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I'm having a dilemma in terms of outlining v. using an outline from a law review student at my school. I've finished outlining 2 of my classes already, leaving me with 2 more to go. It has taken me an incredible amount of time to put together these 2 outlines, particularly my Civil procedure outline. However, I do feel like I've learned a lot about the courses by actually outlining them myself. However finals start Dec 6 and I haven't done any practice exams yet. I just don't know if I have enough time to make 2 more outlines from scratch. As I said earlier, I have an excellent outline for one of the 2 classes (same professor and everything) from a law review student. For those of you who used old outlines instead of making your own (and were successful) what's the key to using an old outline effectively so that you learn the material just as well as if you had made it? Did you just edit the old outline with some of your own classnotes and then memorize it? Should I just suck it up and make the final 2 outlines from scratch too? Thanks in advance!

Try starting practice exams. Identify your weakness - knowing the law? issue spotting? organizing your writing? Etc.

If it's something that outlining will address, then go back and outline. If not, spend your time practicing your weakness.

spondee wrote:Try starting practice exams. Identify your weakness - knowing the law? issue spotting? organizing your writing? Etc.

If it's something that outlining will address, then go back and outline. If not, spend your time practicing your weakness.

Thanks for the advice. That's an interesting approach; I've never heard it recommended before. Take exams, see what I don't know, and then outline afterwards. How do you think I should use the old outline, or are you recommending not using it all?

BruceWayne wrote:How to use another person's outline

Read it.

Yes, fill in missing stuff from your class notes.

I pretty much ONLY used other people's outlines during 1L year. I edited some outlines with my own notes but found it unnecessary most of the time.

Read/study the outline. Then take practice tests.

I personally think making your own outline is a waste of time.

irishman86 wrote:I pretty much ONLY used other people's outlines during 1L year. I edited some outlines with my own notes but found it unnecessary most of the time.

Read/study the outline. Then take practice tests.

I personally think making your own outline is a waste of time.

+1, except to say that you should go through your own classnotes with the outline side-by-side, and supplement/condense/edit as you see fit. It's all the upside of making your own outline (namely, it forces you to review/study the material) without the annoying downsides (starting from scratch, trying to organize everything, etc.).

aschup wrote:

irishman86 wrote:I pretty much ONLY used other people's outlines during 1L year. I edited some outlines with my own notes but found it unnecessary most of the time.

Read/study the outline. Then take practice tests.

I personally think making your own outline is a waste of time.

+1, except to say that you should go through your own classnotes with the outline side-by-side, and supplement/condense/edit as you see fit. It's all the upside of making your own outline (namely, it forces you to review/study the material) without the annoying downsides (starting from scratch, trying to organize everything, etc.).

Just to add to what other ppl I've said, I've found that taking a practice exam using an old outline is also a great way to make the outline your own.