Law Journal Publication Agreements” (2017) 102:2 L Lib J 269.

Law Student Publication Guide 15

Creative commons licences who leads the project and manages grant funding,
members of the research team, and graduate or
Open access journals often use a version of
postgraduate student assistants. By contrast in the
licensing called Creative Commons. This model
humanities and social sciences solo authorship is the
of licensing allows you as an author to decide
norm. These disciplinary differences are practical:
how your work will be used. The type of Creative
empirical research done in a laboratory requires a
Commons licence chosen determines:
team-based approach, while the humanities relies
• if attribution is required; heavily on textual research that can be done alone.
They are also philosophical and conventional, and
• if copies can be used commercially;
the norms are not entirely settled; for instance, the
• if copies be remixed or altered; and order that authors are listed on scientific papers
• if subsequent uses of the work must be licensed in relation to the weight of their contributions is a
under the same or a similar license. matter of debate. In law, solo authorship is the most
common form of authorship.
For instance, articles published in the Windsor
Yearbook of Access to Justice online are However, collaborative authorship offers a number
available under a Creative Commons Attribution- of advantages. Collaboration can mean a shared
NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International writing workload, where separate components
licence, as described on their about page. of the article are written by separate authors.
According to the Creative Commons 4.0 license Ideally, this means that the paper benefits from
description, that means that anyone can read these each author’s expertise. As we all hold different
articles and can share and adapt them, but they forms of expertise based on our lived experience,
must attribute them properly and cannot apply education, and societal roles, this can be a
technological limitations to them, such as locking significant strength. For example, the authors of
them behind a password. the article “Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First
Nation: Mining, Consultation, Reconciliation and
Journals that use a Creative Commons license Law”17 are a law professor (Rachel Ariss) and
usually apply the same licence to all articles. As an former band council leader (John Cutfeet), which
author, if you want a different Creative Commons strengthens the focus of the paper on comparing
licence you can negotiate that just as you would an Canadian Aboriginal Law and Indigenous Law from
author transfer agreement. both insider and outsider perspectives. Writing
collaboratively can be an opportunity for authors to
share perspectives and create an article with their
Should I be a solo author combined strengths.

or collaborate? There are also benefits to solo authorship as well.

Different academic disciplines have different Collaborative authorship can be time consuming,
norms related to co-authorship. In the sciences as the time saved on writing must be spent on
collaborative authorship is normal, and it is not communicating and coordinating schedules.
uncommon to have a large number of authors listed Solo authorship allows for writers to work at
on a paper, including the primary investigator (PI) their own pace, while collaborative authorship

17 R
 achel Ariss & John Cutfeet, “Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation: Mining, Consultation, Reconciliation and Law” (2011) 10:1
Ind LJ 1.

Law Student Publication Guide 16

usually requires shared deadlines. Collaborative journals ranking highest. For an example of law
authorship can also lead to interpersonal conflict journal rankings, see the Washington and Lee
and power imbalances, which solo authorship Journal Rankings and the methodology for this
avoids. Successful collaboration relies on clear ranking. Journal metrics are a quantitative measure
communication, trust, and similar working styles. of a journal that does not take into account
qualitative journal attributes about scholarship.
For students who are working as research
assistants (RAs) it would be normal to assist with Despite the challenges with journal metrics, they
the research of a faculty member’s paper. Typically, can be used as an indicator of the relative impact of
students receive an acknowledgement for this a journal. Although students might want to publish
work but not co-authoring status. This should in highly ranked journals, this is inadvisable for
be the subject of an explicit discussion between three reasons:
faculty and students when working together. For
• Many highly ranked Canadian journals do not
collaborative authorship as a law student your
welcome student submissions
most likely writing partner is a trusted peer with
complementary expertise. • Highly ranked journals receive a high number of
submissions and so have a high rejection rate
Resources for collaborative authorship • A top criterion should be whether a journal is
a good fit for the content of a submission, and
• See The Handbook of Scholarly Writing18
ranking does not impact this question of fit
chapter 20 on co-authoring
• For a narrative of the experiences of three co- With that said, publishing in a highly ranked journal
authors, see the article “Sympoiesis ‘becoming is an academic goal that authors can work towards
with and through each other’: Exploring over time as they progress in their career.
collaborative writing as emergent academics.”19
Altmetrics are another form of indicator that exists
• For a study of co-authorship with issues
for journals. These are citations of journal articles
discussed by chapter, see the book First
that take place outside of academic databases,
Person Squared20
including on Wikipedia, Twitter, research blogs, and
other sources. Altmetrics are included for articles
listed in Search Everything. In the image above, the
What are journal indicators? article “A Fine is a Price” has been cited 229 times
Journal indicators, also called metrics or in altmetrics, including on news outlets and policy
bibliometrics, are used to compare publications sources, as indicated by the colourful circle and
and rank them against one another. The standard dialogue box.
measurements that are used as indicators are
typically citation counts, with the most cited

18 T
 onette S Rocco, Timothy Gary Hatcher & John W Creswell, eds, The Handbook of Scholarly Writing and Publishing, first edition ed, The
Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2011).
19 D
 r Collett, Carolien Van den Berg & Belinda Verster, “Sympoiesis ‘becoming with and through each other’: Exploring collaborative writing as
emergent academics.” (2020) 8:SI Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning 168.
20 Kami Day & Michele Eodice, First Person Squared: A Study of Co-Authoring in the Academy (University Press of Colorado, 2001).

Law Student Publication Guide 17

How can I make it easy to a blog post that builds on aspects of the article,
or creating a new academic resource, such as a
find and access my article? conference presentation or poster. Knowledge
translation is a useful skill to have for a number of
reasons. It helps you reach a broader audience,
Practice knowledge translation
it helps you better understand the core points of
Authors can promote their articles in a manner your research, and it allows you to create multiple
that might improve their altmetrics. Authors can outputs from a single research project.
consider posting an article link to social media,
especially Twitter or LinkedIn. When posting a Resources for knowledge translation
link, authors should ideally share a version where
the full text can be publicly accessed. Posting • The book Modern Legal Scholarship has a guide
to social media touches on an academic topic to legal writing for social media and blogs21
called knowledge translation, or how you can • The TMU Office of the Vice-President,
take one form of disseminated knowledge, such Research & Innovation offers resources on
as a scholarly article, and change the format for knowledge mobilization, including handouts
a different audience, such as you do in a tweet. and guides
Knowledge translation is one aspect of the broader
topic of knowledge mobilization, which is an • This article describes how to balance traditional
important area of study for academics who want to and non-traditional publications by following a
see their work adapted into practical applications, “Goldilocks Path”22
or who want to better understand how networks • Monash University has a guide called Top tips
like social media impact societal understanding. on writing short articles and blog posts
To engage in knowledge translation, authors can
consider writing a plain language summary, writing

21 C
 hristine Nero Coughlin, Modern Legal Scholarship: A Guide to Producing and Publishing Scholarly and Professional Writing (Durham:
Carolina Academic, 2020).
22 Orly Lobel, “The Goldilocks Path of Legal Scholarship in a Digital Networked World Symposium Articles” (2018) 50:2 Loy U Chi LJ 403.

Law Student Publication Guide 18

Increase access to your article At Toronto Metropolitan University the digital
scholarship repository is called RShare. Students
The easier it is to access information, the more
who choose to self-archive their Open Access
people will read it. If you would like to have
scholarship on RShare greatly increase the
your article be read broadly, it might be worth
discoverability and citation of their work, with
considering how to increase access to it.
permanent DOIs, detailed metrics, and robust
search engine indexing. To self-archive your work
If you would like to make sure that the greatest
you must hold the copyright or have agreed on the
number of individuals can access your article, you
right to self-archive in your publication agreement.
may want to publish open access. This will ensure
that, for instance, future employers who may not
have database subscriptions can access an article Develop a researcher profile
you include on your CV. If you have previous publications or imagine that you
might have a number of publications in the future,
When reviewing where to publish, you can check to developing a researcher profile might be a priority.
see if the journal is available in major subscription A researcher profile is an online listing that includes
databases. Is it available through Westlaw, Lexis, your name, contact information, a short biography
HeinOnline, or elsewhere? Journals will sometimes or description of research interests, and links to
list where they are indexed on their sites, but you your publications. Research profiles can also include
can always ask a TMU law librarian for support in helpful tools, such as alerts for new citations.
researching indexes. CanLII includes a list of open
access Canadian journals that it is licensed to There are several options for creating a researcher
republish publicly, which may appeal to you if you profile. Two options that are highly popular, free,
want to have a publicly available version of your and have a semi-automated process for importing
article which can be easily accessed. citations are:
• ORCID ID. This tool allows you to create a
Posting to a digital repository is a way to increase
scholarly profile with a persistent identifier
access, as long as your copyright agreement with
or permanent link. This profile can include
the journal allows it (see Publication agreements).
employment, education, and scholarly
For law, two of the most commonly used digital
publications, with your publications imported
repositories are SSRN and the Digital Commons,
and linked. The Library has a research guide on
the latter of which hosts repositories associated
creating ORCID ID’s and offers workshops on
with specific institutions. Digital repository
this topic.
postings normally indicate the final location of the
publication. For instance, the article “Sustainable • Google Scholar allows scholars to create
Professional Development”23 by Trevor Farrow was a profile that brings together all of their
initially published on SSRN and later published in publications into one convenient page. For an
the Osgoode Hall Law Journal. Digital repositories example, see Hadley Friedland’s Google Scholar
include pre-prints, or articles that have not yet profile. As a benefit of creating a Google
been reviewed, post-prints, articles that have been scholar profile, authors can choose to be
reviewed but not yet typeset, or the final accepted notified when their article is cited.
version of the article.

23 Trevor Farrow, “Sustainable Professionalism” (2008) 46:1 Osgoode Hall LJ 51.

Law Student Publication Guide 19

What is the emotional about Canada are the strongest and should be a
greater focus. While there is usually an appropriate
process of publishing? compromise that the journal editor can advise upon,
the process can be perplexing.
Publishing can be emotionally challenging for a
number of reasons. Finally, while writing and research are always
emotional, some topics are more upsetting or
Research and writing are inherently challenging disturbing than others. For instance, writing
tasks, requiring skills that must be developed over about an upsetting topic like abuse can be very
time. A first-time author can easily become lost challenging and it can take a heavy toll on the
in the research and writing process. Experienced scholar. This is especially the case when the topic
researchers develop skills to tackle the pain at hand relates to the author’s own identity or
points of research and writing, including finding all experience. Imagine the emotional challenges faced
relevant resources, synthesizing large amounts of by an author who grew up in foster care writing
information, and clearly articulating an argument. about the legal issues of this system. If you are
These tasks never become easy but they do writing about a challenging topic like this you are
become manageable as a result of skills developed highly encouraged to seek out colleagues, mentors,
over years of experience. First-time authors are and subject matter experts who can offer you
writing, researching, and learning how to write emotional support and research strategies that
and research within the framework of academic will help you succeed.
publishing, which is a substantial task.
Some strategies for navigating the emotional
Rejection is a normal part of the publishing pitfalls of publishing include:
process. Some journals, especially those with
open submissions or high rankings, receive a high • Set yourself up for success. Choose an
number of submissions, meaning that rejections are appropriate project, one that is feasible for
inevitable. It is also typical for papers to be rejected your time, energy, and interests.
if they do not meet the aims and scope of a journal. • Learn what works for you. One book about
It is also unusual for the first draft of a paper to how to develop a writing strategy might
be published in its original form; most papers go suggest long writing sessions, while another
through many revisions as a result of peer review, might suggest writing a short amount daily.
editorial suggestions, and proofreading. It can be a Take all advice with a grain of salt as you
challenging process to see your work criticised but develop your own habits and skills. There is no
it’s worth knowing that this process is typical and single, correct way to write an academic article.
tends to result in stronger papers.
• Take time to process negative feedback
For papers that have a review process, reviewers and suggested revisions, even if it is only
can have differing opinions, which can be for a few hours or overnight. If the journal
challenging to navigate as an author. Imagine editor requires an immediate response,
that you have submitted a comparative law paper communicate clearly and courteously about
focusing on the USA and Canada; one reviewer the required revisions, for instance writing:
might suggest that sections about the USA are “I am not able to make these revisions today.
the strongest and should be a greater focus, while Would it be acceptable if I sent them to you
another reviewer might suggest that the sections by tomorrow afternoon?”

Law Student Publication Guide 20

• Know that you are not your writing. It can be
challenging to receive criticism when you have
worked very hard, especially if you are writing
about a sensitive topic or one that is close to
your heart. Your value as a scholar does not
hinge on one piece of writing.
• Reach out for help. This could be from faculty
who can advise you on your research and
help you navigate the publication process, to
librarians who can help with your research
process, or peers who can offer you emotional
support. Toronto Metropolitan also offers
Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources
for Students.

Law Student Publication Guide 21

FAQ
Will I get paid for writing articles, editing, or reviewing academic articles?
Generally, no. Academics involved in the publishing process are unpaid, including the authors of papers,
journal editors, and reviewers. This is a stunning fact given the amount of work involved in academic
publishing and its importance for advancement in academia. By contrast, publishers, specifically those with
a large platform and foothold in academia, make a significant amount of money from journal publications.24
Law students do have some opportunities to enter writing competitions with financial rewards.
Can I submit the same piece to multiple journals at the same time?
No, you cannot. This is bad academic practice because reviewing articles for publication is time-
consuming, unpaid labour. Many journals also explicitly state on their submission criteria that manuscripts
must not be under consideration elsewhere.
If I have written a collaborative article, does it matter who gets listed as first author?
Generally, the author who has contributed the lion’s share of the work is listed first. Authors may decide on
a different order for any number of reasons, including boosting name recognition of a lesser-known scholar,
or capitalizing on the name recognition of a known one. The extent to which first authorship matters is
debatable; what is more important is whether all authors equitably contributed to the final publication.
Is there a difference between a law review and a law journal?
No. It is traditional for law journals, especially those associated with law schools, to be named law reviews,
but this has no significant contemporary distinction. The historic origin is that law reviews did what the
name suggested and reviewed developments in law with a doctrinal approach.
Are open access journals lower quality scholarship?
No, the access model of a journal has no bearing on its quality of scholarship. Many long established
journals have been slow to adopt open access models, although many now have.
What is a predatory publisher?
Predatory publishers publish low quality journals that mimic legitimate scholarly journals in order to make
money. These publishers exploit researchers in a number of ways: by requiring a fee for publication,
through illegal copying of content, or by convincing researchers to publish in a low-quality venue and
thereby harming their reputation. Predatory publishers are not a major concern in Canadian legal
publishing, but if you need support assessing a publisher contact the law library.
I am trying to access the most recent issue of a journal, but I can’t get access. Why?
Always check with the law library to determine journal access. Some journals use what is called an
embargo to limit access to content published within a recent time period, such as the most recent year of
publication. The journal will then charge a subscription fee for access to recent issues while making older
issues available for institutional purchase or publishing them open access.
Can I repurpose an old assignment or research project into an article?
If your assignment received a high grade or your instructor has encouraged you to publish, yes, this can be
a good starting point. However, prior work will almost always require a substantial amount of revision work
to meet the submission requirements for a publication.

24 Stephen Buranyi, “Is the staggeringly profitable business of scientific publishing bad for science?”, The Guardian (27 June 2017), online.

Law Student Publication Guide 22

I want to use prior work to begin an article. Where can I go to have it revised?
You are responsible for revising your own work. You can seek out writing help, contact the library for
research help, and ask for advice from trusted mentors, but you are ultimately responsible for your own
research, writing, and revision.
Where can I find submission guidelines?
Journal submissions are normally listed on their website on the about page or “aims and scope” page. See
the list of Canadian Academic Law Journals for links.
How can I create a good thesis statement?
See the resources on writing help. Many of the writing help guide books contain a section on developing a
clear, concise, and arguable thesis.

Helpful Links
• Canadian Academic Law Journal List
• Law Student Publication Opportunities and Writing Contests
• Contact a Law Librarian
• Legal Writing Center
• TMU Writing And Language Support
• Reading Strategically Handout
• Copyright Basics at TMU
• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
• SPARC author addendum
• Sherpa/Romeo
• Creative Commons
• Altmetrics
• TMU Resources on Knowledge Mobilization
• Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources for Students

Library Research Guides

• Law Student Publication Guide
• Legal Research and Writing Guide
• Legal Citation Guide
• Scholarly Communication Guide
• ORCID Guide
• Literature Reviews Guide
• Critical Legal Theory
• Classic Legal Theory

Law Student Publication Guide 23

Bibliography

Books
Coughlin, Christine Nero, Modern Legal Scholarship: A Guide to Producing and Publishing Scholarly and
Professional Writing (Durham: Carolina Academic, 2020).
Day, Kami & Michele Eodice, First Person Squared: A Study of Co-Authoring in the Academy (University
Press of Colorado, 2001).
Mangan, Jean, “Legal Writing Manual” on OpenALG, 3rd ed (Athens, GA: University System of Georgia).
Murray, Laura J & Samuel E Trosow, Canadian Copyright: A Citizen’s Guide (Canada: Between the Lines,
2013).
Rocco, Tonette S, Timothy Gary Hatcher & John W Creswell, eds, The Handbook of Scholarly Writing
and Publishing, first edition ed, The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series (San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass, 2011).
Ware, Mark & Michael Mabe, The STM Report: An Overview of Scientific and Scholarly Journal Publishing,
4th ed (International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers, 2015).

Articles
Ariss, Rachel & John Cutfeet, “Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation: Mining, Consultation,
Reconciliation and Law” (2011) 10:1 Ind LJ 1.
Blackstock, Cindy, “The Complainant: The Canadian Human Rights Case on First Nations Child Welfare”
(2017) 62:2 MLJ 285.
Buranyi, Stephen, “Is the staggeringly profitable business of scientific publishing bad for science?”, The
Guardian (27 June 2017), online.
Caron, Paul, “It’s Time To Replace Student-Edited Law Reviews With Peer-Reviewed Journals”, TaxProf
Blog (16 November 2015), online.
Ceran, Olga & Anna Krisztian, “From Inclusivity to Diversity: Lessons Learned from the EJLS’ Peer Review
Process Editorial” (2018) 11:2 European J Leg Studies 1.
Collett, Dr, Carolien Van den Berg & Belinda Verster, “Sympoiesis ‘becoming with and through each other’:
Exploring collaborative writing as emergent academics.” (2020) 8:SI Critical Studies in Teaching and
Learning 168.
Crowe, Kelly, “Why does it cost millions to access publicly funded research papers? Blame the paywall”,
CBC (9 March 2019), online.
Edwards, Linda H, “A Writing Life Reflections on Legal Writing” (2009) 61:3 Mercer L Rev 867–898.
Farrow, Trevor, “Sustainable Professionalism” (2008) 46:1 Osgoode Hall LJ 51.
Gestel, Rob van & Hans-Wolfgang Micklitz, “Why Methods Matter in European Legal Scholarship” (2014)
20:3 ELJ 292.
Keele, Benjamin John, “Copyright Provisions in Law Journal Publication Agreements” (2017) 102:2 L Lib J
269.

Law Student Publication Guide 24

Lee, Eric Yong Joong, “Legal Editology and Publication of Scholarly Law Paper: How to Translate Academic
Stimulus into Creative Legal Writing?” (2020) 13:2 J East Asia & Intl L 277.
Lobel, Orly, “The Goldilocks Path of Legal Scholarship in a Digital Networked World Symposium Articles”
(2018) 50:2 Loy U Chi LJ 403.
Minow, Martha, “Archetypal Legal Scholarship: A Field Guide” (2013) 63:1 J Leg Ed 65.
Piwowar, Heather et al, “The state of OA: a large-scale analysis of the prevalence and impact of Open
Access articles” (2018) 6 PeerJ e4375.
Posner, Richard A, “Legal Scholarship Today” (2002) 115:5 Harv L Rev 1314.
Siems, Mathias M, “Legal Originality” (2008) 28:1 Oxford J Leg Stud 147.

Law Student Publication Guide 25