Writing Take Home Exams!

							Writing Take Home Exams!

      Some Thoughts
       Gillian Calder
                   Agenda

1. Few Caveats
2. Why a Take Home Exam?
3. Just Another Day at the Shop: Exams in Context
4. A Duck is a Duck (Or How is the Take Home
   Exam Different?)
5. Three Big Tips
6. Over to You…
                  Objectives

   demystify
   basic strategies and tips
   challenges and pitfalls
   brainstorm
                 Caveats*
*(fancy Latin word meaning academics always
  start presentations with apologies)

• different professors, different views
• talking vs. doing
    Why a Take Home Exam?
1. What scares us most about exams?

2. You think that’s scary?
    a. Gillian’s torts exam story
    b. Gillian’s admin law exam story
   Just Another Day at the Shop
 (Or Putting Law School Exams into
              Context)
• continuation of the law school enterprise
• go into that room by yourself for three hours
  with a pencil
• application of legal principles to new facts
• putting your skills to work
   What Does a Take Home Exam
              Test?
 is prepping for exams what you do in the
  two week period before exams? -- no!
 best learning is deep learning
 testing what you have learned by:
  – going to class
  – reading
  – organizing
  – applying and practising
A Duck is a Duck (Or How is the
  Take Home Exam Different)
        Are the Types of Questions
                 Different?
 no!

 evaluating your learning
 knowledge questions
 application questions

   identify the issue;
   identify the authority
   look at both sides
   come to a conclusion
        Are the Expectations of my
           Professors Different?
 no!

 have you thought about and learned the
  material?
 pay attention to pages/word count
 more reflection; less clutter
        Do I Prepare Differently?
 no!

   study for exam with questions in hand
   use time wisely
   make sure notes are complete
   focus on synthesis
   remain curious
    Do I Write the Exam Differently?
 no!
 (o.k., that’s a small lie)

   goal: demonstrate your knowledge
   read carefully, reflect
   answer only the question asked
   pay attention to word count/page limit
   re-read; review
   set aside pure writing time
   re-read; reflect
   edit
   sleep; eat; stick to your schedule
           Three Big Tips


1. Prepare an Outline
2. Organize Your Answer
3. Think Ahead
 Prepare an Outline: Or Getting All
            the Marks

1. Get a feel for the exam: value
2. Jotting: don’t lose your thoughts
3. Focus on the question: answer the
   question asked
4. Make an outline
5. Double check: go back to the question
    Organize: Or don’t lose marks
     because you didn’t organize
1. Answer the question
2. Be concise
3. Keep your analysis of an issue in one
   place: Ha!
4. Use a sensible framework
5. Clearly identify your issues
6. Write to space allocated
              Plan Ahead

1. The dog ate my computer won’t fly
2. Common pitfalls are the same
Over to you…
Thanks and Best of Luck!!!
We are all in this together.