ABSTRACT
Strong communication skills are critical for succeeding in all justice-related professions. This chapter begins with the very basics of strong writing content that may serve as a refresher for some, and for others may simply be a starting point for further study. In formal academic writing, there are additional guidelines that produce stronger, more professional writing that is easy to read and digest. The chapter describes the elements of the formal academic writing style, addresses issues of citation, reference, and plagiarism, and offers suggestions for finding ideal academic writing process. It traces the writing process across the following stages: understanding the assignment, brainstorming, locating sources, organizing thoughts, putting text on the page, and finalizing draft. Public speaking requires a different method of delivery compared with writing, yet is not the same as regular conversational speech. For many jobs, and for applications for graduate study, resume will be accompanied by a cover letter or personal statement.
