Prof. Peter Sankoff shares top test-taking tips for law students

This exam season, law students will be armed with tried and true strategies for taking exams, thanks to tips from University of Alberta Faculty of Law Professor Peter Sankoff.

Sankoff shared his best advice for what law students should keep in mind now that the exam period is underway.

Read the questions carefully (and correctly)

“You don’t get to answer the question you want to answer,” said Sankoff. “You must answer the question asked.”

Sankoff adds that relying too heavily on past exams can be a disadvantage as it may inadvertently cause students to answer the question they reviewed, not the question in front of them.

Write with purpose

“The best answers are structured to show the reader that the answer will progress in a logical manner from A, to B, to C,” said Sankoff. “In other words, as much as you can, try to make your exam answers like a factum or a brief.”

The time pressure of exams can prompt some students to start writing right away without a carefully planned answer. While the content matters, how you get there can translate into higher marks, said Sankoff.

Never “splatter”

“The goal is never (to) provide everything you know about a particular topic, relevant or not. Part of legal reasoning is (for you) to decide what is relevant and what isn’t.”

Being a good lawyer means determining what matters; that is also true of good test-taking, said Sankoff. Tangential discussions can obscure a good answer.

State and know your authority

“Be sure that any major assertions you make are supported by an authority you covered in class. More importantly, be absolutely sure you understand what the authority does and doesn’t stand for.”

Know the cases covered in your class like the back of your hand, said Sankoff, and ensure you understand which core propositions come from them.

Follow the exam format requested

“Write answers in the specific form requested by the professor, because we're trying to see how you perform particular tasks. Ignore these instructions at your peril.”

While some questions may direct students to "answer the question," other questions may ask for a particular perspective — "act as articling student for the Crown and suggest ways to strengthen the position on X" — or stance.

Students who do not respond to the format that is requested inevitably lose points in their response.

WHAT TO DO AFTER THE EXAM:

Reflect

“Think about what you did, what you didn’t do, and what you might want to change in (the) future,” said Sankoff. “I always ask (students) to reflect on what they did for the entire period of September to December.”

Reflecting on preparation and study techniques once the exam period is over offers an opportunity to grow.

“The struggle to do better in law school is part of what will, ultimately, make you a good lawyer,” said Sankoff. “The best lawyers struggle, self-reflect, and are always trying to improve — and so do the best law students.”