Homework in Law School Forum

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ArkansasFan

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Homework in Law School

Post by ArkansasFan » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:34 pm

What exactly does homework consist of in law school? Is it studying for the next day's lecture, having some assignment to turn in for a grade, or what? I understand that often times there's only one test at the end of the course which is fine with me. I just wonder what else one does.

awesomepossum

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Post by awesomepossum » Mon Jul 02, 2007 1:15 pm

I was so bummed when I mapped the circulatory system out of clay and only got an A-.

I even had capillaries.

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Katkins

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Post by Katkins » Mon Jul 02, 2007 1:17 pm

Well, that's what they do in 1L, they try to break you.

You were talking about a law school assignment, right...

OP, the only homework you have in law school is homework you assign yourself. The prof will give you reading assignments, but nothing will impact your grade in a course other than the final exam.

randomposter

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Post by randomposter » Mon Jul 02, 2007 4:34 pm

For your first year classes, homework will pretty much be preparing for the next day's class. In your legal research class, you might have small papers due every week for the first semester. Other than that, it really depends on your class. I took an advanced legal research class where we had assignments due every class. Some seminars require a few papers as well.

Also there's a pretty popular financial accounting class at many schools that might require homework; I know at UVA there is nightly homework for that class.

And for any kind of trial advocacy class, you'll need to prepare your arguments.

hohum

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Post by hohum » Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:15 pm

nothing will impact your grade in a course other than the final exam.
Even in classes where you don't have "homework" (ie papers) this is very often not true. I'd say half my classes have had a class participation portion, anywhere from 5-25%, depending on the professor. It's basically to make sure people do the reading and answer questions when called upon. It's usually dreaded because it gives the gunners an excuse to chime in on every occasion they can.

So much misinformation around here...

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Katkins

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Post by Katkins » Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:22 pm

say half my classes have had a class participation portion, anywhere from 5-25%
Sweet, and I thought getting credit for showing up stopped in undergrad.

hohum

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Post by hohum » Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:26 pm

I don't know that it honestly makes a difference in grading. In most schools, students are pretty respectful of the professor and at least make an attempt to read and give a reasonable answer to their questions.
But class participation "grades" just ensure the professor, who may feel handicapped by blind grading, can have some recourse if the same student continually passes on questions or is downright rude (I've seen a bit of passing, but never rudeness).

I just don't want to freak out any 0Ls who are worried about flubbing an answer and having their grade suffer.

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NewHere

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Post by NewHere » Sat Jul 14, 2007 8:17 am

Yes, I read somewhere -- don't remember where -- that professors can give you credit for attendance without you even knowing it, i.e. they don't have to inform the class about it. Exams are graded anonymously, so I guess professors can instruct the registrar to add or subtract points to/from certain students.

randomposter

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Post by randomposter » Sat Jul 14, 2007 3:45 pm

so I guess professors can instruct the registrar to add or subtract points to/from certain students.
Exactly. Professors usually warn you if there's an attendance/participation grade component though.

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