Three important Library resources to keep in mind as you prepare for upcoming exams.

First:  The Library’s Exam Preparation Resources web page offers a host of materials containing practical advice and strategies designed to help you navigate the exam process.

Second:  The Library maintains an archive of previous years’ exams for most courses.  You can access these exams by course or professor name.  From the Library’s home page, click Find Sample Exams under How Do I . . . ?

Third:  CALI offers a variety of lessons and podcasts with helpful tips and advice from faculty on preparing for and taking exams. To access these materials, log in to CALI; under CALI Topics, click Legal Concepts and Skills and scroll down to one or more of these lessons:

Exam Taking Skills, Outlines, and Advice for Law Students (Panel 1 PodCast)

Exam Taking Skills, Outlines, and Advice for Law Students (Panel 2 PodCast)

Exam Taking Skills, Outlines, and Advice for Law Students (Panel 3 PodCast)

Tips for Multiple Choice Exams in Law School (Podcast)

Top 10 Tips for Successfully Writing a Law School Essay

Writing Better Law School Exams: The Importance of Structure

 

Best of luck to everyone!

The Library has earplugs available.  You can pick up your own pair at the Reference Desk or the Circulation Desk on the first floor.

Remember, all reading and stack areas in the Library are QUIET STUDY ZONES.  Please avoid conversation and unnecessary noise.  Be particularly mindful of the need for quiet as you enter and leave the Library. Voices in the corridors and elevator vestibules carry into the reading areas and disturb those trying to study.

During the finals period the Library gets very crowded. The only way to maintain an appropriate study atmosphere is through student cooperation under these simple rules.  Please keep this in mind always, and especially at this time of year.

Three important Library resources to keep in mind as you prepare for upcoming exams.

First:  The Library’s Exam Preparation Resources web page offers a host of materials containing practical advice and strategies designed to help you navigate the exam process.

Second:  The Library maintains an archive of previous years’ exams for most courses.  You can access these exams by course or professor name.  From the Library’s home page, click Find Sample Exams under How Do I . . . ?

Third:  CALI offers a variety of lessons and podcasts with helpful tips and advice from faculty on preparing for and taking exams. To access these materials, log in to CALI; under CALI Topics, click Legal Concepts and Skills and scroll down to one or more of these lessons:

Exam Taking Skills, Outlines, and Advice for Law Students (Panel 1 PodCast)

Exam Taking Skills, Outlines, and Advice for Law Students (Panel 2 PodCast)

Tips for Multiple Choice Exams in Law School (Podcast)

Top 10 Tips for Successfully Writing a Law School Essay

Writing Better Law School Exams: The Importance of Structure

 

Best of luck to everyone!

During this final exam period please keep in mind the importance of abiding by the Quiet Study Rules in Mendik Library reading rooms.  Even if you are the type of student who can study well in noise and commotion, remember that not everyone else feels the same way.  At this time of year, the volume of student noise complaints always rises dramatically.  Making noise – even a little noise for a short time – around your fellow students who are trying to study for finals is the height of rude behavior.

Please take note that all reading rooms and stack areas in the Library are Quiet Study Zones.  The only exception is the reading area next to the 4th floor Reference Desk.  Within Quiet Study Zones:

• Never engage in conversation.  A few words at a whisper should always suffice.  If you must engage in conversation, take it to the Library stairwells or outside.

• Don’t ever use your cell phone, and don’t put it on vibrate – mute it completely or turn it off.  Even a humming cell phone can disrupt your neighbor’s study.  If you’re waiting for an important call, you can study someplace else until you receive it.

• Cell phones aren’t the only electronics that make noise.  If your laptop has a sound card, don’t forget to mute it.  If you’ve got an IPod, make sure to keep the volume at a level that others can’t hear.

• When you enter or leave a Group Study Room, remember to close the door behind you.

• If you become aware of a noisy facilities condition – a squeaky door, a thumping photocopier, a rumbling equipment room – report it immediately to the Library staff at ext. 2332, or to Maintenance at ext. 2820.

During the finals period the Library gets very crowded, and tensions can mount.  The only way to maintain an appropriate study atmosphere is through student cooperation under these simple rules.  Please keep this in mind always, and especially at this time of year.

Best of luck with finals.

Remember, the Library’s Exam Preparation Resources web page offers a variety of resources to help you prepare for upcoming exams.  In addition to an archive (requires your network login and password) of previous years’ exams, you can find links to CALI lessons and podcasts on preparing for and taking exams, online tips from faculty and student groups, and a variety of print resources offering practical advice and strategies.

Fellow Students:

As final exams approach, keep in mind the importance of abiding by the Quiet Study Rules in Mendik Library reading rooms.  Even if you are the type of student who can study well in noise and commotion, remember that not everyone else feels the same way.  At this time of year, the volume of student noise complaints always rises dramatically.  Making noise – even a little noise for a short time – around your fellow students who are trying to study for finals is the height of rude behavior.

Please take note that all reading rooms and stack areas in the Library are Quiet Study Zones.  The only exception is the reading area next to the 4th floor Reference Desk.  Within Quiet Study Zones:

• Never engage in conversation.  A few words at a whisper should always suffice.  If you must engage in conversation, take it to the Library stairwells or outside.

• Don’t ever use your cell phone, and don’t put it on vibrate – mute it completely or turn it off.  Even a humming cell phone can disrupt your neighbor’s study.  If you’re waiting for an important call, you can study someplace else until you receive it.

• Cell phones aren’t the only electronics that make noise.  If your laptop has a sound card, don’t forget to mute it.  If you’ve got an IPod, make sure to keep the volume at a level that others can’t hear.

• When you enter or leave a Group Study Room, remember to close the door behind you.

• If you become aware of a noisy facilities condition – a squeaky door, a thumping photocopier, a rumbling equipment room – report it immediately to the Library staff at ext. 2332, or to Maintenance at ext. 2820.

During the finals period the Library gets very crowded, and tensions can mount.  The only way to maintain an appropriate study atmosphere is through student cooperation under these simple rules.  Please keep this in mind always, and especially at this time of year.

Best of luck with finals,

Your Student Bar Association

On the lighter side . . . just in time for Halloween come these Extreme Pumpkins.  Quite a collection; make sure to check out the Photo Gallery and previous Contest Winners.  Sorry, end of study break. (via Lawsagna)

In addition to the three exam advice podcasts announced earlier this week (here, here and here), CALI  has posted a collection of tips and advice (offered by both faculty and students) on preparing for and taking exams.  The material, from a variety of web sources, is definitely worth a look.  Check it out.

As final exams approach, all students must keep in mind the importance of abiding by the Quiet Study Rules in Mendik Library reading rooms. Even if you are the type of student who can study well in noise and commotion, remember that not everyone else feels the same way. Making noise, even a little noise for a short time, around your fellow students who are trying to study is the height of inconsiderate and rude behavior.

The SBA asks that students take note that all open reading rooms and stack areas are Quiet Study Zones. The only exception is the reading area next to the 4th floor Reference Desk. Within Quiet Study Zones:

• Never engage in conversation. A few words at a whisper should always suffice. If you must engage in conversation, take it to the Library stairwells or outside.
• Don’t ever use your cell phone, and don’t put it on vibrate – mute it completely or turn it off. Even a humming cell phone can disrupt your neighbor’s study. If you’re waiting for an important call, you can study someplace else until you receive it.
• Cell phones aren’t the only electronics that make noise. If your laptop has a sound card, mute it. If you’ve got an iPod, make sure to keep the volume at a level that others can’t hear. If you’re chewing gum, don’t “pop” or “crack” it.
• When you enter or leave a Group Study Room, remember to close the door behind you.
• If you become aware of a noisy facilities condition – a squeaky door, a thumping photocopier, a rumbling equipment room – report it immediately to the Library staff. (Extension 2332, or you can push the “Library Help” button on any of our interoffice phones.) The Library staff will do what they can to get the problem resolved as quickly as possible.

The Library administration and staff, in concert with the Office of Facilities Management, do what they can to cultivate a quiet environment at finals time. Construction and maintenance work are avoided in the Library, and they make sure that the Group Study Rooms are kept free for student use. They also walk around and “shush,” as good librarians must. But they can’t be everywhere, and can do only so much enforcement. The Librarians count on the cooperation and collegiality of students to keep the peace.

During the finals period the Library gets very crowded, and tensions can sometimes mount. The only way to maintain an appropriate study atmosphere is through student cooperation under these simple rules. We ask that you keep this in mind always, and especially at this time of year.

Thanks! Your SBA

Visit the CALI website for a number of law professor podcasts offering advice for preparing for and taking final exams.  From the CALI homepage go to CALI Radio: Podcasts under Quick Links.  if you haven’t accessed CALI before, visit the library’s CALI page for information and instructions.