Free UK law study video
Closed-Book Law Exams: Budget Your Answer
Closed-Book Law Exams: Budget Your Answer. A worked example, self-check and independent sources for UK law students.
Try the method
Should one difficult issue consume the time for every other issue?
Compare your answer
No. Use a checkpoint to protect the whole answer's coverage.
- Instructions / weights / time
- Material issues and disputes
- Protect the rest of the answer
Extended reading: use the method
Record the real constraints
Use your own assessment instructions: permitted working time, question weights, compulsory sections, number of answers, allowed materials and submission requirements. Check any approved adjustments that affect your conditions. Another student's timing routine is an example to consider, not an authority on your assessment.
Test a budget before relying on it
Our fictional practice paper gives ninety minutes for two equally weighted answers. Forty-five minutes each is a starting calculation. Trying five minutes to plan, thirty-five to draft and five to review is one experiment. These numbers are not a universal recommendation. Different formats and task weights require different choices.
Use checkpoints to protect coverage
In practice, note when you move from planning to drafting, when you should check coverage, and when another answer needs to start. Give a disputed issue appropriate space, but notice when further polishing is leaving a material issue unanswered. A checkpoint helps you make that trade-off deliberately. It is not an instruction to abandon an important issue blindly.
Diagnose after the timed attempt
Keep a short log of intended time, actual time, issues covered and the reason for any overrun. If a rule or citation could not be recalled, verify it afterwards and identify the knowledge gap. Do not invent it during the attempt. Change one habit and test again using permitted practice material. Assessment rules on AI and other assistance still apply.
Sources and further reading
Use the original guidance alongside your course instructions. A source collection may have gaps; ask your law librarian if you cannot find an authority.
Accessible transcript
What the video says
Preparing for a closed-book law exam? Read the assessment instructions before allocating time. Use the actual question weights and permitted working time. In an authorised practice attempt, map the material issues, give disputed points more attention, and keep a checkpoint for the conclusion and remaining answers. A timing plan is something to test and adjust, not a universal minutes-per-issue formula. Do not invent a forgotten rule or citation. Quick check. Should one difficult issue consume the time for every other issue? No. Use a checkpoint to protect the whole answer's coverage. Try the exercise in the learning library at durmah.ai.
See and share the original social post
Responsible-use note: this lesson supports study method, not submission-ready work. Check the original authority, the law applicable to your course and your institution's rules. Visuals and narration are AI-generated.
