Take Home Exams or In Class.....Which would you prefer?

[Sir Daniel Plum]

As someone who typically needs to revise my writing quite a bit, I would prefer take home exams.  I think by taking the exam under a timed format too much emphasis is placed on writing skills.  If you have great writing skills, without the need for revision, this is certainly good for you, however, for someone like me I find it a bit upsetting.

It hasn't impacted my grades in my first few exams, but my Property Professor wrote perhaps the easiest issue spotter question in the history of law school exams, and I am somewhat worried that it could impact my grade negatively.

Oh well, back to studying. 

I think I would prefer if they were in class, untimed, and you couldn't bring in notes.  (With the expception being you could bring the UCC, FRCP, etc....to utilize on the test)  That would even the playing field and everyone would have to rely upon knowledge without easy access to outlines and notes.

Any thoughts?

[amoebalaw]

In class, UNtimed? That would be insane. You would have people ordering food to be delivered to the room so they didn't have to leave...

This Spring, I've had everything from week long take home, to one day take home, to open book and closed book in-class exams.

They are all painful in their own special ways, but I think I like the one-day take-home the best. Can sort of work at my own pace, but not have to go insane for an entire week....

[Sir Daniel Plum]

Great point, untimed would be a terrible idea.  I'm sure there are many other reasons why it would be bad as well.

[Ronald Hyatt]

wait until you get the 24 hour take home that takes several hours to read and could easily consume a week of your time. then you realize that you will easily spend almost all of the next 24 hours working on it. then you start to appreciate the timed in-class exam... more like ripping off a band-aid.

[Chibundu]

tag

[unlvcrjchick]

Also, take-homes exams are the ones that truly test you on your writing skills, whereas the three-hour in-class exam focuses on how many issues you can spot within the allotted timespan.  Because honestly, how well-organized, well-structured, and well-supported can your essay exams be in 3 short hours?

I feel if law school were truly out to test you as to what lawyers do, they would make all exams take-homes, for how many attorneys do you know who memorize rules that may change anyway and solve a client's problem within 3 hours?  Very unrealistic, but then again, law school was never meant to teach us how to practice law, so it shouldn't surprise me.

[brewha]

 

I think I would prefer if they were in class, untimed, and you couldn't bring in notes. 
Any thoughts?

OMG!! You are probably the only person EVER to want an untimed exam!!! That is just so weird!!! 

[squarre]

There was an in class with no time limit at my school the year before I started (I graduate this week).  The exam began at 1:00 pm and several students stayed until at least midnight, with the last student leaving at about 2:00 am.  Surprisingly, the professor chose not to use this format again the next year. 

[GA-fan]

I highly prefer a 3 or 4 hour exam with time pressure. Bring your own outline and nothing else. We had a few of the take-home exams, and I agree, they're more pressure than the in class variety. One tip: NEVER believe a prof who says "I'm giving you 8 hours, but you should be able to complete the exam in 4." Pack of lies. If you spend 4, you're behind the curve of what your classmates are doing.

[Law9486]

You would have people ordering food to be delivered to the room so they didn't have to leave...

I had an untimed in class exam in undergrad and the professor did order pizza about half way through. Such a bad idea for a law exam.