THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS PROGRAMS
WEEKLY STUDY TIPS FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 20TH
Dr. Amy L. Jarmon, Assistant Dean for Academic Success Programs
Do you remember reading Aesop’s Fables as a child or teen? Each brief story had a
moral to teach its reader. It occurred to me that some of the fables have implications for
law school. Here are some fables retold for law students:
The Ant and the Grasshopper:
The Ant works all semester long at studying for exams and spends hours reviewing
knowledge to store it away in long-term memory. The busy ant reads for every class,
reviews before class, makes personal outlines, goes to the professors with questions,
reviews all outlines regularly, and practices many questions to apply the material.
The Grasshopper visits with friends over long lunches and dinners, goes away on
weekend trips for fun, spends hours on weight training, attends a variety of
organizational meetings, and volunteers for multiple committees. Having been called on
for the semester quota in all classes, Grasshopper merely scan reads the cases for
class. Grasshopper delays outlining because it is such drudgery.
In October, Grasshopper sees Ant in the library yet another day. “Why do you toil so
diligently on learning the law, Ant?” “Because I want to understand and remember what
I learn, Grasshopper.” “But that is so much work, Ant. Surely, you are overdoing it! I
shall enjoy the semester far more than you and still have time for learning closer to
exams .”
Ant has reviewed all but a few days of new material when the exam period begins.
There is plenty of time for more practice questions. Ant is not stressed because the
work has been done over several months. Ant gets A and B grades on the exams.
When Grasshopper gets to exam period, a frightening amount of material is still
unlearned. Grasshopper is anxious in the exams and cannot remember some rule
variations because short-term memory is fuzzy. Grasshopper cannot choose the “best”
answer because the nuances are beyond his understanding. Grasshopper gets only
low C grades and mourns that “The Great Middle of the Class” will be his eternal
destiny.
Moral: The law student who works hard throughout the semester will reap rewards
including less stress. The law student who plays away the days will reap lower grades
than could have been earned with diligence. (Procrastinators can morph into consistent
studiers by changing study habits.)
The Tortoise and the Hare:
Tortoise methodically thinks about every question and topic: considering the rules for
each issue, laying out every step, and providing relevant details to analysis. Tortoise
often answers questions in class slowly. Tortoise mulls over remarks in study group
and is never quick to answer. Tortoise sometimes worries because the Hares seem so
adept in class or study group when answering questions.
Hare can think on his feet adroitly and is never at a loss in class when called upon by
the professor. Hare gets to the point rapidly without wasting words or time on aspects
that seem unimportant. Hare is often perplexed why Tortoise is so slow when the
answers seem so obvious. Occasionally Hare is asked by the professor for more
information, but Hare has never actually been wrong on an answer.
Exam period arrives at last. Tortoise carefully reads the instructions, reads each word
of each fact pattern, and takes time to make an “outline” of each answer before writing.
Tortoise allots the maximum time for each question and moves to the next question
when that time is up. Tortoise stays to the end of the exam and finishes with only
minutes to spare.
Hare ignores the instructions, sizes up the fact patterns quickly, and begins writing
furiously within minutes of reading a fact pattern. Without making many notes, Hare
juggles all of the rules and facts in his head. Hare sees that the issues and analysis are
obvious for the right conclusions. Although it is a four-hour exam, Hare crosses the
finish line in a mere 2 1/2 hours. Looking around the room after turning in the exam,
Hare is astonished that nearly everyone else is still writing furiously. Hare chuckles,
congratulates himself on his right answers, and leaves the room.
When grades come back, Hare is startled to receive only low C grades. During exam
reviews, Hare finds out that the model answers have more detail, give in-depth analysis,
and are more organized. The professor’s comments on the exam indicate that Hare’s
answers were “conclusory” without sufficient analysis and that Hare did not use the
format in the instructions. And, to Hare’s astonishment, his “right” conclusion received
only one point.
Moral: The highest grades do not always go to the swift in exams or those who are
most adept in class. To do well on exams, a law student must read the instructions,
spot the issues, state the law accurately, connect the dots in organized analysis, and
use relevant details and facts. (Students who are too quick off the mark can learn how
to correct exam-taking errors with new strategies.)
The Cat and the Fox:
Cat is known for adaptability, but lives day by day and task by task. Cat reads all the
cases, takes notes, outlines material, and talks with the professor. Cat always attempts
to understand material by thinking about the cases, the sub-topics, and the topics.
When perplexed, Cat draws down from the OASP library shelves one study aid on the
subject to gain more understanding. Sometimes Cat uses a different series to help with
studying, but realizes that study aids are supplements to his learning. After additional
reading and pondering, Cat goes to the professor if still confused. Cat thinks and thinks
about the material read and discussed. After time, Cat smiles and nods his head in
understanding.
Fox is known for being one of the most clever, but always seeks another option. Fox
reads the canned briefs, uses a class script, uses outlines guaranteed to be from A
students, and never meets with the professor. Fox avoids personally thinking about the
cases, the sub-topics, and the topics whenever possible. Fox goes to the OASP library
shelves and pulls down several different study aids explaining the subject. If those
study aids do not state the answers, Fox pulls down more study aids. Soon Fox is
surrounded by study aids but does not know any more than when the first was used.
Fox is disgruntled that nothing states exactly what to know and how to know it. After
time, Fox fumes and shakes his head in disgust.
One day Cat and Fox are seated next to each other in the student lounge. “Do you
understand Topic X, Cat?” “Why, yes, I do. X means….” “But I have scanned multiple
study aids without understanding X! How did you understand it?” Cat mulls over the
question and responds, “I only have one way to learn and that is to think, and mull over,
and ponder. Even with other resources, I still must do the laborious thinking to make
the knowledge my own.”
Moral: Having multiple resources will do a law student no good if one’s natural
intelligence to think about the material is ignored. Study aids are useful supplements to
help in thinking, but one must still do independent thinking to learn. Use study aids
wisely. Avoid shortcuts that undermine thinking. (Students do not have to settle for
shortcuts and can achieve more successful strategies.)