The New York Times Graphics Depicting the 2010-2011 United States Supreme Court Session - Tips for Studying Law

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference Librarian

Students frequently mention their frustration with understanding legal concepts in their assigned cases. I always suggest that they try graphically depicting the facts and legal concepts in their cases. I was gratified Sunday to read the New York Times article, Supreme Court Term Offers Hot Issues and Future Hints, depicting the 2010-2011 United States Supreme Court Term in graphical images. (Click on the image for larger view.)

While briefing cases, a student may want to doodle the factual scenario. Resources are available on the utility of doodling in a learning situation. One web site features an article by Chris Dunmire, called "Exploring the New Wisdom of Doodling."

On a related note, I had a personal experience with the Texas Skinner v. Switzer case, No. 09–9000. It is set for oral argument on October 13, 2010. This case concerns whether a death row inmate has a right to DNA testing of evidence under the Civil Rights Act of 1871, codified at 42 U.S.C. 1983. The Times article mentions that Hank Skinner received a stay of his execution less than an hour before his scheduled execution. I was present at the execution vigil a block away from the execution chamber and was with a close friend of the inmate, the wife of a Pentecostal minister from West Texas, when his lawyer called her and told her of the stay. The news media rushed towards us when it was apparent from my screaming that we had heard good news. The whole scenario of being present at an execution vigil is surreal. For more information on the details of the case I recommend the information at http://www.excitatio.com/hankskinner/index.html. This site includes the full procedural history of the case and clemency applications with background and legal details.

Mind Mapping and Law School

Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.I.S., Reference Librarian

I am experimenting with a program I heard about called PersonalBrain. The concept is "mind mapping," or "visual knowledge management." I downloaded it at home and have painfully started to use it to organize my household activities and organization. I say painfully, because I hate to tackle mundane decisions about what clothes to donate, what items to trash, etc.

An individual user can download the program free of cost at http://www.thebrain.com/. It can be used on a Mac or a PC. I found an article on the program at http://www.llrx.com/columns/notes50.htm by Cindy Curling, titled, "Notes from the Technology Trenches - If You Only Had TheBrain: Mapping Your Thoughts With TheBrain Technology," from February, 2002. The program has been around for a while, but is now in a release called Beta 5.

Reply to this post if you download the brain and start using it for any law school purpose. I am betting that some students might find it useful in visualizing legal concepts associated with a course.

On Target - The Art of Archery - What does it have to do with anything?

Jessica R. Alexander, Reference Librarian

At this time of year I think a lot about exams and studying.  I empathize with nervous and self-doubting students.  I have been thinking about how to write a blog piece about zen and exam preparation and performance - like "Zen and the art of taking law school exams."  But this title for a blog piece seemed phony and trite.

Then there is coincidence. Today, my friend Ward and I went to the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.  Its a wonderful place where visitors can view sophisticated art, talk to the artists in residence, take classes, and buy pieces of art.  I happened to venture into a small studio labeled fiber artist.  Its inhabitant was Greg Rubio, who turns pieces of recycled cloth having significance to his past into art.  The archery target is the central theme.  (You can view his work at The Drawing Center viewing program. At the home page click on Viewing Program and do a key word search for Rubio.

As a fabric collector I was fascinated.  We talked about his art and about his love of archery. (My friend Ward has a connection to archery because his grandfather, C. E.  Schurman,  was once the Nebraska state men's archery champion and President of the Nebraska Archery Association. He was also a craft person and artist who carved his own elegant bows and made his own arrows.)

The synchronicity and ironies just kept coming.  When I told Greg that I was a librarian at STCL, who likes to collect book jackets and every so often, when in a certain "zone," can create art out of fabric or recycled book jackets, he told me that a friend of a friend is a first- semester student at STCL.  He related that the student is rather frantic about final exams. At that moment, my attention turned to pieces of ecru paper tacked to the wall above him.  The papers contained intricate writing that seemed almost indecipherable.  I asked him about them and he told me that they are notes from his archery teacher about technique.  They will be the subject of his next art project.  I inquired further and he explained that archery requires the archer to defeat body reflexes to the extent that they impair the physics of the string and bow, and the accuracy of the archer's sight.  Curbing these reflexes requires "a certain letting go." The archer cannot turn his head to peer around the side of the arrow, a natural reflex, but must allow his eyes to focus in a straight line.

I exclaimed that his friend's STCL friend should talk to him as soon as possible about her exams.  The same "flight or fight responses" to the self-doubt and fear of exam taking impairs an otherwise intelligent and prepared student.  His coach's approach in writing to him in an art form about the psychological-physical "zen" of archery is exactly what some students need to turn hours of study into success.

Crunch Time Again!

Jessica R. Alexander, Reference Librarian

At the reference desk I overhear conversations about upcoming exams and feel the tension in the air as students pass by. I can empathize, because I was there once. In the 1970's, it seems to me that law students were more naive about the implications of grades, job placement and salary (or I was just out of the loop.)

I am aware that studies about learning styles and techniques can be important information for exam takers. While browsing, I happened upon a blog (by a law professor) that pointed to a recent New York Times Op-Ed piece that I missed, "Tighten Your Belt, Strengthen Your Mind" by Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang, published April 2, 2008. These two experts in neuroscience recommend conserving willpower for important tasks. They also recommend exercise as a way to build it. They are the authors of a book called “Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life.”