Drawing on the experiences of hundreds of law students, this guide demystifies the peculiar language and complicated practices that surround the study of law. Reliable tips and suggestions for how to cope with the challenging and competitive law school environment helps students become active and successful participants in their education. In this comprehensive guide students can find tips to manage time, read cases, take useful notes, write convincing essays, produce excellent exam results, and take full advantage of increasingly popular Internet resources for law students.
Author(s): Simon Chesterman, Clare Rhoden
Edition: 2nd
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 176
Title page......Page 3
Contents......Page 7
Welcome to the law......Page 12
Using this book......Page 14
Why am I here?......Page 19
Where am I going?......Page 21
Private practice - the law firms......Page 22
Public practice - government law......Page 25
Courtroom dramas......Page 27
Non-legal work......Page 28
Combined degrees......Page 29
Structuring your degree and preparing for employment......Page 31
Coping with other students......Page 34
Female students......Page 36
Coping with the study......Page 37
Time management......Page 40
How to get organised......Page 44
Your study timetable......Page 46
Making best use of study time......Page 48
A further discussion of procrastination......Page 53
Reading......Page 57
Tips for reading legal texts......Page 60
Notetaking......Page 62
Learning and understanding legal theory......Page 67
Take some time to explore your study self......Page 70
Becoming an active learner......Page 72
Ideas for collaborative learning......Page 74
Taking advantage of the way memory works......Page 75
5 Crucial concepts......Page 79
'Law' - a rose by any other name still has thorns......Page 80
Language is power......Page 83
6 Reading case law......Page 84
Before you turn a page......Page 85
OK, now turn a few pages......Page 87
Skim, read, note and review......Page 91
What is theory?......Page 94
Some levels of analysis......Page 95
Applying the theories......Page 102
More study hints......Page 103
8 Writing law essays......Page 107
Essay writing: the basics......Page 108
Research for your essay......Page 109
Writing your essay......Page 113
Citing authority......Page 114
Using footnotes......Page 116
What is being tested?......Page 122
Open book exams......Page 123
Exam-friendly notes......Page 125
Getting an overview......Page 126
Training for the event......Page 127
Learn to use the law......Page 130
Divide and conquer......Page 132
The issues stage: reading time......Page 133
The planning stage: the basic format......Page 135
The structuring stage: using the law......Page 138
The writing stage: answers that attract marks......Page 139
Exam paragraphs - are they helpful?......Page 140
Filling in the gaps......Page 143
Don't panic!......Page 144
What next?......Page 145
11 Dealing with problems......Page 146
The bottom line......Page 153
12 Reflections on law......Page 157
Appendix I Suggestions for further reading......Page 159
Appendix II Learning styles quiz......Page 161
Appendix III A starting point for using web resources......Page 166
Appendix IV The view from the kitchen......Page 169
