LEEWs feasibility on an actual exam... Forum

[tram988]

Hi guys,

Here's the thing. I've recently finished LEEWS and it seems like a great system to tackle issue-spotter exams. However, after reading getting to maybe it appears that issue-spotter questions may not comprise the entire exam. Has anyone found this to be the case? Any other advice?

[traehekat]

Well, it depends on what the question is, if not an issue spotter. If it is a policy question, I believe LEEWS addresses this possibility and offers a solution (whether or not you think it is sufficient is up to you, I guess, as I think most people think GTM's approach to policy is pretty solid). If it is a multiple choice question, LEEWS says you should be prepared for it by way of normal preparation for issue spotters. Probably true, but I'm considering looking at some supplements specifically geared to MC questions.

[tram988]

Yeah. After seeing some of those problems in the back of Getting to Maybe it made me a little more nervous. I suppose since I havent taken the classes yet most of that stuff will appear intimidating.

[kalvano]

I think a pitfall of doing LEEWS or reading GTM before school starts is you have this idea of what to do, but no substantive knowledge to do it with.

I can look at an exam and know what I am supposed to do, but I don't know the law or how it relates yet, so it seems more intimidating.

[tram988]

I think a pitfall of doing LEEWS or reading GTM before school starts is you have this idea of what to do, but no substantive knowledge to do it with.

I can look at an exam and know what I am supposed to do, but I don't know the law or how it relates yet, so it seems more intimidating.

Exactly!!! Ok so I'm not alone here. With LEEWS once I was given the basic doctrine (the information following the tort hypo) it made much more sense. Ironically, its not the issue-spotter that is worrying me at this point. The way I look at it is like this. So long as I develop a strong outline, or toolbox, the conflicts/premises should become apparent come exam time.

Policy questions are a whole different ball game and I find them very intimidating from some of the books I've been reading (GTM). I just wonder how prevalent issue-spotter exams are.

[traehekat]

I actually think LEEWS works great with limited knowledge of the law because it forces you to consider one premise, or issue, at at time. So basically, if you only know the law regarding assault and battery so far, then go through a hypothetical/exam and spot issues only relating to assault and battery. You really should never be trying to tackle an entire exam in one sitting, except towards the end of the semester when you want to get a feel for timing.

[tram988]

I actually think LEEWS works great with limited knowledge of the law because it forces you to consider one premise, or issue, at at time. So basically, if you only know the law regarding assault and battery so far, then go through a hypothetical/exam and spot issues only relating to assault and battery. You really should never be trying to tackle an entire exam in one sitting, except towards the end of the semester when you want to get a feel for timing.

Yeah I can do that much at this point. I think what's worrying me is the prospect of a non-issue spotter exam, such as a short policy essay.