9 Must-Follow Tips to Score Excellent Grades on Your Law Homework

Writing high-quality law homework that will earn excellent grades is a skill you can sharpen over time. It is not enough to simply write solutions to your homework and submit them as they are. Instead, writing homework that has a logical flow, is well presented, and follows the given instructions is what makes students get A+ level grades.

Here are some reasons why you may not be getting excellent grades on your law homework:

● Lack of preparation

● Inclusion of irrelevant information

● Failure to follow the homework instructions

● Incorrect answers due to poor research

● Errors due to lack of proofreading

You can improve your grades by identifying your mistakes and working hard to rectify them in the next homework. Here are nine tips to help you write better and to help you get excellent grades.

1. Clearly define your law homework objectives and requirements before you attempt it.

The first tip is to define the objectives of your law homework. Ask yourself, what is this homework asking of me? Go through the instructions and the questions asked to determine what is required of you. The instructions will inform the homework type, i.e., are you writing a report or an essay? Do the questions require short or long-form answers? This will also inform the strategy you will use in tackling the homework.

Defining the homework objectives will also help you determine the resources you need to tackle and correctly answer the questions asked. For example, say one question in your homework is on tort law and requires you to discuss the provisions in the law of defamation. On the other hand, another question still on tort law requires you to advise on a given scenario on whether a claimant can take action against another for, say, a nuisance.

The resources you will use and the answer format in these examples are completely different. The first question's objective is to test how well you can recall what you learned in class regarding defamation in tort law. The second is an application question, which means you not only have to have the concept of torts memorized but also be able to apply it to the scenario provided. This is why it is important to define the homework goals, as it will set the direction of your research and writing. It is also the first step in earning excellent grades.

2. Make a plan of action for your law homework

Once you have defined the homework’s objectives and understood the instructions, make a plan of action. This implies planning for your time and the resource materials you will need. Researching and writing law homework help can be quite complex. Planning allows you to allocate time to each question, ensuring that they will all be sufficiently researched and explained. It also allows you to tackle the homework without rushing since you will be prepared.

Planning also gives direction to your research. Planning your resource materials involves determining whether your lecture notes and textbooks will be enough for the homework or if you need extra materials. This is important in ensuring that once you begin your writing, you have no interruptions. It also ensures that you have sufficient materials for your work to write detailed and correct homework. Remember, clear, detailed, and correct homework earns you excellent grades.

Say you are working on a 50 marks homework on contract law. One 25-mark question asks you to illustrate your answers with relevant case law, and the other 25-mark question is an application question. Your plan will include a time allocation for each question. For example, the first may need more time since you must identify case laws to illustrate your answer. The research needed for question 2 may be less than the first one because you will need to find a law that relates to the given scenario. Once you have your plan, researching and writing will be much easier and faster.

3. Always do extensive research.

Research is the main cornerstone of your homework. It will either make or break your writing and determine how correct your answers will be. Remember, correct answers are what your instructor is looking for. Having done your planning, research will not be a daunting task. Since you have already identified the resources you need, finding the information is easier.

You can expect that most of the law homework assigned will require you to refer to relevant case law to answer the question properly. This is why doing extensive research is important. You do not want to quote a case law that is irrelevant to the question asked or misinterpret a law and end up with a wrong answer. Referring to your lecture notes is one way to avoid this. Since your notes have interpretations and examples of applications taught in class, they will direct you on how best to do your research in a relevant way.

Say you have essay-type homework on the role of damages in tort law. Extensive research involves first learning the basics of tort law. Once you are familiar with tort law, you search specifically for the question. Focus your research so that it is specific to avoid irrelevant information. Excellent research ensures that once you begin writing, your answer is well structured and easy to reference. Well-structured and relevant answers are what will earn you excellent grades.

4. Prepare structure and layout before you attempt the homework.

An important tip for your homework is to have a structure and layout. You may have all the correct answers, but your arrangement makes no sense, leading to you getting a low grade on your homework. Preparing the structure and layout before you start your homework will ensure that your ideas flow in an organized manner so they can correctly complement each other. Having a flow makes your homework make sense, which is essential in communicating your point.

What does having a structure and layout involve? First, identify all the main ideas gotten from your research. Depending on the instructions and the type of homework you are doing, arrange your main ideas in a logical order and one that makes sense. If you are writing an essay on, say, the concept of class actions, organize the points you will discuss in order of importance. You can also create subheadings under all the main topics that will form the basis of your essay. Remember to follow the format given in your instructions, i.e., whether APA, MLA, Chicago, or others.

Ensure that your layout is flexible. When you begin writing your homework, you may find that some points you thought were more important during research are unnecessary. A flexible layout will have room to add necessary information and remove unnecessary information without ruining the entire structure of the essay. It will also allow you to summarize similar points to avoid repetition. Your structure dictates how your final homework will be and your grade. A good structure will ensure you write logical and high-quality homework to earn high grades.

5. Craft your answer in a logical way that directly answers the question

The body of your homework should directly answer the question asked. Ensure that you craft your answer in a way that is logical and easy to follow. Do not include unclear and unnecessary details, as this buries the main points. This can result in you losing some marks if your instructor simply skims through your work. It is your job to put your answer in the simplest way possible without watering down important points.

For law homework especially, ensure that you include supporting evidence for all the answers you provide. This is important as it also carries some marks in the homework. For example, if you have homework requiring you to discuss an employer’s liability to their employee, ensure that you include all the case law relevant to this question. Even as you discuss the main points, include ample supporting evidence.

Never use informal language in your law homework. Even in essay-type questions that are more opinion-based, ensure that you present your points in formal language. Make sure that the words used are not too complex to the point of being unreadable. The most important thing to earn marks is legibly presenting your answer. Your answer should also meet the requirements and instructions, which will give you a high grade.

6. Proofread your work and check for accuracy.

Another tip that will earn you excellent grades on your law homework is proofreading your work. Sounds easy enough, but the type of proofreading needed for these types of homework is thorough. Skimming through your work and simply submitting the homework is not enough. Always do a deep check to identify any errors you may have made when writing or researching. These errors include improper grammar, poor punctuation, and incoherent sentence and paragraph structure. Well-polished work is easier to read and, therefore, easy to mark and grade.

Proofreading also allows you to check whether there is a logical flow to your ideas. Read your homework aloud or use the text-to-speech tools available online to listen to your solutions. It will allow you to hear and identify sections that have a disconnect or that are not flowing. It also allows you to ensure that your ideas are not all over the place but rather that your essay makes sense. Remember, writing work that is disconnected and makes no sense can result in a low grade.

Proofreading your article will also involve checking the credibility of the information you provide. The higher your homework’s credibility, the higher your grade will be. Most law questions are based on past case laws. Therefore, proofread to ensure that whatever you have cited is factual and verifiable. Even essay-type questions ensure that relevant case laws can support your opinion on the subject matter. By proofreading, you can improve the quality of your homework by adding relevant supporting data to points that appear insufficient. This is one sure way of getting high grades on your law homework; by ensuring you do not fail due to small errors.

7. Include references in your homework

With law questions, your answers are mainly based on relevant case laws. One tip for always getting a good grade is properly and correctly referencing your work. Properly referencing your work means ensuring that your homework adheres to the style mentioned in the instructions. Be it APA, MLA, CHICAGO, or the rest. Ensure that the reference style used is constant. Do not have some areas with APA and others with MLA.

Correctly referencing your work, however, means putting the correct reference for the correct sections. Do not simply copy references without verifying them. This will lead to incorrect information and, ultimately, a low grade. An example of incorrect referencing is when you have homework on the topic of defamation, yet your references are on the topic of negligence.Although your answers on the homework may be correct, referencing the law of negligence instead of the Defamation Act can result in you losing some marks on said question.

Always check that what you have provided is correct and verifiable. For example, if you are discussing a breach of contract in your homework, ensure that the case laws you cite can be accessed by your instructor where needed and verified. Failing to include references can be another place to lose marks. Relevance is also important when referencing. On the one hand, you would rather fail to include the reference than include an irrelevant one, e.g., quoting a criminal law case for a contract law question. The references could also carry part of the question marks, which means the more relevant your references are, the better you will perform.

8. Create an impressive introduction and a powerful conclusion

An impressive introduction captures your reader's attention and makes them want to read your paper more. An excellent conclusion reiterates and summarizes your main points and cements your homework’s ideas in the reader's mind. Especially for essay and report-type questions, ensure that your introduction is impressive and relevant. Do not include details that have no relation to the topic of discussion. Show your instructor that you know the subject matter you will be discussing. A powerful introduction sets the pace for your essay.

If relevant, quote case laws that better introduce your topic of discussion. Remember, the goal is not to go into detail and to quote blocks of texts that are bulky and complex. You can further demonstrate your points in the main body of the homework. Instead, paraphrase a very important point that demonstrates your knowledge of the subject matter. Let's take an example; discuss an employer's liability to their employee. You can start your introduction by stating the primary duty of an employer to an employee, which is to provide a safe place to work. Then make an interesting statement analyzing that point. Always aim to keep the reader interested.

Of course, you will not get an A+ with an impressive introduction and conclusion and nothing on your body. So always ensure that the body of your work has powerful, well-elaborated points. In the conclusion, aim to summarize your main points. If it was an essay-type question, make a final point for your argument or persuasion, but like the introduction, too much detail is unimportant.

9. Ensure that your law homework is properly formatted.

This is also a very important tip in ensuring you get that excellent grade. Always ensure that your work is properly formatted before submission. Other than having ideas that flow logically, ensure that your words are easily legible. Use an appropriate font or handwriting where necessary. Your instructor is probably grading 100s of homework solutions; ensure that there will be no difficulty grading your work. Also, see that your work is consistent and that there is enough spacing for your sentences and paragraphs. Do not have work that is too crowded to be readable.

Add headings and subheadings within the final work to separate different thoughts and arguments. This also helps you highlight important aspects of your homework and direct your instructor on your thought process. Headings and subheadings also ensure that you have discussed every point sufficiently, which gives you better grades on your homework. For example, say you are discussing the elements of a contract in your introduction to contract law question. You can have subheadings with each of the eight elements for more orderliness instead of having one big illegible paragraph.

Lastly, use the instructions in your homework to check that it complies with the given outline. Regardless of your layout, adjust your homework so that it is compliant. The first thing tested on the homework is how well students can follow the instructions. Everything from the number of words required to the font you use will determine how well you do and what grade you get.

Conclusion

By practicing the above tips, you can write high-quality law homework that will earn you high grades and improve your writing skills. Practice makes perfect; therefore, by employing these tips regularly, you can improve yourself and your grades.