Facing a Law exam?

There are four matters to concentrate on. For each topic (for example -doctrines such as - Separation of Powers; Rule of Law; Parliamentary Supremacy : or criminal offences such as Homicide; Theft; Rape; Attempts....) make sure that you can succinctly deal with the key

* Concepts
* Arguments
* Cases
* Legislation

Could you describe and explain them to an intelligent friend? or deal with any question that they might fire back at you? (this is the value of working with other students as you prepare). Could you make a coherent argument in response to a request to discuss the strengths/weaknesses of the existing law - or for/against reform?

Are you confident that you know; could explain and use the relevant legislation or cases?

The diagram below might help you prepare your thoughts. [CLICK THE PICTURE FOR THE FULL SIZED VERSION]

"Condensing" is an important part of revision. [so you could review the topics and draw a diagram like the one below for each specific topic].

So is rehearsing explanations and arguments.

Is there a flow diagram you've seen - or could construct to logically set out your argument or solve a practical problem? (My students can use the Judicial Review diagram (W201) as a starter).

Are there any tables you could construct which summarise arguments - with a column for Strengths (with a second column for your evaluation of those claimed strengths) and a column for weaknesses (with a fourth for evaluation).

For Criminal Law you could draw up a table setting out in columns the Actus Reus; Mens Rea; and defences for each offence, along with the leading cases and a sentence to remind you of the key facts.

Revision is not about memorising lots of facts - and regurgitating them. It's about demonstrating your handling of the concepts; arguments; and authorities. Train for the exam, not like a child preparing for a spelling bee competition, but a football player - ready to flexibly respond to whatever strategy the opposing team uses on match day. Flexibility and skilful use of your acquired resources (your knowledge and understanding) are the key.

Cases

It can be very useful to look at old exam papers (OU Law Students can access these through 'Elite') - but even more useful to take a look at examiners reports. These often highlight common mistakes that have arisen. If you read a few reports you'll see that the same issues frequently turn up.

One comment I'd like to stress appeared one year (though it is a perennial) - "Some students in fact forgot to apply the law to the facts at all, and simply listed cases; although these were usually relevant ... it was very important...to apply the rules and principles as well as setting them out." 

Cases are important - especially in English Law where precedent plays a key role - but there can be a tendency to fixate on memorising case names and facts. I've known students who have sought to memorise over a hundred cases. (to which I say, how many cases can you discuss in a three hour exam in which up to an hour can profitably be spent choosing the best questions to answer; planning the answers; writing them; and reviewing them?)

Use cases to illustrate a point you are making; to support your argument; to demonstrate different approaches to the issue - but never just recite cases and their facts. 

How should you "revise" cases?

The first task is to select the cases that you plan to revise. As you revise each topic, think about which cases are most important. Clues can also be found elsewhere - what has the manual; textbook; tutor stressed most? (My students will be familiar with me banging on about ...)

[W201] Entick v Carrington; Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza; Campbell v MGN; Carltona v Commissioner of Works; Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury; The GCHQ case (Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service); Porter v Magill; R v Ghosh; R v R (Marital Rape); R v Cunningham; R v G (Recklessness)...

Prepare brief notes. Students, almost since "time immemorial", have used revision cards to prepare for exams. The value of these cards are that they require you to condense the information. This is a (the?) key process in revision - (there are some professionally written cards on sale - some value, but you lose the process of condensing yourself - similarly, copying out from a text or revision book has the same value-deficit). There is some value in reviewing the finished cards frequently.

Consider the application of cases. Cases should not be used as decoration. They are a vital part of legal argument. Consider where and how you would deploy these cases. This is where using old exam papers can come in useful.

Mind Mapping

I've been a long term 'fan' of mind-mapping. I was first introduced to it as a teenager - and have found it very useful throughout my career, first as a student, then as an academic (and also for dealing with the masses of information I was using as a parliamentary candidate). As with any system - it is good to adapt to your own style and strengths. My problem is that I am useless at drawing (I know there are those who claim that anyone can be taught to draw, but is beyond me - I couldn't draw to save my life!). That has meant that I lost one of the advantages of mind-mapping - which is to use all the senses. My "mind-maps" were closer to "spidergrams" - sometimes I used colour - but essentially I used two dimensional diagrams, without drawings. However it has assisted me in studying; writing essays and preparing presentations and speeches. Most of all - it has helped when I prepared for exams.

Tony Buzan, a key developer and populariser of Mind Maps has gone hi-tech  Now I can do it on screen - I have MindMaps loaded on my home PC and on my iPad.

It may work for you - it may not. Each of us has our own learning style. For me it works - and works VERY well. I'm not good at remembering masses of information (and getting worse as I get older). But organising related information by drawing mind maps is a great help. I also find it an invaluable "thinking device".

Previously, I found them most useful for exam revision - thankfully I'm not facing any exams in the near future - but if you are - or you have a friend who is - then it's worth considering whether Mind Maps can help.

If you want further information - press here. It tells you something about the products available. 

But you can do them with pen (though pencil works best) and paper. The link is that you see the relationships between ideas. You can link key ideas in an argument by linking 'clouds' containing the key ideas together in a chain. You can develop different levels of mind maps - for example

* What is needed for a successful Judicial review claim;
* the elements of a specific offence (Actus Reus, Mens Rea and Defences);
* or the key facts of a particular case.

Why not try to list some topics you could prepare mind maps for?