1. Preparing summaries January web tutorial

2. Why summaries? Preparation of summaries helps you: 1. Organise 1. Organise material in a clear and logical manner 2. Structure 2. Structure your thoughts and ideas 3. Test 3. Test your understanding of course materials – if you don’t know it you can’t summarise it 4. Reduce 4. Reduce your notes to a form useful for study and open book exams 5. Learn 5. Learn course materials

3. ORGANISE You will have assembled a lot of material – lecture notes, case notes, notes of readings, tutorial answers Your summaries need to organise this in a way which is accessible and useful

4. Organisation requires editing As you summarise, you should select the most important points you need to remember As you summarise, you should select the most important points you need to remember These points should be organised around topics, or themes, or grouped together with similar ideas, in a way which makes sense to you. These points should be organised around topics, or themes, or grouped together with similar ideas, in a way which makes sense to you. Rewriting your notes is NOT preparing a summary – you also need to RETHINK your notes Rewriting your notes is NOT preparing a summary – you also need to RETHINK your notes

5. An organised summary is: Brief – ideally, every topic should be dealt with in only one page Brief – ideally, every topic should be dealt with in only one page Headings only – your summary should be key points or headings which remind you of the main material to be covered, not a complete restatement of the course material Headings only – your summary should be key points or headings which remind you of the main material to be covered, not a complete restatement of the course material Supported by relevant authorities (cases/legislation) Supported by relevant authorities (cases/legislation)

6. STRUCTURE “Black holes” are very dense and full of matter. “Black holes” are very dense and full of matter. There is so much matter in a black hole that once you enter there is no escape. There is so much matter in a black hole that once you enter there is no escape. A good structure ensures that your summaries do not become black holes. A good structure ensures that your summaries do not become black holes.

7. A good structure: May be different for every person – as we all think differently. May be different for every person – as we all think differently. Should be able to work as an essay plan, or a check list to make sure you spot and discuss all relevant issues raised in a question Should be able to work as an essay plan, or a check list to make sure you spot and discuss all relevant issues raised in a question Should be structured logically and supported by relevant material Should be structured logically and supported by relevant material

8. A good structure: Will use headings and dot points Will use headings and dot points Won’t use so much information that the reader gets lost in the detail Won’t use so much information that the reader gets lost in the detail May cross reference to other summaries if ideas overlap, or you want to link to related remedies May cross reference to other summaries if ideas overlap, or you want to link to related remedies

9. Examples: Legal Institutions Legal Institutions is a thematic course with a spiralling curriculum which looks at a number of issues and concepts. One useful structure would be to prepare a glossary of terms and concepts commonly encountered in lectures and in your reading. Attempting a one sentence explanation for each of the concepts listed on the next slide (and others you may add) is a useful approach. Legal Institutions is a thematic course with a spiralling curriculum which looks at a number of issues and concepts. One useful structure would be to prepare a glossary of terms and concepts commonly encountered in lectures and in your reading. Attempting a one sentence explanation for each of the concepts listed on the next slide (and others you may add) is a useful approach.

10. Concept glossary BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE CONCURRENT POWER/EXCLUSIVE POWER CONCURRENT POWER/EXCLUSIVE POWER CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY DEMOCRACY DEMOCRACY DIVISION OF POWERS DIVISION OF POWERS FEDERATION FEDERATION INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY MANNER AND FORM PROVISIONS MANNER AND FORM PROVISIONS PARLIAMENTARY SOVEREIGNTY PARLIAMENTARY SOVEREIGNTY PLENARY POWER PLENARY POWER REPUGNANCY (OF COLONIAL LAWS) REPUGNANCY (OF COLONIAL LAWS) REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT RULE OF LAW RULE OF LAW SEPARATION OF POWERS SEPARATION OF POWERS

11. Other LI structures You could also consider using: The course outline as the structure for your summaries The course outline as the structure for your summaries The review questions – construct a summary around the issues raised by the questions The review questions – construct a summary around the issues raised by the questions A time-line – especially useful for the historical material and highlighting the important developments over time A time-line – especially useful for the historical material and highlighting the important developments over time

12. Examples: Contracts There are four different summaries attached to this tutorial which represent different structures. Each has strengths and weaknesses, and they are provided as guides for discussion of technique. They are not a replacement for preparing your own summaries. There are four different summaries attached to this tutorial which represent different structures. Each has strengths and weaknesses, and they are provided as guides for discussion of technique. They are not a replacement for preparing your own summaries.

13. SUMMARY ONE An example prepared from the contents page of Gooley and Radan. This is the best summary for exam purposes, in that it contains all the key points (and only the key points) about contract formation. However it may have to be supplemented by notes of relevant case law or legislation or more detail about each of the key points. An example prepared from the contents page of Gooley and Radan. This is the best summary for exam purposes, in that it contains all the key points (and only the key points) about contract formation. However it may have to be supplemented by notes of relevant case law or legislation or more detail about each of the key points.

14. SUMMARY TWO An example, again prepared from the contents pages of Gooley and Radan, with expanded detail on each of the key points. Its advantage is detail, its disadvantage is that the detail obscures the key points. An example, again prepared from the contents pages of Gooley and Radan, with expanded detail on each of the key points. Its advantage is detail, its disadvantage is that the detail obscures the key points. A good approach may be a hybrid of one and two – a front page key summary with more detail available behind if required. A good approach may be a hybrid of one and two – a front page key summary with more detail available behind if required.

15. Summary two: comments Consider: is all the detail given required? eg although Gooley and Radan cover Aliens and Married Women under Capacity, is this really necessary in your summary? Summaries should always be a process of reduction – ask yourself if material you are including is really relevant or necessary. Consider: is all the detail given required? eg although Gooley and Radan cover Aliens and Married Women under Capacity, is this really necessary in your summary? Summaries should always be a process of reduction – ask yourself if material you are including is really relevant or necessary. Note: Certainty and Completeness discusses what happens if these elements are not met in the process of contract formation. Remedies or outcomes are important aspects of a summary. Note: Certainty and Completeness discusses what happens if these elements are not met in the process of contract formation. Remedies or outcomes are important aspects of a summary.

16. SUMMARY THREE This is a more realistic example of the size of summary two after any relevant legal authorities are added to support each point. Consider how workable a summary of this size is. This is a more realistic example of the size of summary two after any relevant legal authorities are added to support each point. Consider how workable a summary of this size is.

17. SUMMARY FOUR A different example of a summary based not on Gooley and Radan, but instead, using the Course Outline. A different example of a summary based not on Gooley and Radan, but instead, using the Course Outline. Advantage: the Course Outline already has the relevant authorities cited Advantage: the Course Outline already has the relevant authorities cited Disadvantage: it can be hard to see the key points of each topic. Disadvantage: it can be hard to see the key points of each topic.

18. HYBRID APPROACH A hybrid of the approach discussed under Summary Two, together with the authorities found in the Course Outline (Summary Four) may be the strongest approach. However, different methods will be useful for different students. A hybrid of the approach discussed under Summary Two, together with the authorities found in the Course Outline (Summary Four) may be the strongest approach. However, different methods will be useful for different students.

19. UNDERSTANDING A key purpose of summary preparation is for you to check you have understood the course material. A key purpose of summary preparation is for you to check you have understood the course material. The process of summarising should expose gaps in your understanding – and give you the opportunity to fix them, before the examiner also looks for any lack of understanding. The process of summarising should expose gaps in your understanding – and give you the opportunity to fix them, before the examiner also looks for any lack of understanding.

20. Summaries of summaries Because summarising is a process of building understanding rather than just rewriting notes, the best exam summaries are often summaries of summaries. Because summarising is a process of building understanding rather than just rewriting notes, the best exam summaries are often summaries of summaries. Preparing summaries is not a one-step process. Preparing summaries is not a one-step process.

21. How to? Start by reviewing (and if necessary rewriting) your lecture notes, case notes and the notes of other readings from texts or other sources. Start by reviewing (and if necessary rewriting) your lecture notes, case notes and the notes of other readings from texts or other sources. Make sure your lecture notes are complete and that you have read enough to understand the material covered in each lecture. Make sure your lecture notes are complete and that you have read enough to understand the material covered in each lecture. Your lecture notes are the best basis for your summary preparation. Your lecture notes are the best basis for your summary preparation.

22. Understand what you summarise For some people reading the text or other recommended reading will be sufficient to understand the lecture material. Others may have to go wider to other sources to build their understanding. For some people reading the text or other recommended reading will be sufficient to understand the lecture material. Others may have to go wider to other sources to build their understanding. Ask questions, read widely, do whatever it takes to make sure you understand the material. Ask questions, read widely, do whatever it takes to make sure you understand the material. You need to summarise your knowledge, not your ignorance. You need to summarise your knowledge, not your ignorance.

23. Self preparation Because summaries are prepared so that you can check your understanding – and to help you demonstrate that understanding in an exam, the best summaries are self prepared: made for you, by you. Every summary may look different, but be equally useful to the person who prepared it. Because summaries are prepared so that you can check your understanding – and to help you demonstrate that understanding in an exam, the best summaries are self prepared: made for you, by you. Every summary may look different, but be equally useful to the person who prepared it.

24. REDUCE Once you understand the material, then you can reduce it into a usable summary. distilling down abbreviated summary key points Summary preparation is a process of distilling down lecture notes, case notes and readings into a very abbreviated summary, which reminds you of the key points at a glance.

25. LEARN Now your summaries are ready, the last step is to learn them. Writing the summary is only part of the process You must also know what is in the summary, so you can use it in the exam (and in practice.)

26. Aide memoire A summary is an aide memoire A summary is an aide memoire The purpose of a summary is to remind you of the law you already know The purpose of a summary is to remind you of the law you already know Summaries cannot teach you law in exam conditions with which you are not already familiar. Summaries cannot teach you law in exam conditions with which you are not already familiar.

27. Other ideas for summaries “reverse summaries” or summaries which group together remedies are often useful for subjects such as contracts. “reverse summaries” or summaries which group together remedies are often useful for subjects such as contracts. For example, if a question asks you about “breach of contract” or “damages” or circumstances where a contract may be void it is useful to have a summary prepared using these terms. You can use it to ‘work backwards’ from the question to determine the relevant issues. For example, if a question asks you about “breach of contract” or “damages” or circumstances where a contract may be void it is useful to have a summary prepared using these terms. You can use it to ‘work backwards’ from the question to determine the relevant issues.

28. Other summaries As you review questions from past papers or work through examples in class or in tutorials you may notice that certain phrases always indicate certain issues – make a summary of these for the exam. As you review questions from past papers or work through examples in class or in tutorials you may notice that certain phrases always indicate certain issues – make a summary of these for the exam. For example, an involved conversation at the point of contract formation giving detail about the reasons for entering the contract is often linked to a damages issue – 2 nd limb of Hadley v Baxendale. For example, an involved conversation at the point of contract formation giving detail about the reasons for entering the contract is often linked to a damages issue – 2 nd limb of Hadley v Baxendale.

29. RECAP When you summarise, you organise your lecture material and other readings. When you summarise, you organise your lecture material and other readings. This process of organisation will help you approach questions in an organised way, and provide a well organised answer to any question This process of organisation will help you approach questions in an organised way, and provide a well organised answer to any question

30. Avoid Black Holes A summary which is a complete rewrite of the text book and all your lecture notes is a black hole - it will suck up all your time and energy and give you nothing back. Summaries should be brief, cover only the main points and be a rethink not a rewrite

31. Understand before you summarise The process of preparing a summary will help you learn, if you check and develop your understanding along the way. If your summaries are nothing more than rewrites of material you do not understand then they are not learning tools – but exercises in penmanship. You need to rethink for a summary, not simply rewrite.

32. REDUCE A good summary is short, and to the point. Remember, you are preparing notes for an exam – not for a 50,000 word thesis LEARN You need to know what is in your summary. Write it yourself, learn it, and rely on it as a checklist and aide memoire in the exam. A summary is a powerful tool for open book exam success.