Outlining when you don’t even know where to begin

It is now getting further into the semester, and you may be hearing from professors, other students and upper classman that it is now time to outline. However, if you are like most first years, you are wondering what that means. You may also be hearing that you do NOT need an outline, and this is untrue. A student once told me that outlining was “overrated.” Naturally, I asked him why he thought this. His response was “if you take good notes and basically understand what is going on in class, you do not need an outline.” The problem with this logic is that outlining has nothing to do with how well you read your cases, understand the subject matter or how neat your notes are. Outlining is taking every piece of information you have learned and putting it into a Big Picture. Without seeing the Big Picture, you will NOT be able to answer an exam question well. Remember that exams in law school are NOTHING like they were in undergrad, which means you have to change the way you study. Instead of repeating what was in your reading and notes, you have to APPLY what was in your cases and note, and to d that, you need to get an idea of the big picture. So get on board with outlining!

WHEN DO I OUTLINE?

First and foremost, NOW is the time to start outlining, and you will not stop until your classes are over. You should be updating your outline as you go. Take out your syllabus, your book and your notebook and figure out when you will be completing major “sections” in the course. While you will be reviewing and understanding all along, block out time at the end of each “section” and devote it to bringing that section together. While putting it together, you can also fill in some gaps or clarify some points with your own notes, the book, your Professor’s office hours, commercial outlines or some examples and explanations. Do not put off outlining until the end of the semester, when you only have a week or two before exams. By that point it may be too late to fill in those gaps you do not understand.

SO WHAT IS AN OUTLINE?

The number one thing you must remember is that an outline is PERSONAL. I also want you to stop thinking that there is ONE way to outline, or one PERFECT outline. That’s simply untrue, and your outline may look completely different from your neighbors, and you might still both get As. While all outlines have some common elements, it is your own unique creation based on how you personally learn. n addition, your outline is for YOU, and you alone. Most professors (and there might be exceptions) do not collect outlines, so bear in mind as you write it that it is only for YOU.

In essence, your outline should contain the black letter law, very short case summaries, and other important information that helps you master that particular topic or sub-topic. Other than that, it can be handwritten on a napkin or created into a powerpoint just as long as it WORKS FOR YOU. It is a guide for you to study. And more importantly, it is a way to ensure that you understand what is going on in your course. Do not merely copy and paste from your notes, and do not merely copy commercial outlines.

To start, you want to be rewriting, or retyping, your notes, in your OWN words. This is so you remember things more clearly, which is one goal of an outline, but more importantly, if you can rewrite a concept, be it legal or otherwise, in your own words, then you know you understand that particular concept. If you struggle to rephrase a legal concept, or come up with examples, you know that you need to go back and learn that particular concept. This is the PROCESS of outlining that is important – periodically ensuring that you understand what is going on in class, and in your reading.

In addition, your outline should be CONDENSING your notes from class, not merely repeating and rewriting your notes. This is also your opportunity to combine class notes, case briefs, bits of information from commercial supplements and supplements and put it all together.
Also, note the difference between YOUR outline and a commercial outline. A commercial outline is useful if you are terribly lost, or if you have trouble understanding a particular concept. However, bear in mind that it should NEVER replace your own homemade outline. This is because, as stated earlier, the PROCESS of outlining is key. In addition, every professor and every class is different, so a commercial outline might not highlight what your professor does.
Now, get cracking!