By Brigitte Whyte
With LPC resits coming up this month, here are my top 10 revision tips to make sure that you pass the exam with flying colours.
Create a study schedule
Before you start revising, make sure that you have a study schedule. This will not only help you better organise your time but will also ensure that you can revise all the topics in time for the exams.
Don't procrastinate
Make sure that you set yourself up for success by starting early. Procrastination is the enemy of deep learning as your brain needs time to process complex ideas. On the LPC, you will see that most topics and areas of law connect in various ways, and you need time to understand these connections. Last minute revision will not help with understanding the fundamentals which is key when coming up with creative solutions to exam questions.
Visual Learning
I love colours and arranging my notes in a way that helps me memorise the material. I use colours and underlining in a strategic way, as this will help me see the key words in each sentence without having to re-read the whole sentence. This is especially helpful with open book exams as it will help you find what you are looking for a lot quicker.
Timing
On the LPC, you have a lot to read and this can work against the concise exam solutions that examiners will want to see from students. Make sure that you have a clear strategy as to timing, calculate the number of marks for each question and divide all the marks with how much time you have. If you are running out of time in the exam, it is better to use bulletpoints than miss out on essential marks.
Use headings
When answering exam questions, I always make sure to use headings and write down a brief answer under each heading even if I am running out of time.
There are several areas where you are expected to add a lot of detail to your answer, just make sure that you leave some space for anything that you believe might not be essential, as you can always come back to it later if you end up finishing the exam early.
Practice past papers
Past papers are key to any revision strategy as you need to understand the types of questions you will be asked on the exam and how to answer them. If you can get your hands on practice papers, use them as much as possible. If you have access to sample answers, that would show you how to answer questions and how much detail you need to add to your exam paper which will be invaluable during the exams.
Repetition
Repetition is key to long-term learning, so don't forget to go back to review your notes from time to time and test your knowledge.
Read it out loud
Reading your revision notes out loud is the best way to memorise rules, because this way your brain will not only rely on visual information but also auditory learning at the same time, doubling your chances of remembering what you are learning.
Use condensed notes
In addition to your full length notes, it is always useful to prepare a condensed set of notes, only including key cases, information and legal tests so that you can easily find what you are looking for. This will also help you connect different areas of law and create a visual mind-map of how to solve questions.
Understand the exam
Before sitting the exam, you need to make sure that you understand how it works, which questions are likely to be asked and what the style of questions would be. Without having an understanding of what to expect, you will greatly impair your ability to succeed.
I hope you found that helpful, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
Best of luck!
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