Preparing for exams is more than reviewing notes and rereading cases the week before a test. It's making sure you understand the material all semester long and challenging different parts of your brain to effectively comprehend and retain information.
The Law Library offers a wide variety of print and electronic materials to put you in the best position to ace your finals, whether they are multiple choice exams or take-home essays. Don't limit yourself to just one tool!
Having a hard time getting your head around a concept?
Can’t remember why your professor said this case is important?
Commercial study aids, like the series Examples & Explanations, Nutshells, Hornbooks, Mastering, and Understanding, complement casebooks by explaining legal concepts, dissecting complicated theories, and providing illustrative examples.
The Law Library provides access to commercial study aids on dozens of topics, both in print and online.
Not sure if your outline is complete?
Want to make sure you haven’t missed any key issues?
West Study Aids has several series with quick overviews of law courses, including Black Letter Outlines, Gilbert Law Summaries, and Short & Happy Guides.
CALI’s subject outlines give you a bird’s eye view of your subject, and let you fill in the gaps in your knowledge with linked lessons.
Memorizing hearsay exceptions?
Puzzling over elements of a crime?
Law school exams are a labyrinth of rules and exceptions, standards of review and procedural snares. Instead of reading the rules over and over, make sure you really know them cold using CALI’s interactive quizzes.
1L Bonus: West Study Aids also has Flash Cards for Torts and Contracts.
How did your professor test previous classes?
How much time does it actually take to write three essays?
There’s no substitute to replicating an exam scenario and practicing under pressure.
The Law Library archives old exams by professors and by course, so you can test your recall in real time, get a feel for your professor’s exam style, and minimize the surprise when it really counts.
Discussed in more detail on the Commercial Study Aids page, below is a direct link to a list of commercial study aids, organized by by course.
Call us at 734-764-9324
Text us at 734-329-5606
Email us at askalawlibrarian@umich.edu. Emails are answered by Librarians during standard business hours, Monday-Friday. Patrons may expect a response within 1-2 business days for most emails.
Consult with us. Schedule an appointment to meet with a Reference Librarian.
Visit us at the Information Desk on Sub-1 for immediate in-person assistance. Open 8 am - midnight, Sunday-Thursday, and 8am - 10pm, Friday-Saturday*
The chat service is available to all of our patrons but is designed to meet the legal research needs of U-M students, staff, and faculty.
Chat is monitored from 1-6 pm Monday-Wednesday and 1-5 pm Thursday-Friday on days when class is in session.
*Excluding University holidays and semester breaks--check library hours for more information. The Building and library are available to law school community ONLY after 6 pm, and are closed to all but law school community on home football Saturdays.
