Loving The Law: Finding Your Way Through The Coming Exams

So … it’s exam season again! That time when you embark on an inflamed and semi-toxic relationship with your books and sleep becomes a distant memory. Sigh!

The libraries are getting packed faster than students rushing to an event where food tags are being shared and there’s an energy of looming tension building in the air.

The pressure is indeed getting ‘werser’.

Underneath all the hustle, bustle and bubbling tension, the burning question on everyone’s mind however is: Can it get any easier?

Well, it can!

Annnd the good news is, there are some tips below to help you make this a reality:

1. Organise Your Study Material: As Law Students, we have an abundance of books, notes and materials to read through. To ease the study process, organize all the resources you have and NEED systematically. Develop a structure that works for you; you can colour code your physical and digital materials, create digital folders, categorise materials for similar topics under each course together and create a reading map for them in your Notes app or a journal. Categorizing them by subject or topic helps facilitate quick retrieval of information during exam preparation.

2. Prioritise the Essentials or the NEEDS: Each course covers a vast range of topics, but when you are under a time crunch, you need to focus on the essentials in order to get enough information to get good grades in your exam. Identify the core concepts, principles, and cases that are likely to be tested. Consult your course materials, syllabus, and lecturer’s guidance to determine the key areas to focus on. By prioritizing your course content, you’ll maximize your chances of success.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice: When it comes to law exams, practice indeed makes perfect. Seek out past questions, review them and work through these exercises under timed conditions. This will improve your speed, build your confidence, familiarize you with the exam style and format, and help you understand the examiner’s expectations. Don’t shy away from challenging yourself — it’s all part of the learning process. Analyse your responses critically to identify areas for improvement and pay attention to the way legal principles are applied in the answer sections — if provided.

4. Take Care of Yourself: Your body is the vessel that houses you on this planet, and you must treat it with great care. In the midst of the exam frenzy, it’s essential to prioritise self-care. Get adequate sleep, maintain a good and healthy diet, and take care of your physical and mental health. Taking care of your physical and mental well-being will increase your focus, memory, and overall performance. Allow yourself breaks during study sessions to recharge and avoid burnout. Remember, balance and mindfulness are vital tools for success.

5. Master the Art of Answering Questions: In law exams, detecting issues and understanding key legal concepts is critical. Practice identifying the key legal issues hidden in problem questions given. Highlight the pertinent facts, assess the appropriate legal norms, and analyse how they apply to the current circumstance. Remember that your capacity to identify and address legal difficulties earns you marks and boosts your overall score. It is critical to understand the format and structure of law exams. Also, create a strategy for answering each question, such as outlining your response before writing it or addressing the easy ones first to gain confidence; prioritize clarity, coherence, and precision, and make sure your views are well-supported by legal authority. Use paragraph openers to show the examiner how your material pertains to the question. You can also jot cases, statutes and points that you remember on your exam answer sheet to help you remember them.

6. Structure Is Key: To expand on the importance of structure when answering legal questions, it is important to note that when crafting your answers, having a structured approach can be a game-changer. The IRAC (Issue-Rule-Application-Conclusion) method is often used for this. Start by describing the issue, then talk about the relevant legal rules, show how they relate to the facts, and end with a clear solution. This method helps you arrange your thoughts and makes sure you give a clear and logical answer. In judicial analysis, the IRAC (Issue-Rule-Application-Conclusion) method is used a lot. Find the question’s main issue or problem, explain the appropriate legal rule, apply the rule to the facts, and then give your opinion or a solution. Using this method will help you organize your ideas and give an analysis that makes sense and flows well.

7. Time Management is … Also Key: During law exams, time is of the essence. Set time limits for each question based on the number of points assigned. Remember, it is better to answer all the questions you’re instructed to, even if just briefly, than to focus on a few and leave the rest unanswered. Stick to your goal and fight the need to spend too much time on a single question. Also, please and please, keep an eye on the clock, and if you’re out of time, skip to the next question. Effective time management will allow you to cover all of your bases. Additionally, before submitting the exam, go through your answers again to correct any errors or omissions.

8. Collaborative Study Groups: Participating in a study group is a great idea. Working together with other students promotes knowledge sharing, the elimination of confusion, and direct student-to-student instruction. Teaching people about the law is a great way to improve your own understanding and to gain exposure to new points of view. However, pick your study partners carefully to ensure you’re working with people who are dedicated to the group and adding value.

That’s all for now! I hope this helps and you can apply them now and going forward (even if it’s just one or a few).

I wish you great success in your exams!

Cheers!