Tip #12

My handwriting is really hard to read. Is there anything I can do to make it easier for the grader to read my essay answers? Is outline form better than long paragraphs?

You can print if your script is bad and vice versa. You can skip lines in your blue books. You can write on only one side of the blue book page, keeping the facing page blank. This will allow space for you to insert information that occurs to you later, without forcing the grader to follow an arrow to the end of your answer, where the afterthought would otherwise appear.

It is doubtful that your handwriting will be your downfall. You are probably more critical of yourself than the grader will be. You can discover ahead of time if you have a problem by handing in the essay answers that are assigned for grading in your bar review course. If the comments say that handwriting is an issue, speak with one of the staff attorneys at your bar review course.

And all test-takers – even those with perfect penmanship – should remember to keep their sentences short, simple and to the point.

As for the structure of your answer, you should write like a lawyer in CIRAC (Conclusion, Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion) paragraph form. Remember you are trying to persuade the bar exam grader that you deserve to be an attorney. The essay questions are drafted to be written in the time constraints allowed. Keep to the suggested time allocations. You will never gain enough points on one essay by going overtime (and probably addressing points not at issue) to make up for what you will lose by not having enough time to hit the basic issues in the later essays.