Multi-Tasking and Legal Writing

Abstract:     
This Article addresses the growing trend toward more and more multitasking and the effect it has on law students and lawyers, particularly their writing, learning, and analysis. It distinguishes between two types of multitasking – parallel processing and task switching – and explores when each increases or decreases efficiency. Using recent research on multitasking and the human brain, the Article reports on some of the early findings that suggest that habitual multitasking changes a person’s cognitive style and may diminish one’s capacity for focused, in-depth thinking. The Article concludes with some suggestions for monitoring and managing the multitasking habit

Number of Pages in PDF File: 5

Keywords: multi-tasking, multitasking, legal writing, legal analysis, cognitive syle, focus, efficiency, digital literacy, distractions

Accepted Paper Series