-Stude
LAW STUDENT DIVISION I AM
SEPTEMBER 2010 I VOLUME
Adviser
Making smart
decisions for the
classroom
BY AMY L. JARMON
CLASSES REQUIRE
different strategies than undergraduate classes because
of format, content, and pace
differences. Law professors
rarely lecture because they expect
students to understand basic concepts during class preparation. They
may use the Socratic Method of
questioning to reveal legal analysis
and nuances. Professors also tend to
cover more material quickly.
As a result of this analysis, a student will immediately have a better
idea of the class format that will be
followed, the expectations for student preparation, the likely questions to be' asked, supplemental formats used by the professor, and the
keywords signifying important points.
Most professors folIowa pattern in their
class format
and their expectations for student
participation. Each professor will
have a personal style of teaching
reflected in these patterns. Savvy
class observation and analysis can
help students use these patterns to
their advantage.
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HERE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
FOR ANALYZING EACH CLASS fOR THE
RELEVANT PATTERNS
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8 I STUDENT LAWYER I September 201 0
Does the professor begin class
with a review of major points
from the last class?
Does the professor discuss in
minute detail or in overview?
'Does the professor expect student recitation of precise issue
and rule statements?
Does the professor expect indepth discussion of the court's
rationale?
Is policy discussion important
to the class?
Does the professor foc.us on
comments or notes at the end
of a case?
Does the professor present
students with new hypothetical fact scenarios?
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What questions does the professor ask in nearly every
class?
What key phrases does the professor use to introduce
important points?
Does the professor post PowerPoint slides before or
after class?
Does the professor use the whiteboard for illustration
purposes?
Does the professor end with a summary of the important class points?
Experiment for each class on what
works best for you. Your decisions
may vary because of professor or
course content.
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CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF NOTE-TAKING
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Once you have figured out the pattern
for a course, you can read and brief
specifically for the needs of the class.
You can also prepare for questions
ahead of time.
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THINK ABOUT THE PROfESSOR'S fORMAT AND EXPECTATIONS
BY USING THESE TIPS
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Focus your reading to address the aspects that the professor typically emphasizes and the questions typically
asked in class.
Prepare for the amount of detail that your professor
wants in student responses.
Think about and brief the cases on several levels:
U
What are the specifics for understanding this
case itself?
Cl
What are the similarities and differences among
cases if several will be discussed?
o How can the legal rules and analysis of a specific
case be used to solve future legal scenarios?
Think carefully about the editor's questions, notes, and
comments after the case and make margin notes of the
most important points.
Think about policy implications if your professor typically addresses policy.
Change the facts of the case so that you can explore
the implications from different angles.
Take a few minutes to explain the case out loud to
an empty chair-you must understand it to explain it
properly.
Outline the relevant topics and sub-topics on an index
card to clarify the structure of the material in case you
get lost during a fast-paced class.
10 I STUDENT LAWYER I September 201 0
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Make a conscious decision about handwriting or typing class notes. Verbal learners may learn better by
handwriting their notes while kinesthetic-tactile learners may learn better by typing.
Consider formatting your brief and notes for a case on
the same page. Use the left third of the page for your
brief. Use the remaining two-thirds of the page as your
note-taking area. This method will help you avoid duplicating what is already correct in your brief and will facilitate later analysis of any errors that were in your brief.
Evaluate your professor's PowerPoint slides. Will they
be available before or after class? Will they form the
base for your notes or supplement your notes? Do they
cover all the key points or serve merely as a springboard to classroom discussion?
Include the essentials in your notes: rules; exceptions
to rules; jurisdictional variations of rules; tests; steps
of analysis; cautions about common student errors;
hypothetical examples; and summaries of key points.
Determine whether any of the computer software
options for organizing your briefs and class notes are
helpful to you. Many students use OneNote and other
software products.
Adopt consistent abbreviations and symbols for legal
terms as well as common words. A shorthand system
saves lots of time in note-taking.
STAY
ENGAGED IN
THEClASS
RATHER
THAN ZONE
OUT
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Active listeners have increased focus,
understanding, and recall.
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YOU CAN GAIN MORE FROM CLASS TIME
USING THE FOLLOWING TECHNIOUES
Think while you listen rather than passively transcribing
every word. Actively decide what to include or exclude
in note-taking.
Listen for clues to important information: "As I mentioned earlier.... " "Remember that the three steps
are .... " "The policy implication is .... "
Use your computer only for notes and class-related
items. Avoid computer distractions such as Facebook,
online shopping, IM-ing, or e-mailing.
Answer the professor's questions silently in your head
whenever another student recites. Compare your answers to that student's responses and consider the
professor's feedback.
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Volunteer to answer questions if appropriate. You will
often learn more if you are involved in the discussion.
Mark any places in your notes where you were 90nfused or missed part of the discussion. Return to those
sections later to clarify or expand your notes.
DO NOT
CHECK YOUR
COMMON
SENSEATTHE
CLASSROOM
DOOR
a
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for later outlining, and highlight questions you need to
get answered.
Consider asking permission to tape a class you find
difficult. Instead of listening to an entire lecture again,
fast-forward to parts where you became confused or
missed what the professor said.
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WEIGH THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS
TO MAKE SOUND CLASSROOM AND
NOTE-TAKING DECISIONS
a
Prepare for class carefully even if
you will not have to recite. The best
grades go to students with deep understanding of the material. If you skimp on prepara~
tion, your understanding will be minimal.
Do not forfeit possible class participation points. Professors often "bump up" student grades or assign a
percentage of the grade for participation.
Avoid class "scripts" by prior students in the course.
You will be less actively engaged in the class if you do
not take your own notes.
Pay attention to anything the professor writes on the
whiteboard. If it was important enough to write on the
whiteboard, you should include it in your notes.
Review your class notes within 24 hours. Fill in gaps,
reorganize jumbled notes, summarize the major points
American Bar Association I www.abanet.orgllsd
Think while you listen rather
than passively trans(ribin~
0
every word.
Law school classes require consistent dedication. You
need to prepare well and also stay focused during class.
In addition, you need to review regularly after the class
is over. ~1.
Amy L. Jarmon (amy.jarmon@ttu.edu), assistant dean for academic
success programs at Texas Tech University School of Law, is a professor and coeditor ofthe Law School Academic Support Blog. She has
practiced law in the United States and the United Kingdom.
September 201 0 I STUDENT LAWYER I 11