AreJay711 wrote:Anyone who wants it just pm me. I'll give you a Google doc link. There might be some hot new outline but between this and the Friedenthal hornbook you should have more civ pro than you could ever want. The outline is basically everything Cooper talks about, in the order he discusses it. You'll have FYI leaders who should circulate some outlines too.
Personally, I would never make an outline this long --it is more a compilation of notes than an actual outline -- but it's a helpful study aid.
I got an A in Cooper's and I have a different opinion. I had that "outline," which is really more like a transcription. I found it and the Friedenthal hornbook to be giant wastes of time.
For whatever topic Cooper planned to cover in a week, I would listen to the relevant portions the weekend before using these two audio supplements:
http://www.amazon.com/Sum-Substance-Aud ... 466&sr=1-7
and
http://www.amazon.com/Civil-Procedure-S ... 569&sr=1-8
Hearing someone else explain the black letter law before class helped me get a lot out of Cooper's nebulous lectures. So I took notes from the audio CDs then spent class tweaking those notes, rephrasing things in Cooper's own words. After the first week I didn't touch the casebook, rather I would a bring a commercial brief to class and quickly scan the case while he lectured. Since the CDs are a few years old, this allowed me to account for any recent developments in the law (only two, IIRC). At the end of the week I did the relevant section from the E&E to drill in my understanding and make any adjustment to my outline (I didn't take notes, just put things directly into an outline, making sure to add less than 1/2 page per class).
For any topics Cooper covered with particular depth, I consulted this:
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Civi ... dure+freer
, which is much better for your purposes than the Friedenthal hornbook.
Halfway through the semester I started turning my notes into flashcards since Cooper's final is closed book, but I think that was unnecessary. Rather, use these commercial flashcards; I wish I had known about these before I made my own:
http://www.amazon.com/Law-Flash-Cards-C ... in+a+flash
At the halfway point I also started working through his practice tests (there are dozens). He'll give you a practice problem 2/3 through the semester and give you feedback on your answer. I think it's important to have done a few questions yourself before taking his practice problem.
Generally, people seem mystified by Cooper's lectures and his final exam. His lectures are very helpful if you go to class well prepared (i.e., supplements) and force yourself to listen. His final exam is a straightforward issue spotter; you don't need to do anything fancy to get an A. His exams have been the same for thirty years and they're all available. You'll be well prepared if you spend your time w/ supplements and practice problems instead or briefing from the casebook, wading through 100+ page outlines, and a hornbook which goes into more depth than any Cooper-student needs.
