Preparing for Law School Exams
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Materials in Room A066
Located on the Atrium Level of the Law Library, the Professional and Study Skills Collection in Room A066 brings together an array of study aids, legal research and writing texts, materials about succeeding in law school, as well as materials to help you explore careers. All materials in Room A066 may be checked out.
Study Aids
Our Study Aids Guide lists selected study aids alphabetically by subject, tells how to find more study aids on a topic and describes the various types of study aids: hornbooks, nutshells, audio CDs, "Examples and Explanations" series and more.
Books on Taking Exams
Here are a few examples of the many exam preparation books available in the Law Library.
- Law School Exams: Preparing and Writing to Win / by Charles R. Calleros KF283 .C35 2007
- Mastering the law school exam : a practical blueprint for preparing and taking law school exams Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus KF283 .D37 2007
- Reading Like a Lawyer: Time-Saving Strategies for Reading Law Like and Expert / by Ruth Ann McKinney KF283 .M398 2005
- Succeeding in Law School / by Herbert N. Ramy KF 283 .R36 2006
- Writing Essay Exams to Succeed Not Just to Survive / by John C. Dernbach KF 283 .D47 2007
- Exam skills [sound recording] : essay writing / by Steven Bracci KF285.Z9 B73 1996
Past Ohio Bar Exams
Some professors recommend using past Ohio Bar Exams and Outline of Subjects Tested on Essay Portion of Ohio Bar Examination by the Ohio Board of Bar Examiners to study for law school exams. Both are available at the Law Library's Information Services desk.
Past Exams Given
The Law Library has an extensive collection of past exams online and in print. The collection consists of the actual exams given to students in previous years. Whether and which exams to post online is at the discretion of the individual professor. Some professors choose not to have their exams placed online. If you cannot find an exam for a particular professor, please check the Exam Index at the Information Services desk. An exam may be available in hardcopy which you can photocopy. Exams circulate for a two hour loan period within the Law Library.
Helpful Web Sites
- CALI Lessons offer the opportunity to review a subject in tutorial format and augment your own class notes and outlines. On the CALI Legal Concepts & Skills page, there are a number of CALI lessons geared toward test-taking and law school success, for example:
Advice to a 1L from a Law Professor
How to Brief A Case
Preparing for Your First Semester of Law School
Tips for Multiple Choice Exams
Top 10 Tips for Successfully Writing a Law School Essay
- Lexis Nexis Study Aids provides leads to in-depth study materials and includes several area of law outlines.
- Findlaw provides links to outlines and exams on the web organized by topic.
- The Jurist web site provides links to law school exam study guides as well as online exams.
Exam Taking Tips
Consider some good advice from the following:
- C-M Law Professor Deborah Geier's Exam Taking Tips
- Writing Law Examinations Professor John H. Langbein, Yale Law School
- Using Study Aids in Law School by Professor Joyce Savio Herleth, Director of Academic Support at Saint Louis University School of Law. A review and critique of commercial study aids and suggestions on how to use them.
- Study Tips from the Top Students also from the Academic Support web page at Saint Louis University School of Law.
Extended Hours and Study Rooms
The Law Library is open extended hours during reading and exam periods.
There are eleven group study rooms located throughout the Law Library for use by law students. To reserve a study room, please stop by the Information Services Desk . Group study rooms are for two or more persons and may be reserved for three continuous hours per day. Reservations may be made in person up to 72 hours in advance and 24 hours in advance by phone (216-687-2250).