Most of you are well within your first month of law school and may have had your first quiz or a writing assignment which may have made you question your decision to be in law school. It’s understandable but don’t be too hard on yourself. Keep in mind that if you already had all of the answers, then you wouldn’t be in law school. You are here to learn, so be open to letting others (your professors, administrators, upper class men) help you navigate this new path. Below are a few tips on navigating your new path.
1) I’m sure that many of you have been told that it’s important to be active readers in law school and not just passively read the cases. In case you’re still trying to figure out what that means, here are a few suggestions to help become an active reader. Read with a purpose. Know why you are reading a particular case and how it fits within the big picture. You may want to consult the table of contents or the course syllabus to figure out what topic or issue the case will address. Once you have an idea of what to look for in a case, you may consider referring to an outside source (a study aid) to gain some general knowledge about the term. As you read your cases, keep the issue at the forefront of your mind to anchor your thinking. Ask yourself as you read the case, what does this case tell me about this issue (the anchor)? Is the court explaining the issue? Is it dividing the issue into elements or explaining one of the elements? Try to figure out what the court is doing? Is it creating a new rule, rejecting an old rule or explaining or redefining an existing rule?[1]
2) If you have an upcoming quiz or test, I would strongly suggest that you test your understanding of concepts you covered in class prior to taking the quiz. There are several ways to test your knowledge. For example, after you’ve read a series of cases on a particular rule, try to create your own hypothetical to explain how a rule or element is applied. Include a sentence or two on the relevant facts to aid in your explanation and note which facts trigger each issue or element. Also, you can use study aids such as Examples and Explanations to find practice questions on a discrete topic. The point is you should not enter any quiz, assessment, or exam without having tested your understanding of the material and without having completed at least one or two practice questions.
3) After you’ve taken a quiz or exam, you must review your exam. If you are not happy with the grade that you received, you must make an appointment to review your answers with your professors. Before going to your professor’s office, I would caution you to review your answers first. Otherwise, you run the risk of not getting the most out of your meeting. Review your notes and your outline and determine for yourself where the weak areas are or what you could have strengthened. Then take your assessment to your professor and ask for her opinion on your work.
4) Finally, another way to work on developing a deeper understanding of the material is to talk it out with others. If you are not a study group person, consider a study buddy. There is value in discussing difficult concepts with your colleagues. Your classmate may have picked up on something in the case that you missed or may be able to explain the rule to you in a way you hadn’t considered or vice versa. Also, you are more likely to notice gaps in your knowledge when you discuss cases and rules with your colleagues. Lastly, there is safety in numbers. If you and your study buddy or study group don’t understand a particular rule you can make an appointment with the professor together and support each other. You don’t have to go at it alone.
Happy studying! (LMV)
[1] For more tips on case reading and genral study advice see Ruta K. Stropus and Charlotte D. Taylor, Bridging the Gap Between College and Law School (Carolina Academic Press 2001)
