One of the most frequently heard words as a 1L, especially as finals draw ever closer, is “outline” or some variation of it. I’m here to demystify as much about outlines as I can, because it is just SO much easier to tackle what feels like an overwhelming task when you at least know what it is you’re doing, (kind of) how to do it, and some other important lessons learned.

What is an outline?You can’t make one without knowing what it is, so here you go: An outline is a course summary, synthesizing what you read with what you learned in class as a study tool to learn the material. That’s basically it. Things like rules, exceptions, policy consideration, cause of action elements, defenses, mnemonics, whatever helps you study and learn the material, that’s what goes in there.

How do I make one?Step one is make your own. More on that below, but seriously, make your own. I like digital outlines and have used various word processing software that work about equally as well for me. I’ll usually start with making a pretty cover page (it makes it more enjoyable for me), making sure it autosaves because tech does NOT always play nice. Then, I’ll build a table of contents and start working. I use my class notes, textbook, and any reading notes like case briefs to figure out what information is most important, then type it up. I typically focus on things my professor emphasized as well as small nuances I picked up on either in class or readings. The important thing is to not include everything, because then it’s just regurgitating everything instead of engaging with the material to figure out what actually matters (hint: it isn’t everything!).

How do I use it?The main way you use an outline to study is making it because it’s a forced review. It also highlights any knowledge gaps that you have, allowing you to get answers to fill those gaps early instead of panicking at the end of the semester. From there, what I like to do is take a random subtopic or two and attempt to rewrite it from memory, which shows me how well I know the nuances of the particular topic.

Lessons LearnedMake your own.It’s so important that this bears repeating. You learn and retain the information so much better this way. Outlines from third parties, whether former students or commercial outlines, should be used to supplement. Yes, it takes a lot of time and feels like you’re not being as productive, but I promise you it’s so worth it. The time you invest is time studying, and it pays dividends in the long run, especially if you start early.

Use headings and a table of contents. Also page numbers.This is especially true for open-note exams, where you can look at the table of contents to figure out what page that random, semi-obscure concept is on. Word and Google Docs both have functions where if you use their built-in headings, a table of contents can be automatically generated with a click of a button.

Start early, update often and regularly.It’s a lot easier to review a concept right after you finish learning it than weeks or months later when it’s nothing but a vague memory. Since so much in law school builds on each other, it’s important to nail down those fundamental concepts early, and review often to make sure you’re learning the material. My class schedule is such that I don’t have class on Fridays, so instead I’m up early working on updating all of my outlines with what was covered over the past week, every week. You don’t want to get to the end of the semester and have one outline mostly caught up, one about two-thirds of the way there, and the other two not even halfway there. Stay ahead of the game, and be consistent.

You may have to redo your outline. Multiple times.Last semester I had multiple versions of all my outlines, partly because I was still learning how to make let alone, use, one. The big thing I learned from that experience was as soon as you realize your current outline may not be working for you, start over. I realized in early November that the second version of my civil procedure outline was still not quite right for me, but for some reason I decided it would be a great idea to wait until Thanksgiving to start it over again. Don’t be like me. It was not a fun time.

An outline is a tool to help you succeed. It isn’t a magic spell that will suddenly make you an expert, but, done right, it will help you learn what you need to learn to do well. Hopefully this helps you understand what an outline is, how to make and use one effectively, and some lessons you should know up-front. There are tons of great resources here to help you, I highly recommend you take advantage of them!

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