.jpg)
Regardless of what grade classification you are intending to achieve, it is always worth having an honest look at your academic work and considering where you can improve.
Critical thinking
The ability to critically analyse is key to being successful in your legal studies and becomes increasingly important each year that you progress. There are a wealth of resources to help, and certainly those listed below will aid with this in conjunction to other skills.
A key piece of further reading recommended in the first-year legal skills module is the book Successful Legal Writing by Edwina Higgins and Laura Tatham. Copies are available in the library and is a great introduction if you are struggling to think of what questions you need to consider to critically engage with a source.
KnowHow and Writing @ Liverpool
Taking place online and in person, KnowHow is a great library resource which can help with the likes of essay writing, referencing, how to answer problem questions, and more. If you prefer to have individual feedback regarding your work, Writing@Liverpool tutors can be contacted to aid with this.
To view and book onto KnowHow sessions, visit the KnowHow webpage. To learn more about Writing@Liverpool and tutors available, visit the Writing@Liverpool webpage.
Module co-ordinators
Ensure to engage with the office hours of each module, typically held by the co-ordinator/lecturers on said module. This will allow support specific to your needs and will help you clarify any issues raised during lectures, seminars, and reading. Importantly, it allows the opportunity of what examples will distinguish grade boundaries, and how to tailor this to your own work and skills so far. This can be key in getting you a first-class versus second-class grade at the end of the year.
Past papers
Although after doing all of the required work it may seem like you have little time to then look at past exams, frequently those students that attempt to have a go at writing a formative answer tend to get better grades. It can be taken along to office hours to receive feedback on how to improve, or often some modules have answers provided on Canvas, so you can check how you are doing against this.
Academic Advisors
Academic advisors shouldn’t be forgotten about when trying to improve your grades! Although they may not be able to go into as much detail as module co- ordinators, they will be able to signpost you to resources and deal with your academic life more holistically. Importantly, if you are having any issues with a particular module that is impacting on your learning, even if it is not academic, you may feel more comfortable reaching out to your advisor rather than liaising directly with the module co-ordinator.
Back to: Liverpool Law School