The second writing assignment allows the student to select a topic from any materials covered in the entire course. Scan the materials for the entire course, then pick a topic that matters to you personally. Tell the reader why you selected that topic, and then wrap a short but powerful essay around it. Think of this as a bullet point on your resume that you can discuss at a job interview.

The assignment focuses on getting you to think about criminal law on a personal level that conveys your passion for the issue(s). It should convince the reader, persuade, tell your story, and be relatable. Use personal experiences, research, and data to show the academic and societal importance and then pivot to your reasons for choosing the topic. It requires you to take a position and convince the reader, not merely report a series of facts, data, or statistics. Insert yourself in the story for maximum effect.

1. Step one: find a case or something "ripped from the headlines" that you think would be worth writing about. It could be something that tears at the heartstrings, impacts you personally, or that you are interested in as you map out your future career.
2. Step two: tie it to your own experience
3. Step three: write about it!