THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
LawCrossing Feature
Secrets of Success at Law School Part-3 The ‘How to’ of Note-Taking and Reviewing Notes: Successful law students show a radically different approach to note-taking and reviewing notes compared to average students. There are certain common approaches found in almost all highly successful law students when it comes to these activities. In concise, the differentiating traits include:
1.
Spending more time taking notes outside of class
2.
Spending more time in reviewing both class
reading to get the gist, and one thorough sec-
notes and notes taken out of class
ond reading to understand if anything has been
Taking extensive notes outside class when study-
missed out or whether any wrong interpretation
3.
16. Two readings are given to each case – one fast
ing rules and cases 4. 5.
had been made
‘Thinking’ through the analysis when studying
17. When working on assignments, above-average
rules and cases
students use head notes to narrow focus and
Taking notes in ‘own words’ to internalize the
start their research with seminal cases
learning 6.
7.
8. 9.
Creating extensive case summaries including
The above traits are found in almost all students
predictions of how an opponent would use the
who remain ahead of the competition in law schools.
same cases
Conversely, students who fared poorly in comparison
Taking notes of analyses of ‘own thoughts on
to the toppers spent much less time in taking and
distinguishing’ the application of relevant cases
reviewing notes thoroughly. Most students with average
on issues
results have a propensity of doing it and carrying it ‘in
Reviewing class notes before starting on any por-
their heads’ instead of writing everything down and
tion of the brief
reviewing periodically
Reviewing notes while creating briefs to check While building their analytical capacities, most above-
whether things are on track 10. Quoting ‘key language’ when taking notes
average students also show a propensity of finding the
11. Combining notes in a typed outline to use for
ratio decidendi of a case by reading the full judgment and not looking at the head notes. They try to arrive at
preparing briefs 12. Taking notes by hand rather than accumulating a
the ratio by themselves and then check with the head notes to find out whether their logic and attention was
library of direct printouts 13. Most toppers devote more time to writing than
correctly used, and learn why they missed things, if they did.
they devote solely to researching cases 14. Toppers focus on trying to understand the crux of the argument they want to make rather than
Source: Anne M. Enquist, “Unlocking the Secrets of
getting distracted in research that does not bear
Highly Successful Legal Writing Students,” St. John’s
directly upon the argument at hand
Law Review 82, no. 2 (2008)
15. Toppers first understand the issue, then do the research
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