As an law student, the pressure of exams can be overwhelming. However, being aware of the common mistakes law students make during exams and what you can do to avoid them can dramatically increase your marks. In today’s blog post, we sharing some of the most common mistakes students make in their law exams, and what you can do to avoid these:
Read the Question
Ok, duh, read the question right?! But you may be surprised that one of the most common mistakes law students make during exams is not reading the question carefully. It is so easy to allow the exam jitters to take control, and skim through the question rather than properly reading it, meaning that you fail to fully understand the question being asked. not reading the question means that you are likely to provide irrelevant information in your answer, answer a completely different question, or miss a key point meaning half of your answer is incorrect… all of which can result in a lower grade. To avoid this, take your time reading the question and make sure you understand what is being asked before answering. Make sure that you read the question twice to make absolutely sure you are answering the right question - remember that a minute or two spent on this will save you so much more time than the time you waste when you realise halfway through the question that you need to backtrack.
Answer the Question
Another obvious point here, but generally the biggest They often provide irrelevant information in their answers, which can result in a lower grade.
Break down the question into smaller parts and focus on answering each part separately. Highlight keywords or information in the question and make a note of anything you want to include in your answer (e.g. key case or legislation).
To avoid this, ensure that your answer is directly related to the question being asked. Make sure you understand the key words in the question and provide specific examples to support your answer. This will demonstrate to the examiner that you have a clear understanding of the subject matter.
ManagE YOUR Time
Managing time effectively is essential during exams. You do not want to allow yourself to run out of time. Exams are specifically designed to ensure that it is possible to get all the marks in the time given (even if it doesn’t feel like that!), but to achieve this you have to be concise and clear with your answers. Examiners are looking to see that you understand the key points of the topic, not that you can write a really beautiful essay.
Make sure that you are aware of your timings before going into the exam, so you don’t need to waste time in the exam figuring this out. Take the total marks of the exam and divide it by the number of minutes available. For example, a 90-minute long exam where 100 marks are available means that you need to aim for 1 mark every 0.9 minutes (or 10 marks in 9 minutes). To avoid running out of time, prioritize the questions you need to answer and make sure you don't spend too much time on any one question. Create a plan and stick to it, this will help you to manage your time and make sure you can answer all the questions.
GO IN PREPARED
Many students go into exams without sufficient preparation, which can result in poor performance. To avoid this, make sure you are well prepared by studying and reviewing the material in advance. Create a study schedule and stick to it, this will help you to keep track of what you need to study and make sure you have enough time to cover all the material.
Review Your Work
Another common mistake LLB students make is not reviewing their work before turning it in. This can result in errors that can lower your grade. To avoid this, take the time to review your work and check for errors before turning it in. This will give you the opportunity to catch any mistakes and make corrections before the exam is over.