Should you join a Study Group in Law School?

You often hear at the start of a new school year – especially if you are a freshman, that you should join a study group. They sell you all the usual perks and benefits of joining one but no one has ever told you if study groups are actually for you or not. The need to join a study group vary from person to person so, in essence, no one really needs to join a study group.

But are there benefits you can get out of one? Yes. So if you have been considering whether you want to join a study group or not, then this is the article for you! We are going to tell you all the benefits of a law study group and some things you need to take into consideration before you join one.

Depends on the Person

This one is fairly straight forward. Depending on who you are as a person, you can figure out if a study group is for you or not. Think about whether you like to study independently or if your study style suits only you. If that is the case then a study group is probably not for you as you will spend time being unproductive. However, if a person is someone who likes to learn in a collaborative environment or by hearing others talk out loud then a study group could be a good use of your time. So think about how you like to study and then decide whether studying with many people in a sitting is something you would enjoy.

The Right People are Important

Consider this, if you sit down to study with your friends, is anyone really going to get any studying done? Most likely not, friends will enjoy their time and make the study gathering more of a social occasion. That is why when you join a study group, you should know the people in it are the people who are at the top of your class. The ones who are especially good are writing law papers are even better. These people are more productive, which, in turn makes you want to study and be more productive as well. So do not make a study group a time to chill and enjoy with friends. Rather, a study group should be kept to what it was made for – studying.

Now that we have mentioned some precautions you need to consider before going ahead and joining a study group, we are going to name some of the benefits of joining one!

The Benefits

There are a great number of benefits that a student can gain from a study group. First and foremost is for the procrastinators out there. If you like to spend your time lounging about and feeling lethargic then a study group might be just the solution you are looking for. This is because being a part of one gives you incentive to actually study and make use of your time.

Imagine showing up and being the only one who has not done the reading that was decided on. Everyone is going to suffer because of you in that scenario and no one wants that. So it is a great source of motivation to get up and get your work done.

Writing a law paper can be hard and challenging, but this challenge gets way easier if you are part of a study group. The study group will most likely help your review the paper as well as add in information that you may have previously not known. Apart from papers, in general, a study group can give you insight into a particular topic in a way you did not know before. Perhaps someone one asks a question that you did not think of before and this leads to new information being revealed to you.

What to do in a Study Group

There are many things you can do in a study group, the best thing in our recommendation is that you use to study group to go through outlines that you have made of cases. This is the best time to go through it because they are long and extremely challenging to complete by yourself. So it would be best to complete this task as a group, as different pages could be assigned to different people which could be done together by everyone.

Top Activities To Do In A Study Group To Learn Better

It is hard to focus on studying when you are with friends, discussing everything except study material. So, these interesting and productive activities will keep you focused on the course material rather than mindless discussions.

Do mind mapping

Mind mapping allows you to explore the concept in depth. As you branch out different aspects of the concept, you tend to understand it better. You can either create your own mindmap to memorize the concepts or collaborate with your group to make it even better.

Another way is to get digital and use apps or software to create mindmaps. Software and apps allow you to edit, write, and remove the content in the mindmap seamlessly. 

Compare and edit notes

Your class notes or lectures become essential when you start studying for exams. Therefore, it is a good practice to compare and contrast notes of each other in the study group and make necessary changes. Maybe you have noted something wrong or incomplete in your notes that you can correct after comparing it to your friend’s notes.

Teach your topic to each other

Every student has different strengths and abilities. Some students learn some topics easily, while other students struggle with them. The best way to benefit from the study sessions is that students can interact with each other. Also, they get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

In this way, you can teach them the concepts you are expert in and get guidance for the subject you are weak in. It is the most effective and exciting process of learning that you can follow in your study group.

Prepare quiz for each other

You learn the most when you answer questions in a group. Conducting a quiz is not only a learning opportunity but also a fun activity that fosters healthy competition. Everyone would want to ask the tough questions to their friend. And on the other hand, they always try to study hard to answer the questions.

Conduct mock exams or tests

It is another competitive way to learn with friends. Students can prepare and deliver short presentations on specific topics. They should encourage constructive feedback from group members to improve presentation skills and content understanding.

You can prepare and deliver short presentations on specific topics. Ensure that the topics are relevant to what’s being studied and align with the upcoming exams or assignments. It will sharpen your presentation skills and expertise in the subject. 

Manage time effectively 

Time management skills are the most necessary skills for a student to develop. In the group study sessions, you can practice time management skills and harness them for your leverage. For example, you can use the Pomodoro Technique or other time management methods to stay focused during study sessions. It will enhance your productivity and learning capability exponentially. Also, utilize short break times as well. Do not study for long hours, as it can be potentially counter-productive. 

Ask for Help!

If you do not want to join a study group but are still in need of assistance then you should definitely get in touch with Law Writing! We are an academic law essay writing service that aims to bring all law students the best and most professional essays they can imagine! If you are in need of help be sure to contact us immediately.