Back to School Series – LPC perspective [Part 1]

For those starting the LPC this year the thing to remember is computer use less, notetaking more. It was a surprise at first not to be joined at the hip to my laptop, but with practical based classes, and a couple of hour long seminars the last thing anybody wanted to do was mess around with their computer. Things to remember:

1. Get the supplies

So go out and buy LOTS of sturdy notebooks (and pens). Some people use the ones with plastic dividers in them others use file paper. I used a mix of both. The notebook was for preparation and in-class notes, then I'd either write up or type up my notes neatly which would then be added into my folder, along with the tutor's handouts. You will also do a lot of highlighting and annotating of textbooks - something I had not done a lot of before starting the LPC. So get a bunch of multicoloured highlighters, sticky tabs and erasable pens (which can be a godsend for keeping the textbook tidy if you are not great at writing neatly like myself.) A big bag is also a must – the books are heavy (that, or a small bag and strong arms).

2. Have a system for taking good notes

The best way to take notes in my opinion is to focus on a number of things. Firstly there is always a lot of preparation to do. For each class there is a chapter or two (sometimes 5) to read in preparation. Information is good to know in advance of class but if you have time its good to read again after class and go through noting the important parts. There can be a lot of information, not all of it is given the same weight.

My style of notetaking for the LPC, might not be useful to everyone, and is not limited to the LPC can also be used for undergrad, but I find it great for the preliminary notes. When preparing for class I will have read the required reading and completed the accompanying work. (usually a set of questions, forms to fill in etc). Then I will only write one page of the notebook, leaving the adjacent page blank. In class we usually would go over the prep work (or at least the parts people were struggling with) the blank space would allow me to note down the extra things people said, whether they were specifically answering the question, exam tips or simply points of general interest. I also did this for in-class exercises  - complete the exercise, leave a blank page, annotate.

It is also useful to highlight key things in your notes -  so you can have a quick answer for when the tutor calls on you. I always used to highlight, section numbers, civil procedure rules, and forms etc.

3. Prepare NOW for Later

Passing the LPC is based on the strength of your notes (one of the reasons why everyone *borrowed* my notes). What you do with the mess of class notes really depends on how the individual learns - hopefully by the time you are completing the LPC you will know what works for you. Some people like to type up all their notes - make it neat print it off and stick it in their file and never look at it again until exam time. For some people that works just fine. But that is not the way I learn. For me it needs to be visual. I need to work with the material not just tidy it up - so my methods as mention elsewhere in my blog are to use the material to create additional material - hence the number of lists, tables and annotations in coloured pen that make up my notes.

4. Enlist the help of the computer

Although on the LPC a lot of the work is done on paper. But having a good way to organise notes on the computer still helps particularly if you are the type it all up type. During my LPC I used two main notetaking methods (although there were others I used - see here for my notetaking posts).

For mac users you cannot beat circus ponies. Simply wonderful notetaking software. With a great visual impact - pretty much a virtual version of the regular notebook. You can add pages, divide pages use lined, plain or squared pages. A linked contents and index made automatically and  you even have the  swooshing sound as you turn the page. Can also be exported to the web - I used this and shared it with classmates.

For windows, the closest equivalent is One Note - which I used religiously during my undergrad, but stayed clear of during my LPC as my needs weren't the same. Instead I used PBwiki (now called PBworks) (which I also used during undergrad). PBWiki is the classic online wiki, no set up required, simple and easy to use. just type and link everything in. (see here and here for previous posts on PBwiki). I chose this for several reasons the freedom it gives to create and link pages in a way that suits, the fact that it is online and I can access it anywhere and The actual method I used to organise this is simply in a layered format with everything linked in, including web links etc. great for painting the bigger picture. But some people may consider this a waste of time if it doesn't fit in with their study methods. As anything done on the computer (unless you print it off) cannot be taken into any of the open book exams.

Finally build up a good stockpile of weblinks, and don't underestimate how much the information out there can help you.

5. Enlist the help of friends

On the LPC I found colleagues more willing to help each other than undergrad (as we were in the same group until march, sitting together everyday - it would be hard not to become good friends.) So upon starting the LPC, get to know people and be friends, you may only be together a year but they can be a great support system.

As a lot of what we do it open to interpretation and also because we get so much work, it is interesting to see where others place the focus of their studies. Different people will put different importance on different things, and it is nice to see a different perspective. Additionally it is important to note that if you enjoy a subject you are more likely to work harder at it and create better notes - if you had a subject and find that your notes are lacking head straight to the person who enjoys that subject - there will always be something that you can return the favour with.

The back to school series will continue with the undergrad posting.