ARTICLE-WRITING

Adv. Ravi Singh Chhikara

(Delhi High Court and District Courts)
Associate at Salvador Raghav & Co.
1. Topic Selection

2. Preliminary Research

3. Standard Format of an article

 Selection of the Topic
• New, Relevant and Different

• How to find Topics –

• Newspapers – Read The Hindu/Indian Express newspaper daily

• Law Blogs – Read the blog itself

Requirements -
• Newspapers -
Recent News
Address public's concerns
It can be new topic (for students) and it can be an old topic (for professionals)

• Law Blogs -
Analyze the blog
Generally -
New topic
Doesn't matter if it is recent or not
For eg. -> on new principle, new jurisprudence, new aspect, new loophole etc.

Difference -
• Newspapers -
Simple language
Address public's concerns

• Blogs -
Professional language
Address concerns of our community/fraternity
 Preliminary Research
• Do a preliminary research on that topic
- whether already addressed
- whether published already
- whether legally correct
- whether logically correct
- find out how other people have addressed their views?
- have they missed your viewpoint?

• If it fails any test, don’t proceed

• After this research

- you should know how much discussion has been done already on this topic
- you should know whether you are actually providing a new aspect to this topic
- you should know whether you are contributing a valuable content to this topic
Standard Format of an article
FIRST PARA – INTRODUCTION
Deciding para for newspapers

• Short intro to the audience

• 5-6 lines about the incident happened
• Last 2-3 lines – issue which you are going to address
• Plain and straight
• Show that the public is really much involved. Public should know this.
SECOND PARA – SECOND LAST PARA

- Organize
- Make headings (unique and should explain the content)
- Division into paras
- Each para presenting different view/issue/solution etc.
- Paras should be connected like a chain (transitional sentences)

How to divide your article?

- Problem or proposition on a blank paper
- After preliminary research, note the points you are going to address
- Divide these points into different paras
- Discuss each point in detail in their respective paras

Para starting – introductory sentence

Para ending – statement that express your view point/stand
Points to remember while writing any para
- no disconnected material
- every statement connected to title, sub-headings and other paras.

CONCLUSION PARA

- Necessary to write
- Beginning – statement that your view was correct and thus, public is really being affected
- Then give solutions
Points to remember

• Newspaper – 1000 words or less

• Importance of Preliminary Research ( How to effectively do it) –
- You would get the complete idea about your topic
- Write 3-4 points in which you are going to divide your article
- Affirmative sentences
For e.g. (1) Surveillance violates Article 21
(2) Surveillance violates Article 19
--------------------------- so on
(When you write affirmative sentences, your mind gets the commands that it needs to implement

• Use commentaries, textbooks, Google, SCC, Manupatra etc.

• Do not write descriptive articles
• The only place to write descriptive things – intro para and 1 st line of every para
• Rest should express your thoughts, beliefs and concerns
• Do not start with TOI and other national newspapers
BEST OF LUCK!
Adv. Ravi Singh Chhikara
Practices in Delhi
Associate at Salvador Raghav & Co.