How have you revamped / trimmed fat off your studying? Forum

[stocksly33]

I'm constantly trying to be more efficient about my studying. Considering all the talk about not having enough time for everything... does anyone have any gems for streamlining studying/outlining?

[dougroberts]

For briefs, I copy Facts from online sources, skip Procedural stuff, and use poor grammar and incomplete sentences to save time (I suppose I should have been doing the latter since Day 1).

Now, I think proper briefing (including Facts and Procedure) are important skills for 1L's, but by the time you get to Spring Semester first-year, it's time to cut corners where ever possible.

[thebookcollector]

I constantly find myself with extra time (i.e. I watch more than my fair share of TV). I feel like I'm not doing something right, yet I seem to have a decent grasp of the material (based on CALI lessons and E&E explanations).

Here's my method. Somebody please call me out if I'm not doing it right.

I read the E&E before the topic in class. In other words, before we got to proximate cause in Torts, I read the E&E chapter on proximate cause.
I then just SKIM the cases. I don't brief them. I take notes in the margins of my casebook in case I'm called on in class, but by and large, I don't care if I look like an idiot in class. (Which sometimes happens.)
I take notes in class.
After the class, I synthesize everything... the E&E, any key tidbits from the reading, and then my class notes. I tend to draw from the material in that order. This synthesis is in outline form. Then I do the E&E problems and, if there is a CALI lesson, that.

This takes me, in total, about 1.5 hours outside of class for every hour in class. In other words, I only work about 45 hours a week on my three "substantive" classes (Torts, Criminal Law, Contracts). I spend a few extra hours on Legal Writing and Legal Research, and that is law school. I have plenty of time to live a normal life.

I hope that helps! I really think the key is not getting bogged down in the casebook... you could spend an hour reading and briefing EACH CASE (like my roommate), but in the end, you're only going to need to know a few things from it for the exam. So make better use of your time.

[Doritos]

No more briefs. I take notes in the margins. I found when I made briefs I never looked @ them. Just read the case carefully and scribble some reminder notes on the side and you are cold call ready. I also study only the library. I get soooo much more work done when I'm there because I don't get distracted. Also, at this point I know the level of detail each prof is looking for me to know so for the classes all about the big idea I know I don't need to know all the nitty gritty details, procedural history and which motions the district court granted and what not. I also take a shot or two before I work on my LRW memos. Gets the memo juices flowing

[stocksly33]

I constantly find myself with extra time (i.e. I watch more than my fair share of TV). I feel like I'm not doing something right, yet I seem to have a decent grasp of the material (based on CALI lessons and E&E explanations).

Here's my method. Somebody please call me out if I'm not doing it right.

I read the E&E before the topic in class. In other words, before we got to proximate cause in Torts, I read the E&E chapter on proximate cause.
I then just SKIM the cases. I don't brief them. I take notes in the margins of my casebook in case I'm called on in class, but by and large, I don't care if I look like an idiot in class. (Which sometimes happens.)
I take notes in class.
After the class, I synthesize everything... the E&E, any key tidbits from the reading, and then my class notes. I tend to draw from the material in that order. This synthesis is in outline form. Then I do the E&E problems and, if there is a CALI lesson, that.

This takes me, in total, about 1.5 hours outside of class for every hour in class. In other words, I only work about 45 hours a week on my three "substantive" classes (Torts, Criminal Law, Contracts). I spend a few extra hours on Legal Writing and Legal Research, and that is law school. I have plenty of time to live a normal life.

I hope that helps! I really think the key is not getting bogged down in the casebook... you could spend an hour reading and briefing EACH CASE (like my roommate), but in the end, you're only going to need to know a few things from it for the exam. So make better use of your time.

We have almost identical approaches. But I also read the text of the assigned reading and the notes after the case (i don't read the cases) and i compare my outline to student outlines from last year. so after doing all that and reading the e&e chapter, i'm at about 2-3 hours per class, so i don't have time for e&e hypos... and i don't see how i can cut any of that to make room for hypos.

[thebookcollector]

I constantly find myself with extra time (i.e. I watch more than my fair share of TV). I feel like I'm not doing something right, yet I seem to have a decent grasp of the material (based on CALI lessons and E&E explanations).

Here's my method. Somebody please call me out if I'm not doing it right.

I read the E&E before the topic in class. In other words, before we got to proximate cause in Torts, I read the E&E chapter on proximate cause.
I then just SKIM the cases. I don't brief them. I take notes in the margins of my casebook in case I'm called on in class, but by and large, I don't care if I look like an idiot in class. (Which sometimes happens.)
I take notes in class.
After the class, I synthesize everything... the E&E, any key tidbits from the reading, and then my class notes. I tend to draw from the material in that order. This synthesis is in outline form. Then I do the E&E problems and, if there is a CALI lesson, that.

This takes me, in total, about 1.5 hours outside of class for every hour in class. In other words, I only work about 45 hours a week on my three "substantive" classes (Torts, Criminal Law, Contracts). I spend a few extra hours on Legal Writing and Legal Research, and that is law school. I have plenty of time to live a normal life.

I hope that helps! I really think the key is not getting bogged down in the casebook... you could spend an hour reading and briefing EACH CASE (like my roommate), but in the end, you're only going to need to know a few things from it for the exam. So make better use of your time.

We have almost identical approaches. But I also read the text of the assigned reading and the notes after the case (i don't read the cases) and i compare my outline to student outlines from last year. so after doing all that and reading the e&e chapter, i'm at about 2-3 hours per class, so i don't have time for e&e hypos... and i don't see how i can cut any of that to make room for hypos.

Sorry, I typed 1.5 above, but I meant to type 2.5. The E&E hypos don't actually take that long; I don't formally write out answers. And I've repeatedly found that if you read the E&E carefully, the hypos don't add much... but it is nice exam practice.

[stocksly33]

No more briefs. I take notes in the margins. I found when I made briefs I never looked @ them. Just read the case carefully and scribble some reminder notes on the side and you are cold call ready. I also study only the library. I get soooo much more work done when I'm there because I don't get distracted. Also, at this point I know the level of detail each prof is looking for me to know so for the classes all about the big idea I know I don't need to know all the nitty gritty details, procedural history and which motions the district court granted and what not. I also take a shot or two before I work on my LRW memos. Gets the memo juices flowing

bahaha, i have a policy of 2 fingers of scotch before i start lrw... or else i start throwing shit when i get to the citation exercises. I also find it helpful to talk a lot of shit to my lrw assignments while working on them, helps keep me sane.

[Bankhead]

Really just depends on how quick you are. Some people can distill info much faster than others. Some people can learn in an hour what others can learn in 3. But be careful.

[kswiss]

Really just depends on how quick you are. Some people can distill info much faster than others. Some people can learn in an hour what others can learn in 3. But be careful.

This.

Studying is personal. Some people can study in 1 hour what takes other people 2. But some people can study in 4 hours what most take 2, but if they know the material better than you and can find the time, they'll could be better off on test day.(depending on if they are as good a test taker).