2011 Legal Studies

[eeps]

I was just wondering, since the Legal Studies exam finished today, how people studied for Legal throughout the year?

I'm doing Unit 2 Legal now and am finding it quite easy. I haven't really got below 90% on any test or exam throughout the year. My main queries are:

- How to revise for Legal? (i.e. would that just involve knowing the textbook "inside and out"?)
- Is it hard to do well in Legal? (i.e. get over 40 raw?)
- Needing a tutor for Legal?

My last question is: Should I be expecting a hard exam next year, considering the feedback on this year's exam? (i.e. most thought it was easy.)

Cheers. =)

[scottlyons]

This may not help, but for me I had an awesome teacher who revised with us and made us heaps of booklets etc and went over everything about 5 times. I opened my textbook once for the entire year. So im not saying to do that but I think mostly teachers notes are generally better than textbook notes as they are simpler and usually have key words which are found in exams. But yeah from the marks it sounds like you will do really well. Just revise well for each sac and then once you come back to it at the end of the year it should all be there still without having to relearn it all. And i wouldn't worry too much about the difficulty of the exam. If you know your stuff you will be right no matter what 

[Hellhole]

- How to revise for Legal? (i.e. would that just involve knowing the textbook "inside and out"?)
I basically took the study guide and broke it into the outcomes, using them as headings and writing notes on each part. Worked for me. Knowing the textbook helps, but applying it is better. Considering the outline will change next year, it'll be different for you: apparently it's more about applying than the knowledge of the textbook, etc.

- Is it hard to do well in Legal? (i.e. get over 40 raw?)
I wouldn't know. Don't get my results until December 13th (my 18th birthday, coincidently). If you get above 90% now, you should do well next year. It is just about expanding on the knowledge you learnt this year.

- Needing a tutor for Legal?
No, just make notes on what you learn every week, so you can summarise them at the end of year exam. Tutors can help, but they might be really limited. I'm not sure - never used a tutor.

[andy456]

Hmm you might be in for a hard exam if you extrapolate the pattern... This year was easy so you 'should' be up for a hard one next year. But then again the study design is changing and normally whenever that one happens the first exam is generally 'easy'. However i have heard that the changes are only very slight so therefore you may be up for a hard exam.....

So basically you cant predict it its too hard to guess, just be prepared for anything....

A tutor may be good if your looking for a higher score or struggling with a concept... A tutor maybe able to get you into the mindset of writing what you need to write to get the marks..... (If i get high enough holla at me )

Legal is basically rememberising lots and lots and lots of material.... if you've got a solid memory and like giving your opinion you'll probably do well

[flash36]

Just summarise content and learn it back to front.

Also, get a copy of Legal Notes for next year, it will be a new book because of the new study design, but compared to the textbook we had, Legal Notes is so comprehensive and clear. It also has all the case examples you'll need.

[chrisjb]

Most important thing I used this year was a bookmark, which had the key knowledge of Unit 3 on one side, and the key knowledge of unit 4 on the other side (broken up firstly into AOS's, then into dotpoints)... My teacher made each of us one (she was a killer teacher), but it wouln't be too dificult to make one yourself. Use it in whatever textbook you use next year (i put it in where we were up to in class, so I always new the area of the book to turn to) and that way you can see exactly what you have to learn by just looking at the bookmark... Also, make sure you laminate it.

You don't need a tutor for legal. I tried having one just to help me for exam revision and only lasted one session, because once you understand the basic concepts, you are able to go off by yourself and find real world examples that relate to those concepts... Also, It's a subject where your textbook is your next best friend.

should you expect a hard exam? That's what a lot of us were thinking after last year's exam (prety much as easy as this years)... You just can't tell with the VCAA.

That's my advice.

[eeps]

Thanks for the advice guys! =)

[nabbiechan]

How to revise in legal studies?

You don't have to know the textbook inside out.

It's better if you know something outside the textbook (like watching news) as I believe that it will give you a better understanding of what the topic is all about and it's relevance in the real world.

The best way that I revise for the subject is looking at how other people answer a certain question, reading assessment reports and looking out what kind of errors other students make that I should be on a look out for. When I haven't found vcenotes forum (which is really helpful when i found it), I mostly rely on the notes I made and a compilation of my teacher's notes + exam papers.

Dot points are good for quick revision (mostly last minute revision to get the main points).

Is it hard to do well in Legal? (i.e. get over 40 raw?)

It is not hard if you put in effort.

Needing a tutor for Legal?

A tutor isn't necessary for legal studies, mostly it's all about comprehending the information to yourself that will help you improve in legal studies.

And will power too. 

[eeps]

Thanks nabbiechan! =)

[ezst]

Just summarise content and learn it back to front. It's a shame we have to learn so muhc for legal and only get examined on so little. Good luck for tnext year!

[eeps]

Just summarise content and learn it back to front. It's a shame we have to learn so muhc for legal and only get examined on so little. Good luck for tnext year!

Cheers ezst! =)

[oscar]

Easy.

Study well throughout the year. Know your knowledge and cases and you will do fine.

[LFTM]

Go buy a copy of A+ legal notes.

[Liuy]

Thanks guys for the advice

[oscar]

Go buy a copy of A+ legal notes.

Agreed. That book was fantastic in helping me get a good score and enjoying and understanding legal.