Amanda Sholtis Engages in Prestigious Legal Writing Events, Shares Insights on Critical e-Reading
Reading is a foundation of legal education, and students log significant hours reviewing cases, the law and legal theories through the written word. While the law library is filled with printed reading materials, students also spend considerable time reading digital materials.
Assistant Professor of Law Amanda Sholtis is sensitive to the differences in comprehension between print and digital materials, and has devoted substantial time to researching and writing about them – in order to help students succeed. She has a scholarly article about the topic in the works, and recently presented about it at a national workshop and conference.
Sholtis' forthcoming article highlights the importance of critical e-reading skills for law students, especially as they prepare for the digital nature of modern law practice. She emphasizes that while law students may struggle with reading complex texts, these difficulties are often exacerbated when reading from screens. Her proposed solution involves incorporating critical e-reading instruction throughout the law school curriculum, ensuring that all students develop the necessary skills to succeed in an evolving digital environment.
"Medium matters when it comes to reading like a lawyer," Sholtis explained. "Law graduates must become competent, critical e-readers to be ready for the paperless bar exam and digital practice.”
Sholtis received feedback on her upcoming article, "Medium Matters in Preparing for Law Practice: Critical e-Reading," during the Sirico Scholars’ Workshop in Indianapolis, Indiana this summer, and she went on to co-present on the topic at the Legal Writing Institute’s 21st Biennial Conference Bench & Bar Day at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. She presented alongside Jane Grisé, author of "Critical Reading for Success in Law School and Beyond.”
The presentation highlighted how digital reading differs from print and the unique challenges it poses. Sholtis discussed her journey in narrowing down extensive research to focus specifically on the types of dense, informational materials read in law school. “There’s a lot of educational research on digital reading, but I focused on studies relevant to the types of materials we read in law,” she noted.
Sholtis offers practical tips for enhancing digital reading comprehension, such as taking notes while reading, minimizing digital distractions, and replicating a page format on screens to aid in information encoding. Insights shared during her travels were met with enthusiasm, highlighting a growing awareness of the unique challenges posed by digital reading in legal education and practice.
Anna Hemingway, Professor of Law and Director of Legal Methods at Widener Law Commonwealth, praised Sholtis' contributions. “Presenting at these conferences makes Amanda's own research stronger, and it helps the legal community and our students. Other attendees will take her ideas back to their institutions where they will share her ideas even further,” Hemingway said. “Amanda is one of the most innovative professors I know. She is one of the first professors to advocate for providing instruction on critical e-reading skills in law school.”
Reflecting on her busy summer, Sholtis is hopeful that her work will inspire changes in legal education, helping students adapt to the digital demands of their future careers. “Creating awareness and providing practical strategies are key steps in ensuring our students are prepared for the realities of modern law practice,” she said.
Looking ahead, Sholtis aims to focus on writing for digital readers. “Knowing that people are reading the law from a screen, how can we write it so that it is more easily read?” she pondered. “My next project will look at writing from the digital-reader's perspective—how can judges write their opinions so that people can read them more easily from a screen?”
