Legal Commentary

I?m teaching an advanced criminal procedure course this Spring. This course is not subject to our school?s usual grading curve, so I?m planning to require an academic paper instead of giving an exam. I haven?t assigned an academic paper in a course previously, but I believe I have seen other professors set schedules in paper courses, where students must propose paper topics and submit drafts before the final paper is due at the end of the semester. I should have 24 students in my course. Any advice out there on how to structure this paper assignment throughout the semester for a class of this size? For instance, how early in the semester do people require paper topics to be identified, since students may not know whether they want to choose a topic we won?t cover until later in the semester? How many drafts do you require students to submit prior to the final draft? Do some people grade one or more drafts during the semester in addition to the final draft? Does anyone simply provide adequate instructions for the paper assignment and a due date, and leave students to their own initiative from there?