The Top Ten Tips for Acing the Criminal Law A Exam
Criminal Law, a body of law that governs punishments for criminal offences, is also an important subject every aspiring lawyer must overcome. The criminal justice system traces its roots to the Sumerians practised law some 4000 years ago, which helped build the legal foundations of current civilisation. Australia's legal system at present borrows heavily from British common law due to years of colonisation. Studying Criminal Law can be challenging for students. However, with the right Criminal Law exam notes and strategies, you can manage the learning curve, memorise terms and provide logical answers to the satisfaction of your examiners.
Below we share some helpful tips for acing the Criminal Law Exam.
#1 Be Present in Class
When you are in law school, each lesson is crucial. Some law professors adopt the Socratic method of learning and ask continuous questions until they deem your answers satisfactory. Your presence in the classroom allows you to gather the necessary information, which may help you ace the exam in the future. Listen attentively. Be sure to take note of all the questions and problems discussed in class, especially the tricky ones.
#2 Take Notes
More than just being present and participating in class, taking down criminal low notes is just as important. Studies show how handwritten notes increase the brain's ability to retain memory and retrieve information. The effort involved in note-taking forms new brain pathways, which let you store encoded information to your long-term memory. Your notebook, on one hand, serves as an external memory storage for easy data retrieval and verification. To effectively take notes, always outline key points and breakdown content into bullet points.
#3 Make a Mind Map
This is one approach that works well for many law students. While note-taking supports memory, a mind map establishes the relationship between elements, concepts and ideas. Legal jargon, landmark cases and the number of crimes covered in Criminal Law, including the gravity of their commission and their respective penalties, can be overwhelming to take in all at the same time. The use of a mind map decodes some of the confusion and helps students visualise and organise problems and questions in preparation for the exam.
#4 Benchmark Study and Answering Strategies
Observe the excellent students in your class. How did they answer the questions? What are their study habits? If your own methods are not working, you can look to others for advice or inspiration. You can change up the parts that no longer work or you can incorporate what you learned from fellow students into your own study methods.
#5 Read and Brief the Cases
In law school, reading extremely long and heavily worded cases comes with the territory. Always take notes as you read. Highlight important facts, how the case proceeded and the court's decision. Case briefs are meant to be short and concise. The point is to understand what the case is all about and its eventual outcome. You can also refer to a case digest to increase your comprehension.
#6 Form a Study Group
Talking to classmates and discussing cases, terms and hypothetical problems can facilitate interactive learning. Students are able to think outside of the box and think more creatively by interacting with others. Study groups also strengthen communication and refine students' understanding of Criminal Law. They can share notes with others and take in new information and insights. Participating in a study group widens perspectives and increases a student's confidence in meeting academic goals or expectations.
#7 Consistent Review
Some students prepare for the Criminal Law A Exam days or weeks before the examination date. True preparation begins as early as the start of the semester and even before that. Cramming is a habit some students can get away with, but not in law school. If you aim to ace the exam. you need to adopt a different level of discipline and consistency. Read and re-read provisions and cases and review your notes frequently.
#8 Listen to Feedback
Professors may offer to review your answers once in a while. Should you be presented with such an opportunity, take advantage. Law students need to be aware of their own strengths and limitations so they make necessary adjustments. Take your professor's feedback seriously and use it to improve areas of concern. If you erred in a practice question, do not hesitate to ask them what you did wrong.
#9 Adopt an Appropriate Writing Style
Be familiar with the nitty-gritty of legal writing. Focus on clarity and coherence wherever possible. Your main objective is to make your examiners understand the point you are driving at. The basics of legal writing include using a formal voice and correct grammar while avoiding slang and highfalutin words. It is also important to reduce your sentence length and be precise in your use of language and jargon. Your writing should be direct and exude an air of confidence and authority.
#10 Structure Your Answers Logically
Pay attention to how you structure your answers. Follow a logical sequence. Present different scenarios. Most legal questions cannot be answered in plain Yes or No. That is why it is necessary to list down every possibility and the likely outcome for each. Only then will you offer a final judgment call based on your own interpretation of the law. Make sure to introduce the issue with a brief introduction. Examiners often add marks to clear and well-structured answers regardless if the interpretation was right or wrong.
Prepare for Your Criminal Law A Exam
Many successful law students practise some of the tips listed above. They are not set in stone and you certainly have the leeway to adopt only what works best for you. Among the important things you should always be mindful of is the quality of your Criminal Law A Exam Notes. If you are in need of further assistance, our tried and tested notes, papers and case summaries may help you navigate this subject with ease. Visit Lawskool Australia Model Law Exams website today for affordable Criminal Law study notes.