J.D. Winter Term Writing Program

Instructions to Students

The Winter Writing Program (WWP) gives 2L and 3L students the opportunity to devote the winter term exclusively to the intensive research and/or writing of a paper under the supervision of an HLS faculty advisor. 

Type of paper

You may work on the following types of paper in the WWP:

• Option 1 of the J.D. Written Work Requirement: an independent paper (2 or 3 writing credits) or a paper in conjunction with a 2009-10 course or seminar (1, 2 or 3 writing credits).
• Optional Paper: an independent optional paper of the same size and scope as a 2 -credit Option 1 Written Work Requirement paper (2 writing credits) or an optional paper in conjunction with a 2000-10 course or seminar (1 or 2 writing credits).

You may not use the WWP to work on:

• A 1-credit independent paper.
• Option 2 writing.
• Any written work that you registered for in a prior year.

Credit and Degree Requirements

Before enrolling in the WWP, you should review your upper-level credits, keeping in mind the following:

• You must earn a minimum of 52 upper-level credits for the J.D., 36 of which must be HLS classroom credits (courses and seminars).
• The WWP does not confer any additional credit beyond the writing credit for the research/writing you do.
• To meet the HLS minimum residency requirement, the research/writing done during the term must be comparable to completion of a 2-credit course.
• You may not drop or add the WWP after the last day of registration.

Winter Writing Proposal and Faculty Supervisor

• After doing sufficient preliminary research to develop a topic, you should complete the WWP Proposal Form including a clear description of the topic of your paper. Your faculty supervisor must approve your proposal and must agree to supervise the entire project, not just the work you do during the WWP.  Give your faculty supervisor a copy of the Instructions for Faculty and ask him or her to review and sign your Proposal.
• You may not change supervisors at any time without first filing a new Proposal. Requests to change supervisors after winter term starts on January 4, 2010, may result in your being dropped from the program.

Location of Research

• Work in Cambridge: The proposal must include an arrangement for adequate supervision and assurance that the work will be done while the student is in residence in Cambridge. The supervision arrangement should include both formal meetings and informal contact between the student and advisor.
• Work Outside of Cambridge: You may be permitted to do research outside of Cambridge during the winter term. If you're interested in doing so, your proposal must clearly explain why you cannot do the work in Cambridge, define the nature and scope of the research work, and specify how your time will be spent outside Cambridge. You must also describe the supervision arrangement you have with your HLS faculty supervisor.   If you plan to do your research outside of the U.S., please see the HLS International Travel Information  web page.

Important Notes

• Students on visas who propose to travel outside the United States for the WWP should contact Mr. Parker Emerson of the Harvard International Office at (617) 496-2819 before registering for the WWP. Changes in the laws may affect your ability to travel outside the United States and to return. Please see the Harvard International Office for more information. Any student considering travel outside the United States should check all relevant travel advisories.
• Students are responsible for the ethical implications of their research. If a student’s project involves interviews, surveys, or obtaining information about individuals by other means, it may require review by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects. The Law School liaison with the Committee, Elizabeth Bowie (ebowie@fas.harvard.edu), can determine whether a student’s project requires review, and assist with the application process.

Registration for the Winter Writing Program

• Submit your completed WWP Proposal Form and the Winter Writing Program Registration Form, with required faculty supervisor’s signature to the Registrar's Office (Pound 300) by November 6, 2009.
• If you plan to write a paper in conjunction with a 2009-10 course or seminar, you must be registered for the course or seminar at the time you submit your Winter Writing Proposal.
• In consultation with your faculty supervisor, make sure that the proposed paper is not similar to any other paper you have written or are now writing for degree credit.

Completion of the Winter Writing Program Work

• You and your faculty supervisor must agree on the final product for the WWP. The work you complete should be a final paper, a draft of the paper, or, at a minimum, a detailed outline. You will not receive a grade until the final paper is completed.
• You must submit your work to your faculty supervisor by the deadline you have agreed on. Each faculty supervisor must file a signed report indicating that s/he has received the work specified for the winter term and that the work is complete and satisfactory.
• If the work to be completed during the winter term is not the final paper, the final paper is due on April 23, 2010, or by an earlier date if required by your supervisor.

Calendar for the January 2010 Winter Writing Program