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CMLawLibraryBlog

The CM Law Library Blog seeks to inform the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law community about key legal education, research, practice, and law library news, with a particular focus on Cuyahoga County and Ohio as well as faculty research interests.

A Study Feast

Laura E. Ray, Educational Programming Librarian, laura.ray@law.csuohio.edu | December 07, 2007 - 17:32

Studying for exams may cause a lot of indigestion and heartburn, but you can minimize these ill effects by effective planning and pacing yourself. Think of studying for exams like a gourmet feast. First, find a quiet, distraction-free environment to study, as well as put work, family, and friends on notice that you're not available for awhile. Now for the first course -- an aromatic saffron shellfish bisque. Crystalize that outline you've been writing and updating all semester, which of course you were doing, right? Write a final outline or flowchart based upon your casebook, class notes, and study guides. You need to be able to recognize the issues, define and illustrate the elements of the rules, as well as explain theories, concepts, causes of action, and defenses. Break up your outline into manageable parts and schedule the memorization of those parts. Many people use flash cards. Reinforce the data on your flash cards according to your learning style -- say the words as you read them; tape record yourself reading the words and listen (perhaps while driving or commuting); or create an acronym, rhyme, or story. Second course -- grilled pineapple-glazed mahi mahi with almond couscous. While you're continuing to memorize your outline, really dig in and talk it up. Get into a study group that's committed to completing tasks, participating in discussions, and staying focused. A good study group will help you to develop analytical thinking and make you support your opinions with critically sound reasoning. If you just can't get something, take that deep breath and talk to your professor. Look at previous exams and practice taking them. Third course -- Mixed baby greens with rasberry vinaigrette. Be good to yourself and try to stay healthy. Schedule study time and recreation time. Prioritize. Do you really need to deal with that household repair or can it just wait a bit longer? Study the hardest materials when you're most alert. If possible, don't study for an upcoming exam the same day or evening you take an exam. Hang in there, and you'll reap the benefit of all your hard work. Final course -- flourless cocoa cake with mango sorbet. Enjoy -- you earned it!


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Database of Empirical Legal Studies

Sue Altmeyer, Electronic Services Librarian, sue.altmeyer@law.csuohio.edu | December 07, 2007 - 14:34

UCLA and Cornell Law Schools have joined to create a database of law journal articles that contain either original empirical research or significant analysis of data from other sources, such as census data. The ELS Bibliography contains articles dated July 2005 and later. The creators hope to add articles going back to 2005. See Database Description.


Thanks to the Law Librarian Blog for the tip.


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