When it comes to preparing for law exams, you could say it is like going into the wilderness unprepared. The question could be posed, however: How prepared would one go into the wilderness? This will no doubt depend on your experience and the climate of the environment you would be confronted with out there in nature. For instance, going camping may require fewer tools than building a log cabin would.
What does this mean for your law exams? Well, everything is within reach of the human mind, which implies that if you are going to apply yourself adequately to passing your law exam, preparation is not only essential – it is paramount. When we look at preparation in the law, we can see that it is more about being well-versed with example questions and answers than it is about reading the textbook word for word. That said, you could argue that this is a case of law and not biology or some other “hard science”.
Because constitutional law is such a weird subject in the sense that it requires you to apply the legal principles to real-life situations that involve a number of potential aspects, this is why you need to be all the more prepared and adequately equipped with an arsenal of example questions and answers.
Think about it: When it comes to constitutional law, the types of questions you can be asked in an exam can really run the full spectrum. You could be asked a very broad question about the content or history of a certain aspect of the constitution, or you could be asked what the jurisprudence of a specific case is, followed by some expert-level analysis, discussion, and critique. This is exactly why example questions are so important for preparing for your constitutional law exam.
Now, what most people don’t understand about example questions when it comes to law is that they are not only used to prepare for the actual exam. They are also analysed and discussed to gain a better insight into what the majority or minority view on a specific piece of legislation or a court case is, so that you can form your own opinion and also give it the right amount of weight when writing your answer.
This should give you an indication of how important it is to become involved with the law by gaining the right kinds of experience in the subject matter.
Of course, the reason why example questions are so valuable when preparing is also because they can be strategically used depending on your study routine and meticulous marks law exam as possible. This means that mastering the art of finding and using example questions and answers can sometimes be more of a competitive advantage than being able to find the best type of machete and cut through the jungle. But just like with effective bush crafting, the right type of equipment can make all the difference.
Here are a few more tips for acing your constitutional law exam in an economical way: Avoid answering questions that you are unfamiliar with. After all, what can you say on something you have not practiced for, and can you really trust your own memory enough to make it worth your while? It is recommended that you become proficient in all topics presented in the lecture, even if in exam scenarios not all topics pop up every time. Make it clear in your answer who the proponents of or the opposition to a certain concept are, and what the ramifications of that opinion are. Would it be a bad thing if law in South Africa allows for social law to be controlled by the liberal property regime (for example), or would it bolster our democracy? We need to show both sides of the coin and the implications of both arguments in our answer. Last but perhaps the most important tool in the box when it comes to writing a constitutional law exam: eye your accuracy. You can easily lose marks in the written portion of the exam. Show the skills you have and be precise.
