Whether your VCE Legal Studies exam is in months, or just one week, we’ve got you covered!
This content-heavy subject can often be stressful to study for, but follow this plan and you should feel prepped and ready to go!
Let’s get started!
Day 1: Check Your Learning
Day 2: Revise Key Concepts From Unit 3
Day 3: Revise Key Concepts From Unit 4
Day 4: Apply Your Knowledge
Day 5: Time to Test
Day 6: Speed Revision
Day 7: Practice Makes Perfect!
Day 1 of the VCE Legal Studies Study Plan: Check Your Learning
The first thing you want to do with your revision is to make sure you understand the structure of the course.
The best way to do this is to read the VCE Legal Studies study design.
Here is a short explanation of how you should approach the study design:
Step #1: Read Through the Area of Study
Read through each area of study for the units you will be examined on and get an idea of what each area of study is about.
Make note of the topic of each area of study.
Step #1: Read Through the Key Knowledge
Read the key knowledge in each area of study and make note of anything you don’t know.
Step #3: Read Through the Key Skills
Read the key skills section of each area of study and make a note of anything you are unsure about.
Step #4: Consolidate Your Knowledge with a Mind Map
Now that you’ve done this, you need to consolidate each area of study. You could do this by copying the key knowledge/skills into a list or mind-map for each unit and area of study.
Mind maps can be a fantastic way to clarify your learning. If you’ve already made these kinds of maps or lists, you could turn it into memory revision by making a mind map of key knowledge/skills from memory, and then checking anything that you forgot to add afterwards.
Take these lists/mind maps and stick them somewhere you will see them every day for the entire week, and use them as a revision tool.
You can even be extra and laminate your mind-maps and put them in the bathroom!
Step #5: Make Cue Cards
Next you need to work out all the information you do and don’t know. Take any definitions, concepts, cases or topics that you will need and copy them onto cue cards.
These will help with your revision for the week. There’s also a hidden benefit, as the process of writing out the cue-cards can help you learn or retain this information.
These may seem like generic tips at first, but it is important that you get organised before you truly begin your revision.
This organisation includes organising terms and the Legal Studies structure in your mind, so that it all feels less daunting.
Day 2: Revise Key Concepts From Unit 3
Get out the cue-cards you made on Day 1, and study through them.
You can do this by yourself, or you can get a partner to help you out! You could also use a cue-card making website, like Quizlet, and study them digitally.
If cue cards aren’t your preferred method of revision, then you may have another method that you’ve found works for you. The most important thing is that you’re doing around 30 minutes of this revision in a way that will help you retain knowledge.
Revising for Legal Studies can often be a game of memorisation and application, so make sure you understand your terms!
Tip: This study plan works for Unit 1&2. Simply revise your key concepts from Unit 1!
This day is really about absorbing as much content as you can. Make sure you also read through your text-book and pay attention as you read to anything you don’t know or feel unsure about.
Another way to diversify your revision is to watch videos that dive into Unit 3 Legal Studies, so ask your teacher if they have any videos they could recommend.
Watching videos is a great way to take what feels a bit like a study break, where you can relax and watch some content.
Tip: Throughout the day, you should have made a list of things that you think need extra revision or that you feel unsure about. At the end of the day, take 1 hour to revise/learn this content specifically.
Day 3: Revise Key Concepts From Unit 4
Day 3 is going to be exactly the same as Day 2, except you’ll be studying for your next Unit.
So go back and repeat the instructions of Day 2, with Unit 4 in mind.
Tip: Alternatively, if you’re studying for Unit 1&2, revise your key concepts from Unit 2
Day 4: Apply Your Knowledge
Now that you’ve revised what you do know and identified what you don’t, you need to begin applying your knowledge to practice questions.
On Day 4, we would suggest that you attempt these questions with an open book. This means that you can look through notes you’ve made or anything that will help you answer questions.
This will help you to develop your critical thinking skills without the pressure of having everything memorised.
Tip: Always remember to pace yourself with studying! When doing this 7-day study plan, try not to revise or attempt practice questions for more than 45 minutes. Unless you are doing a practice exam, your study shouldn’t be taking more time than this!
Later in the day after you’ve done some practice questions, attempt one practice exam. Do this practice exam open book with no time limits, and read through the examiners report after you have finished.
Find some practice exam questions to complete Day 4 of the VCE Legal Study Plan here!
Read the Examiner’s Report
Reading these reports is a great way to get advice from the people that are marking your exam.
Check out the VCAA Practice exams and examiners reports for VCE Legal Studies here!
Examiners’ reports will have tips for your responses, will discuss things students got wrong, and will have examples of high-scoring responses, so that you can compare and improve your own work.
Tip: It is a good idea to make note of anything you got wrong in your practice exam or anything that you think you can do better next time, so that you aren’t repeating the same mistakes.
Day 5: Time to Test
On day 5, you’re going to do two practice exams. One open book practice exam in the morning, and one closed book practice exam in the evening.
It’s up to you whether you do it under timed conditions. If this is your first closed book practice exam, we would suggest no timed conditions.
After you’ve finished the closed book practice exam, go through your answers and revise anything you were unable to answer for 20 minutes.
Like Day 4, you should look through the examiners’ report for the exam you did, and make note of anything you got wrong or could improve.
Day 6 of the VCE Legal Studies Study Plan: Speed Revision
Day 6 is all about targeted revision.
In the morning, do a quick 30 minute session where you revise and read over all your notes or cue-cards to get you prepped for the day.
Then begins the real work.
Now that you’ve done a few practice exams, you should have a good sense of what you understand, and what needs more attention.
The first thing you want to do is write yourself some practice questions targeting any topics or concepts that you don’t understand or are struggling to remember, and take 5 minutes to answer each question.
Feel free to do little questions like this throughout the day.
Here is a list of all past VCE papers to help you prepare and study for your exams!
Then you want to do some rote learning techniques for these concepts or definitions that you keep forgetting.
Note: Rote learning is basically a technique of memorisation where you repeat ideas and concepts to learn them.
You can do this by using cue-cards, repeating definitions to yourself, or you could explain a concept to a friend. Often if we are forced to explain something or teach something to someone else, we will find it easier to remember for ourselves.
At the end of the day, you should do another 30 minute revision session where you target anything you are still unsure of.
Day 7 of the VCE Legal Studies Study Plan: Practice Makes Perfect!
Day 7, the last day! On this day, we want to revise, apply and repeat.
It’s a good idea to do around two sessions of these, one in the morning and one in the evening. You don’t want to burn out!
Start by revising your material for about 30 minutes, making an effort to revise anything you’re still unsure about or some of your weaker topics.
Then take a five minute break, and attempt a timed, closed book practice exam.
After you’ve finished this, read an examiner’s report, and mark your own work! You could also ask your teacher to mark your work, if you are looking for some expert feedback.
Repeat this process again in the evening, and take a break after a long week!
And, That’s Your 7 Day Study Plan for VCE Legal Studies!
If you’re doing this 7-day plan one week out from your exam, then get a good night’s sleep and don’t stress! All this work should have paid off, and you can sleep easy knowing you’re ready for your exam.
Good luck! Check out more of our VCE Legal Studies resources:
- What to Do the Night Before Your VCE Legal Studies Exam
- VCE Legal Studies External Assessment Practice Questions
- How to Ace Your End of Year Exam for VCE Legal Studies
- VCE Legal Studies Unit 3 AOS 1 Practice SAC
- VCE Legal Studies Unit 4 AOS 1 Practice SAC
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Maija Flood completed the VCE in 2021, so she knows how much work it can be. She is passionate about creating resources for students, and wants to help them feel confident about their studies! Maija is currently studying a Bachelor of Music at the University of Melbourne, and intends to major in clarinet performance.
