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How to pre-write exams, and free legal research materials.

HOW TO WRITE ESSAYS AND EXAMS

1) Formulate hypothesis – what you THINK you’re going to prove – it’s just tentative at this point
2) Get about 10-20 articles and about 10 books that are relevant.
3) Read each one by one. As you read each one, hunt for quotes and citations. Copy them into a file. Make sure to get the cite for each article and book.
4) You now have compiled about 100 to 300 footnotes and have read sufficiently in the material to
5) Formulate your thesis – it may be just the same as your hypothesis (possible but unlikely, a modified version of your hypothesis (likely), or something entirely different (unlikely)
6) Write an outline of the arguments you will make in support of the thesis you will prove
7) Go back to your list of citations. Plug them into the outline at the appropriate places in the outline.
8) Write your article around your outline. It will basically write itself.
9) However reread and edit again and again to make it smooth and not look like a giant copypasta.

Exams:
Pretend your Alston (or whoever)
Write the examination you would give from the materials as if you were the teacher. You should come up with at least 3 and preferably no more than 10 sample questions
Take a break, sleep on it.
Go back to your questions. Write out a model thesis statement for each.
Take a break, sleep on it.
Go back to your thesis statements. One each day, write an outline for the thesis statement.
Then if there is time write an answer.

On the day of the exam you will have in your mind 3 to 10 well thought out answers. Fitting the questions actually asked to your pre-written answers should be child’s play.

free law sources:

http://books.google.com/

Books!

http://scholar.google.de/

Includes U.S. Case Law

http://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/free_journal_search.html
Online U.S. law reviews

http://ssrn.com/

Online law and economics working papers.

http://www.bepress.com/

Online law and economics working papers.

http://law.justia.com/

Cases and codes.

http://www.lexisweb.com/

Law reviews

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