In fairness, you have to learn things off by heart - i.e. what the cases are about. Like you need to know off heart that there are a few cases which differentiate between an offer and an inv. To treat. Where people go wrong is just throwing down words learned off by heart without applying the law to the question and the examiner just sees paper after paper that is the same.
I always learned off material by heart - i.e. my own notes, but the exam was about applying it in a sensible fashion. Always was envious of people who didn't have to do this. Brian GCD -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Denham Legend Sent: 04 November 2009 12:17 To: FE-1 Study Group Subject: Re: Post FE1 Blues Hey Rose, I take your point that learning answers through memorization is not the most productive way of preparing. As in your advice, and where I would heartily agree, is that practicing past questions is key. And, by practice, I mean producing your own answer to the question (not timed to 35 mins or anything like that). Actually getting an answer fully completed takes me ages. In fact, I find it very difficult to avoid just figuring out what chapter it is from and reading that chapter for a few hours. But once I've actually finished an answer its all internalized (and lots more besides) and memorization seems unneccesary. Having said that, I'm sure memorization will seem very necessary come next March :) PS Nice to see you are shooting for the stars Rose, but I'd be happy with the moon. 50% is all the battle. Anything after that is just time I could have been in the pub :) On Nov 3, 7:13 pm, Rose Marie Zadorojny Vilella <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm not so sure about "learning answers". Ok, if it works for you, then > that's fine. But would you not be so much better off by trying to learn the > principles? Always, for me, the principles come first. If I don't understand > the principle, I haven't grasped it, and if I can't grasp it, I can't apply > it to anything and it is utterly uselsess. You can learn an answer relating > to a certain topic. However, that topic can be examined in a number of ways. > The examiner can put different spins on one same topic, and so your > memorised answer will not always tackle the question, and then you get no > marks. > > I don't know how I did in these exams, but I did walk out of the exams > fairly pleased (I've been told by many people that you shouldn't "get your > hopes up" as you "never know what to expect" with these exams. It might be > true, but I'm trying to put that advice out of my mind). > > If it is of any use to you (and I'm hoping any input is of use to you, > whether it is becuase you agree and take the advice, or whether you decide > it does not work for you and discard it), the way I studied was like this: > > 1. Firstly, I prioritised topics. Whether you go for a trusted lecturer's > advice, or whether you go on your own gut is really up to you. But if you > are tight for time, prioritise. By thinking you can tackle everything when > you reasonably cannot, you will waste valuable time. You should focus your > energy on what you think might come up. Then, if you have time leftover, > study the rest, or as much as you can. > > 2. After every chapter, I would answer about 4 different questions, just to > practice. I would make sure each question was different (maybe one or two > types of essays, different types of problem questions - I prefer problem > questions and so I usually focus on them), doing the best I could to tackle > all (or most) areas of the chapter just studied. I think there is a big > difference between that and simply learning answers to questions first. If > you do not have time to answer questions at the end of studying a chapter, > and you decide to move on to the next chapter, at the very least you will > have learnt principles, and those must get you *somewhere*! If you > *truly *understand > them, you will be able to apply them to any question, and the examiner will > see that you have understood the principles. Obviously, the more you study, > the better you will do. But I think the importance of focusing on principles > and main concepts and definitions cannot be stressed. > > Anyway, take whichever advice makes more sense to you, and I really hope you > do well. > > [Denham Legend.. would 50% not be half the battle, rather than 25%?! Haha! > (insert nerdy chuckle here)]. > > > > On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 3:30 PM, Denham Legend <[email protected]> wrote: > > > LawGeek, > > > Whatever of your certainty you did not get 3 in your first outing you > > are now in a much stronger position then you were 2 months ago. For > > most of us, the FE1s are unlike any kind of exam we have taken before > > and many of us are taken aback by how difficult we find them. I know I > > was (with half still to go). > > > Your strength, at this stage, is that you know what to expect. I wish > > I had one secret to them for you but why don't you start with learning > > answers that you find acceptable to the exams you've just taken? You > > might find that that alone gets you up to 25% of the next paper (and, > > sure, that's half the battle). > > > On Oct 11, 7:01 pm, "Brian Foley BL" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > They are big but they now include (a) diagrams (b) key points re-stated > > (c) > > > wider margins and (d) bigger text. Don't let the size put you off! > > > > Sure look at the size of Kelly's Irish Constitution! > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [email protected] > > > > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of LawGeek > > > Sent: 11 October 2009 19:55 > > > To: FE-1 Study Group > > > Subject: Re: Post FE1 Blues > > > > Thanks for all your help guys. > > > > Ruddy, with regard to your post, I was at the RDS at 5:30am before > > > each exam, not 8am!! I wish I could have walked up with ipod in ears > > > and be confident, unlike the way I was!! > > > > I am going to attend the Griffith FE1 Prep. Course from November 'til > > > March, hope it will be of some assistance! The manuals are HUGE > > > though! > > > > On Oct 11, 7:33 pm, Ruddy <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > > I think Moderator is completely on point with regard to 'learning off' > > > > rather than simply reading. Learning the topics in your manuals or > > > > notes whilst keeping in mind what they are asking is really seems to > > > > make stuff easier. > > > > > Look, I sat four in April and failed with all in the low 40's. I > > > > completely underestimated the exams and the breadth of what you had to > > > > know. At Queens I remember learning evidence in less than a week and > > > > passing it. This is a fatal attitude to take towards these exams. I > > > > walked out of the exams in April felling really sketchy and low and > > > > behold I turned out to be right I failed. This time I walked out calm > > > > and alot more positive. > > > > > I studied on my own using Griifith manuals. I done the mind mapping > > > > thing with skeleton notes. Bought a small A5 notebook for each > > > > subject and just learnt and learnt. I also done past papers, > > > > answering them with the manuals AND the examiner reports. So for > > > > exampe, in contract if she said something like; 'this was a challening > > > > question with elements of offer and acceptance, estoppel, > > > > consideration, unilateral contracts, statute of frauds'.....I would > > > > then go answer the question making sure all these elements were > > > > included in my answer. Then Go learn the answer. > > > > > Having pre-prepared answers is however not an excuse simply to vomit > > > > it out when you see a question to which you think something you > > > > prepared might fit. You still must apply what you have learnt that is > > > > relevant. Doing the past papers though gives you a good sense of how > > > > to answer, so when you do have a question infornt of you the > > > > examiner's words from the report should be in your head, and you will > > > > be able to approach the question with what they want in mind... > > > > > Listen this is not gospel, My results are now in the hands of someone > > > > else, but by using the methods Moderator and I have found useful, I > > > > was able to walk up to the exam in the morning with a coffee in hand, > > > > my ipod in my ears, completely relaxed, instead of being there from 8 > > > > in the morning freaking out with my notes in hand. > > > > > Thats my 50 p anyway...hope u do better than you though and If not > > > > hope this is of some use. These things are sent to try us!!! > > > > > On Oct 11, 1:32 pm, Moderator <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Not sure why my name is coming up as Moderator... > > > > > > On Oct 11, 1:31 pm, Moderator <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > There isn't really any secret to passing... in fact, the main one > > is > > > > > > not a secret at all - you have to cover anything. > > > > > > > Second is, cover everything IN LINE with previous exam questions - > > > > > > its > > > > > > boring and tedious to go through them, but it has to be done. Its > > not > > > > > > enough to say Defamation came up frequently and so learn all > > > > > > Defamation, you have to see the slant that is most regularly put on > > > > > > it. To my mind, this is whats missing when people look at the grids > > - > > > > > > they see what topics are asked frequently, and so learn the chapter > > - > > > > > > but they don't look at the questions to see the slant. There is no > > > > > > science to this - all you need to is read the questions and reports > > > > > > before you study the chapter - things you might have not bothered > > > > > > with > > > > > > then leap out at you. > > > > > > > Third, is constant revision. For my first few exams i read the > > > > > > chapter, did my notes... and done.. until exam time. Not enough. As > > > > > > laborious as sounds (and often time you feel like you are wasting > > > > > > time > > > > > > because there is some 'new' topic waiting to be done), its vital. > > Do > > > > > > not 'do' a chapter, and then not look at again till two days > > before. > > > > > > Its amazing what a bit of quick but constant revision does. I found > > > > > > this really hard to do, but definitely worth it. > > > > > > > On Oct 11, 7:43 am, Rose Marie <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > You shouldn't feel bad after the exams. You might have done much > > > > > > > better than you think! I know a lot of people who thought they > > had > > > > > > > failed but ended up passing (usually, with higher marks than they > > > had > > > > > > > originally expected!). You can hardly ever tell for sure whether > > you > > > > > > > passed or failed... . In any case, there is no point in dwelling > > on > > > it > > > > > > > now!!! I'm sure you did the best you could and even if you do > > fail > > > > > > > (which you should not think about now, anyway), you should be > > safe > > > in > > > > > > > the knowledge that you've worked very hard and that you've given > > it > > > a > > > > > > > good go. > > > > > > > > Hope you pass!! > > > > > > > Rose > > > > > > > > On Oct 8, 11:32 pm, LawGeek <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hi guys > > > > > > > > > I have just sat my first four FE1 exams and I am certain that I > > > did > > > > > > > > not get the required 3 in order to "pass". > > > > > > > > > How do you get over the depression of knowing you have to start > > > from > > > > > > > > scratch again in a few months time?! > > > > > > > > > WHAT IS THE SECRET TO PASSING THESE EXAMS?!?!?- Hide quoted > > text - > > ... > > read more »- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - No virus found in this incoming message. 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