Tools for Bar Exam Success: What NOT to Write – A Book Review

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Today I will be talking about What NOT to Write: Real Essays, Real Scores, Real Feedback by Tania Shah and Melissa Gill.

I must say I really enjoyed this book. The authors do a great job of discussing essay writing in a very accessible way, comparing their approach to the TV show What Not to Wear on TLC and using a conversational writing style.

What I think is great about this book is that it fills a void for students; many students want to see more examples of exam writing and how they are graded.

Students are frustrated with the sample answers circulated by the bar examiners as being the only examples of actual test taking they get.

Students too are frustrated at comparing their answers with prep-book answers, most of which are not written under any time pressure. This book takes an example-based approach to teaching that isn’t used frequently in bar preparation.

What’s in What NOT to Write?

The book is in two parts. First, the authors go through actual essay answers, starting with the highest scoring answers and finishing with the lowest scoring.  They use recent essays from the last few years of the bar exam covering a wide range of subjects. These are actual student answers scored by bar examiners. For each essay, the authors go through and make comments on the strong and weak points. Their comments are very direct, at times biting and/or comical. But the authors do a great job of getting their point across.

Second, they go through actual performance exam answers. They supply the reader with the task memo for each question but, thankfully, leave out the entire performance exam (we all know you can get that online). The comments are helpful, although I found them at times a bit repetitive. For instance, when a student doesn’t follow the directions, it likely doesn’t need to be mentioned over and over again for that single essay. (However, I agree with the authors that following the directions on a performance exam is the most important thing to do!).

Students can use this book many different ways.  For students concerned about the upcoming bar exam prior to the preparation period, I think it can be used as an introduction to the essays and can provide some context as they enter bar study.  Students could also use this book in conjunction with their bar study, comparing their answers with the good and the bad of the answers in the book. I recommend this book to bar prep students as an easy-to-understand and helpful resource.

If you do check out this book, note that they have different versions for different states. I had a California student accidentally purchase a book for another state.  Double check the title before you buy!

Want a copy of What NOT to Write? Here are versions for California, New York, and Massachusetts (Kindle).

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we may be (minimally!) compensated if you purchase after clicking the link.

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Have you read this book or used it as part of your bar prep? Share your experience in the comments.

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