The Lowdown on Digital Exams

We know the idea of taking a digital exam can be daunting. But the reality is that many law schools administer fully remote exams – and you may even have to take your bar exam online! Fear not, your strategic approach to answering questions is the same, regardless of whether you’re taking the test in your bedroom or the classroom. But the experience will differ. The key is to understand the differences or unique challenges beforehand so you can have a solid strategy come exam day.

First, here’s some general advice: 

• Although you may not have scratch paper or the ability to mark up a physical exam, most of the time you will be able to highlight text and make notes digitally. Practice by answering questions on your computer with a document open for note-taking.
   
• Pay attention to timing during exam prep. People tend to read more quickly and superficially online, so you need to train yourself to slow down and take in each word. This will help you get used to the format. Then, with practice, you will speed up and get your timing where it needs to be.
   
• Be mindful of screen fatigue. Glare-reducing or blue-light filtering glasses can help with eye strain. Create an ergonomically-sound workspace and give your eyes, brain, and body real breaks.

Next, here are some tips for approaching questions you may encounter on a law school or remote bar exam:

Multiple-Choice Questions

For multiple-choice exams, read the call of the question, followed by the fact pattern, and then the answer choices. Use process of elimination to select the best answer. With a remote exam, you will not be able to make diagrams or timelines. So, practice converting these into words! For example, if the fact pattern states: Blackacre is to the west of Greenacre, and the owner of Greenacre has an easement over Blackacre, here’s how to illustrate that concept digitally:

B-L-A-C-K-A-C-R-E <– GREENACRE

If possible, know ahead of time whether the testing software will allow you to mark questions you want to return to, or whether you’re able to change answers after you’ve submitted them, and have a strategy for flagging puzzling questions based on these parameters.

Essays

You should also read the call of an essay question first. If it is open-ended and does not identify the doctrine or issues being tested, read one or two lines up. Then, read the fact pattern and issue spot by writing down rules that are triggered in your mind. Put relevant facts under those rules. At this point, don’t write full sentences – just a few words will do. For digital exams, you can do this directly in the answer field, which is likely faster than jotting notes down on paper! Read the call of the question again and then organize your notes into a short outline to make sure you are situating the right rules and analysis in response to the correct questions. Overall, you should spend approximately one-third of your time on the reading and planning process. The more complete your plan is, the fewer times you will have to reread the facts.

Then, start drafting your essay – you can use your digital outline as a starting point. Make sure your response is organized around some form of IRAC and leave yourself a little time at the end for proofing – including running a spell check, if allowed. When these kinds of proofreading tools are available, graders expect a higher level of grammatical correctness!

Performance Tasks

If your bar exam is remote, you may have to complete performance tasks using all-digital materials. Performance task packets can run up to 20 pages in length, and many people are (understandably) nervous to respond to these questions online. It is a lot of material to process in 90 minutes. Scrolling up and down on a small split screen is daunting, so, the key is to minimize the amount of scrolling!

The general process will be the same – read the assignment memo closely to figure out your role and task. Then go to the library and read through any statutes or regulations. When you are reading cases, look for the rules. The cases usually have rule application examples, provide organizational structure, and include facts to analogize to or distinguish from the task. Once you have a sense of the rule structure, go back to the file and begin to create an outline by situating the relevant facts in pieces of that rule structure.

Just like with essays, you can plug this outline into the answer field. But since performance tasks are typically longer than essays, it’s a good idea to create (and edit) your outline as you go. As you read the assignment memo, turn your tasks into point headings. If you don’t feel ready to create the point headings yet, jot them down as section dividers or questions, which you can turn into point headings later. Write the full rule from each case into your answer field outline as you read it. Type out the relevant parts of the statutes as well. Jot down a few words about the case facts to remind you to analogize later. Include notes about relevant facts under applicable rules. Creating a thorough outline as you read will prevent you from having to scroll back and forth and will make the writing portion (which you should spend about half of your allotted time on) go much more smoothly!

Finally, a note about security protocol:

When taking a fully remote, closed-book exam, your law school or jurisdiction may have strict security rules in place to ward against cheating. For example, you may not be allowed to leave the room during testing, or you may not be able to freely move between questions on the exam the way you could if you had a paper test in front of you. The key is to know what these rules are ahead of time and to regularly practice under these conditions. This will ensure that you’re not thrown off by logistics on exam day.

Now, hopefully you feel better equipped to tackle any digital exam that comes your way! The key to success is to remember that most of the process will be the same, but it is important to account for the changes a fully remote exam brings when creating an exam prep strategy. Just keep practicing and keep improving. You can do this!

Ready for more tips and support from the experts at Helix Bar Review? Check out Tips for Becoming a Master at Multiple-Choice Exams and Get Back on Your Bar Prep Schedule.