DivinaLaw's Bar Exams Success Tips Episode 10 Part 1

Summary

The speaker discusses their strategy for structuring answers in bar examinations, emphasizing the importance of a clear and concise approach. They mention the 'C.L.E.A.R.' method, which stands for Conclusion, Legal Basis, Exception, Analysis, and Repetition of Conclusion. Additionally, they share tips on writing quickly to fully express thoughts and adapting the answer length based on the question's point value, advocating for brevity in essay questions to save time.

Takeaways

• 📝 The speaker structured their bar exam answers by first providing a clear response ('yes', 'no', or 'it depends') followed by an explanation.
• 🎓 They were taught the CLEAR method during law school, which stands for Conclusion, Legal Basis, Exception, Analysis, and Repetition of the conclusion.
• 🔑 The speaker emphasizes the importance of writing quickly to fully express their thoughts in the answer.
• 📚 They followed a 'four-paragraph rule' for higher-point questions, which includes a conclusion, law, application, and reiteration of the conclusion.
• 🚀 For lower-point questions, the speaker would condense their answer into one to two sentences to save time.
• 📖 The speaker suggests that the method of answering essay questions should be brief and concise, similar to journalistic writing.
• 💡 The importance of understanding and applying the mnemonics for structuring answers, although the specific mnemonics are not remembered.
• 📝 The speaker mentions the significance of starting with a straight answer and then explaining the issue and the reasoning behind it.
• 📈 They highlight the strategy of adjusting the length of the answer based on the points allocated to the question.
• 📑 The script implies that practice and consistency in applying these methods are key to effective bar exam preparation.
• 📝 The speaker's approach to answering bar exam questions is influenced by their law school education and personal adaptation to the exam format.

Q & A

What is the recommended approach to structuring answers in bar examinations?

The recommended approach is to start with a clear answer (yes, no, or it depends) followed by an explanation. This method is often referred to as the CLEAR method: C for Conclusion, L for Legal basis, E for Exceptions, A for Analysis, and R for Reiteration of the conclusion.

How did the speaker apply the CLEAR method during their bar exam?

The speaker applied the CLEAR method by first stating a clear answer, then explaining the legal basis, citing exceptions if any, analyzing the application of the law, and finally reiterating the conclusion.

What is the significance of providing a straight answer at the beginning of the response?

Providing a straight answer at the beginning is significant as it immediately communicates the stance to the examiner, allowing them to understand the direction of the argument without having to read through the entire response.

What is the 'crack rule' mentioned in the script and how does it apply to answering exam questions?

The 'crack rule' is a four-paragraph rule that involves a conclusion, law, application, and reiteration of the conclusion. It is applied to questions that carry higher points, helping to structure the response in a clear and concise manner.

How does the speaker suggest writing the answers to save time during the exam?

The speaker suggests writing as fast as possible to save time, focusing on being brief and concise, especially for questions that carry only one to two points.

What is the importance of writing quickly in the context of bar examinations?

Writing quickly is important to ensure that all questions can be answered within the allotted time, allowing the candidate to fully express their knowledge and understanding of the law.

How does the speaker's approach to answering essay questions differ for questions with different point values?

For questions with higher point values, the speaker uses the four-paragraph rule (crack rule) to provide a detailed answer. For questions with lower point values, a brief one to two-sentence response is sufficient.

What role does journalistic writing play in the speaker's approach to answering bar exam questions?

Journalistic writing, with its emphasis on privacy and conciseness, influences the speaker's approach to be brief and to the point, which is particularly useful for essay questions in bar examinations.

Can you provide an example of how to apply the CLEAR method to a bar exam question?

For example, if asked whether a contract is valid, one might answer 'Yes' (C), explain that a valid contract requires an offer, acceptance, and consideration (L), mention any exceptions like duress or misrepresentation (E), analyze how these elements apply to the given scenario (A), and reiterate that the contract is valid based on the analysis (R).

What mnemonics does the speaker mention forgetting but still applying in their exam answers?

The speaker mentions forgetting the mnemonics for the CLEAR method but still consistently applying the method's principles in their exam answers.

Outlines

00:00

📘 Bar Exam Answer Structure

The speaker discusses their approach to structuring answers during the bar examinations. They mention using a clear method taught in law school, which involves starting with a direct answer (yes, no, or it depends) followed by an explanation. The method, referred to as 'C4L4R', stands for Conclusion, Legal Basis, Exception, and Repetition of the conclusion. This structure is particularly applied to questions worth higher points. For lower-point questions, a shorter, one to two-sentence answer is suggested. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of writing quickly to fully express their thoughts and the application of journalistic principles of privacy and conciseness in essay questions.

Keywords

💡Bar Examinations

Bar examinations are a series of tests that aspiring lawyers must pass to practice law in their jurisdiction. In the script, the speaker discusses their preparation and strategy for these exams, which is central to the video's theme of legal education and exam techniques.

💡White Sands

While the term 'White Sands' is not explicitly defined in the script, it could be a metaphor for a clean slate or a fresh start in the speaker's review process for the bar exams. It is used to illustrate the speaker's approach to studying and preparing for the legal profession.

💡Support Questions

Support questions likely refer to the practice questions or past exam questions used for studying and preparing for the bar exams. The speaker mentions studying these to understand the structure of answers expected in the actual exams.

💡Clear Method

The 'Clear Method' is a mnemonic used by the speaker to structure their answers during the bar exams. It stands for C4 (Conclusion), L4 (Legal Basis), E (Exception), and A (Analysis or Application of Law), and R (Repeat Conclusion). This method is crucial to the video's message on effective exam answering strategies.

💡Mnemonics

Mnemonics are memory aids that help in remembering information. In the script, the speaker mentions that they used mnemonics to remember the 'Clear Method' for answering bar exam questions, which is a key part of their study strategy.

💡Straight Answer

A 'straight answer' in the context of the script refers to providing a direct response to a question, such as 'yes' or 'no', before elaborating further. This is part of the speaker's strategy for answering bar exam questions concisely and effectively.

💡Issue

In legal exams, identifying the 'issue' is crucial as it sets the stage for the rest of the answer. The speaker mentions telling the issue after providing a straight answer, which is a step in their structured approach to answering exam questions.

💡Application of Law

The 'application of law' refers to the process of using legal principles to analyze a given situation or problem. The speaker includes this as part of their 'Clear Method', emphasizing its importance in crafting a complete and well-reasoned answer to exam questions.

💡Reiteration

Reiteration in the script means repeating the conclusion stated at the beginning of the answer. This is part of the 'Clear Method' and serves to reinforce the speaker's argument and ensure clarity in their exam answers.

💡Crack Rule

The 'Crack Rule' is another term used by the speaker to describe their four-paragraph answer structure, which includes a conclusion, law, application, and a reiteration of the conclusion. It is a specific strategy for answering higher-point value questions in the bar exams.

💡Journalistic Writing

Although not the main focus, 'journalistic writing' is mentioned in the context of being concise and respecting privacy. The speaker draws a parallel between journalistic principles and their approach to answering essay questions in a clear and brief manner.

Highlights

Structured answers in bar exams by following a clear method: Conclusion, Legal Basis, Exception, Analysis, Repetition of Conclusion (CLEAR method).

Answered with a straightforward 'yes', 'no', or 'it depends' followed by an explanation.

Taught the CLEAR method in the first year of law school for bar exam preparation.

Highlighted the importance of writing quickly to fully express thoughts in the exam.

Adhered to the 'CRACK rule' for essay questions with higher points: Conclusion, Law, Application, Conclusion.

For lower point questions, launched answers in one to two sentences to save time.

Emphasized the need for concise and brief answers, similar to journalistic writing.

Mnemonics were initially used but not remembered during the actual bar exam.

Started with a direct answer followed by identifying the issue and providing an explanation.

Citing exceptions, if any, is an important part of the answer structure.

The application of the law is a critical component of the essay question response.

Repetition of the conclusion reinforces the initial stance taken in the answer.

For essay questions, the focus is on being concise and respecting the reader's time.

The speaker studied the way previous support questions were answered for review.

The speaker applied the same method during exams as they studied for review.

The speaker's method is based on the teachings received during the first year of law school.

The speaker's approach to answering essay questions emphasizes brevity and clarity.

The 'CRACK rule' is a structured method for answering essay questions with higher points.

For questions with lower points, a shorter, more direct answer is recommended.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Music]

how did you structure your answers in

the bar examinations as part of my

review for the white sands i studied

the way previous support questions were

answered in the same manner

during my exams i answered i mean the

first words either yes no it depends and

then uh

an explanation about that so it's a very

simple uh answer during my first year in

law school i was taught the clear method

of answering the bar examination c4

conclusion

l4 to sign the legal basis e to cite the

exception if there is any a would be the

analysis or the application of the law

and r would be to repeat the conclusion

that you have stated on the first

sentence and that's what i consistently

apply

for my

bar exam answers when i took it i don't

remember the mnemonics anymore but by

first you have to have a straight answer

yes or no and then have an answer then

tell the issue and then what is the

explanation one of the things that's

also very important is that if you want

to be able to really pour your heart out

into your answer you have to write as

fast as possible so my method i followed

what they say as crack rule so that's a

four paragraph rule it means um

conclusion followed by law and then

application then the reiteration of a

conclusion but that applies only if the

question um is uh giving you a somehow

higher points like five points ten

points or eight points in case a problem

will just give you like one to two

points i'll just launch my answer into

one to two sentences and that will

already

save my time

journalistic writing puts emphasis in

privacy and being concise

so basically that's how i answer essay

questions being brief and concise