Source Checkers Guide To Life

Here are a some tips and tricks to making your lives a little easier when source checking!!

Get a Scanner App

You will be scanning lots of documents in the next year. While you can use a library scanner it's much MUCH easier if you have a scanner on your smart phone. iScanner, To PDF, TurboScan, CamScan, TinyScan. There a variety of free ones or very cheap ones and they will save you a ton of time.

Know Your Keyboard Shortcuts

These things seem small, but knowing a couple shortcuts or setting them up right away on your computer will save you ton of time. Here's a couple that we've learned and you can set up your own, but searching for the section symbol is no fun, neither is going to the font menu every time you need to correct something.

ctrl+alt+m = adds a comment

ctrl+shift+k = small caps

Macs: opt+6 = §

PDFs Need to Be Messed With

We are constantly messing with PDFs in order to create binder materials. Mac Users: You probably have preview and this works for almost everything. PC Users: If you don't have adobe editor some recommendation for alternatives from last year were: FoxIt Phantom PDF, smallpdf (online), online2pdf, might allow you to do what you need to do. Also, you can always use the computers in the Law Review Suite which are equipped with editor programs.

Speaking of PDFs...make friends

Sometimes PDFs are hard to edit. Get to know people who use different programs than you do. Occasionally things will be locked on PCs but not Macs, work with adobe, but not preview. Make friends who can help you out when your editor doesn't work for no good reason.

Get to know the Greenbook

The Greenbook is your best friend. Most of the answers you are looking for are in there if they are not in the Bluebook. Use your digital copy available on the drive to search the Greenbook or use the hard copy that was in your drawer. Get familiar with rules so you are aware of when we are superseding the Bluebook.

Ask Someone!!

Kris Coppieters / photovalley.com

If you have questions, please ask! If you are having an issue, it is probably something that we've seen before or something that we should be paying attention to. All of the associate editors were sitting right where you were a year ago and everyone should feel free to ask for advice or help.

Have Some Fun!!!

Yes, law review is a lot of work. But it can be fun too. The friends you make and the camaraderie is something that can't be beat. So hang out in the law review office, don't be a stranger. Enjoy the snacks and the friends while getting your work done!!