TIPS FOR HANDLING EXAMS

Savitri Taylor

latrobe.edu.au CRICOS Provider 00115M

 Pre-Exam Techniques: Preparation
o Manage stress and maintain well-being during swot vac and the exam period
E.g Create a timetable for exam preparation and include breaks for other activities
and employment commitments.

La Trobe University 2
 Pre-Exam Techniques: Preparation
o The exam is open book. However, you will not be allowed to access online resources
(other than personally owned copies of prescribed e-books) via the internet during the
exam. You’ll need to download everything you need onto a usb stick or have hard
copies to take into the exam venue.
o It is important to create notes that consolidate your knowledge of the subject
(1) Fill in gaps in your knowledge by completing any missed readings and watching
any missed videos. Make notes as you go along.
(2) Create succinct, well-organised notes for each topic which can be used easily in
the exam.

La Trobe University 3
 Pre-Exam Techniques: Preparation
o Work from general principles and rules to specific issues and exceptions to create
‘checklists’ of questions to ask when dealing with a exam problem. (Some people find
that diagrams, tables, flowcharts, mind-maps etc are also useful.)

La Trobe University 4
 Pre-Exam Techniques: Practice
o Practice involves applying what you know about the law to new fact situations.
(1) Write answers to any tutorial exercises you missed and then check answers
against the answer guides available on the subject LMS.
(2) Write answers to questions in past Final Exams and then check answers against
the answer guides available on the subject LMS.
(3) Find one or more study partners and create hypothetical problems and answer
guides for each other.

La Trobe University 5
Pre-Exam Techniques: Practice
o Work on writing strategies
 Knowing your own typing speed will help you manage time on the day.
 If necessary, practice and improve your typing speed and accuracy.

La Trobe University 6
 Pre-Exam Techniques: Practice
o Try to answer questions under exam conditions. (Among other things, this will reveal
whether your notes really are ‘exam friendly’).

La Trobe University 7
 Exam Techniques: Time Management
o Use about 30 minutes at the beginning of the exam to:
 comprehend what each question is asking you to do, clarify material facts, and
identify key legal issues
• Tip: read the whole of each question carefully, highlighting key words and
creating timelines, diagrams and flowcharts.
 plan your answers and work out time allocations.

La Trobe University 8
 Exam Techniques: Time Management
o Use the remaining time appropriately .
 In order to ensure that you have time to attempt every part of every question,
stick to your time allocations .
 Get straight to the point, i.e. write succinctly.
 Don’t waste time writing a summary of the problem facts. Identify which facts
are material to which parts of your answer and only bring up those facts while
explaining your reasoning in that particular part of your answer.
 Don’t waste time demonstrating your knowledge of law which is not directly
relevant to the legal issues raised by the problem. (It’s a waste of time because
you won’t get any marks for doing it.)
 There is no need to recount legislation and cases at length; instead explain how
the law applies to the factual situation.
 Keep writing. If you are not sure about something, move on to deal with the stuff
you know and return to it later (if there is time).

La Trobe University 9
 Exam Techniques: Content & Structure
o Keep in mind that we are not psychic. Don’t just think it; write it!
o Use headings and sub-headings to structure your answer.

o Introduction
Set out key legal issues. (Even if you run out of time to deal with all of the issues, at
least we’ll know that you did identify them and you’ll get some marks for that.)
o Body
 Issue 1
 Rule: Cite specific legal authorities (i.e. legislation and cases) wherever possible. If
the law is not certain, identify the “grey area” precisely. Indicate what you think is
the “better view” of the law and why.
 Application to facts: Spell out and support your reasoning. Push yourself to be as
explicit as possible. If you think something is obvious, then why? If something is not
clear-cut, consider arguments and counter-arguments.
 Conclusion: For each issue you discuss, give a one-sentence conclusion. If the
outcome is not clear-cut, then say so, and indicate which side you think has the
stronger argument, or what the outcome will depend on.
 Issue 2
etc
o Conclusion i.e. overall answer to question asked.
La Trobe University 10