2school

I have a set of outlines that I am using to study from. I would like to make flash cards out of them but trying to figure out what level of detail I should include.
Category: CA - California Bar Exam

cabartutor

If you are sitting for the February bar, I would advise you NOT to do this. If you are taking July instead, then you can afford the time-suck that churning an outline into flashcards takes.

The #1 reason examinees fail is because they spend too much time doing things like this, or re-writing outlines, etc. and not doing MBE's and practice PTs and Essays. I know you will say "but i don't know the black letter law yet, so why should I be doing MBEs and essays?"-- however, doing the MBEs will teach you the black letter. Don't freak out about getting 50% or even worse on your practice MBEs yet, if you do 50-100 a day, after a week, you will have learned MUCH more black letter than you would spending a week making flashcards. It will take you much more time than you estimate to turn your outlines into flashcards.

IF you must do this transfer-- then keep it simple. only make them for big issues (like 1st amendment, or privacy rights, or types of future interests, etc.) and don't put tons of writing on each card, or it will be just like reading your outline and not hold the benefit of a flashcard form.

Also, try doing this instead--- do 50 MBEs a day, 5 at a time so you don't waste time re-reading the question when you correct and review them! And, on the ones you got incorrect or guessed on, when correcting them, use your flashcards (index cards from staples) to write the ONE sentence of black letter law that IF you had known COLD you would have gotten the answer right/knew the answer immediately.

If you are taking July instead, and want to spend a week of study time doing the conversion, then go ahead, but keep them short, simple, and organized by subject.

__________________
CABarTutor
~recent grad ('06), admittee MA/CA, and Tutor in the Los Angeles area.

NazakNik

To save time, copy your BarBri outline and shrink it to, say, 65% of the original font using a photocopier. Then cut and glue onto flashcards. This will save you time from having to re-write everything on flashcards.