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The Single Most Important Word in a Law School Exam Answer

November 19, 2012 By Alison Monahan Leave a Comment

WordIf you remember nothing else, remember this! There is — I kid you not — one single word that can radically transform your law school grades for the better.

What is it?

Because.

Almost Every One of You Will Be “Too Conclusory”

Almost without exception, every law student is too conclusory on exams.

Here’s the easiest way to avoid that problem: Just add “because” and keep writing.

For example:

The Court is likely to find Mr. Smith guilty of felony murder.

becomes:

The Court is likely to find Mr. Smith guilty of felony murder, because the death of a firefighter (even a negligent firefighter) is a reasonably foreseeable consequence of setting a fire.

Which of those answers is more convincing? I hope you picked the second one!

Look for the “Why?”

Answers like the first (which I see ALL the time) leaving me screaming “Why?” If you can train yourself to have the same reaction to your own writing, you’ll be well on your way to conquering the “too conclusory” demon.

  • Just remember — if you draw a conclusion, ask yourself why that’s the case. Then write “because” and the reason.

Instant GPA boost! And only one word to remember.

— – —

Want more exam help?

  • Check out Law School Exam Prep 101.

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Image by ilco via stock.xchng.


 

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About Alison Monahan

Alison Monahan is the founder of The Girl's Guide to Law School, which helps law students and prospective law students get in to law school, get through, and stay true to themselves. Alison is a graduate of Columbia Law School, where she was a member of the Columbia Law Review and served as a Civ Pro teaching assistant. You can find her on Twitter at @GirlsGuideToLS.

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