The Relative Value of American Law Reviews: A Critical Appraisal of Ranking Methods

Abstract:     
Ranking law reviews is not a novel initiative. Data regarding the relative value of legal periodicals was first published in 1930, in an article primarily concerned with the overall contribution of legal periodicals to the development of positive law. Since then many attempts have been made to rank American law reviews by various criteria.

This Article, however, focuses not on actual rankings but on ranking theory and methodology. It offers an introductory discussion of the goals of law review rating, and the essential attributes of reliable and beneficial ranking methods, followed by a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the advantages and shortcomings of the various methods that can be used to assess the relative value of American law reviews.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 40

Keywords: Law reviews, legal writing, legal education, legal research, statistics

JEL Classification: K00

Accepted Paper Series