Wednesday, September 17, 2008

An interesting trend...

You can study for law courses in many ways: practice tests, flash cards, case summaries, etc. One way that is a staple for law students all over is outlining--compiling all of a class into a skeleton of the subject. A good outline serves to help a student digest and process all of the material they've encountered over the semester while they make it, and be a comprehensive guide once they've completed it.

They are essential; everyone writes them.

Except me.

Don't get me wrong, I probably should. I'd probably go from A's and B's to straight A's--getting a high A every once in a while just for show. And I've started a few fantastic outlines that have languished after a few weeks. But it's just not the way I operate.

In cooking, when I decide I want to make something I've never made before, I do not find a recipe I trust. I find about 4 recipes that look similar, maybe jot down a list of the common ingredients and possibly a creative ingredient that particularly intrigues me, and get a handle on the approximate ratios proffered. Then I get to work on creating my interpretation of the thing. The result is always a bit of a surprise, but I think it's also always pretty darn good.

That's how I deal with outlining. I gather together about 3 or 4 outlines (that's plenty, as the outlines typically range from 25-50 pages) and I select the parts from each that seem particularly important. I look for commonalities and disparities. And I compare them with my class notes. Then, I do the only kind of prep that REALLY helps me--I sit down and take an old exam.

That's just the kind of person I am. I hear about something interesting, I consult a few sources for different takes on the subject, and then I just do it. I don't worry about results, I don't put time pressure on myself, I just wait to see what I can come up with.

All the refinement can come later, once I really understand.