Extract from Cristin Traylor’s article “Four Lessons Learned as a Lawyer Working with Data Scientists on Generative AI”
I have written many blog posts, articles, legal briefs, memoranda, and even a law review article. I thought I had tackled it all (outside of a novel or two) until I was asked to contribute to a whole new type of writing: an academic research paper.
It was like nothing I had ever done before.
To celebrate its availability, keep reading to see what I learned from the experience—and what you can learn from the finished piece.
First, this paper had eleven authors! I am used to either writing my own content or occasionally partnering with one other person. Can you imagine trying to get eleven people to agree on anything? But to my surprise and enjoyment it was one of the most collaborative experiences I have ever had. We threw out ideas left and right, provided suggestions to one another, and often discussed topics asynchronously through Slack or live on calls when things got complex.
Second, academic papers are really a different animal when it comes to writing style. The language is very distinct from a legal brief or an entertaining article. At times, it is a bit dry (sorry, academia)—but at the same time very informative and factual.
