Law School Exam Tips

University of Virginia School of Law professor Anne Coughlin offered law students tips on how to take an exam on Dec. 2, 2011. The explanations she gives offer an insight into legal reasoning in the United States. She contrasts "doctrinal" and "policy" analysis. "Doctrine" here does not mean the opinion of law professors. It's a rule or principle that is widely adhered to. "Policy" arguments involve, for instance, discussions about what a rule should be or what the effects of a particular rule will be in practice. The talk is available either in mp3 or video. 47 min, no transcript.