OASP STUDY TIPS FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 8, 2004
Dr. Amy L. Jarmon, Assistant Dean for Academic Success Programs
Here are some things to keep in mind as you continue to work on your outlines
for each course.








View your outline as your master document for studying. Your notes
and briefs go “on the shelf” once you have outlined a section. Your
casebook is no longer your focus for completed sections.
Make sure your outline takes a “top down” approach. The outline
should encompass the overview of the course rather than “everything said
or read” during the semester. Main essentials include: rules, definitions of
elements, hypos of when the rule/element is met and not met, policy,
arguments that can be used, and/or reasoning that courts use.
Cases are usually mere vehicles for information unless they are
“big” cases. Cases generally convey the main essentials that you need
for your outline and are not the focus. You usually need to remember only
the “big” cases for a course by name. Constitutional Law and Criminal
Procedure (and other courses heavy on U.S. Supreme Court cases) are
exceptions because nearly all cases read are “big” cases.
Condense before you outline. If you include “everything said or read” in
your outline, you will need to condense in stages to get to the main
essentials that you actually need for the exam. If you condense before
you outline a section, you will save time later.
Use visuals when possible. If you learn visually, then avoid a thousand
words when appropriate and use a diagram, table, flowchart, mind map or
other visual presentation for the same information.
Review your outline regularly. You want to be learning your outline as
well as writing it. The world’s best outline will not help you if you do not
have time to learn it before the exam.
Condense your outline to one piece of paper as a checklist. A
checklist includes only the topics and sub-topics. Use acronyms tied to
funny stories to help you remember the checklist. Write the checklist on
scrap paper once the exam begins. For an open-book exam, it starts
your outline.
Finish your outlines before Thanksgiving. If you have all but the last
few classes summarized in your outlines before Thanksgiving, you will
have more time to review. And, you will enjoy the holiday more.