Comparative Law:
Fall 2016 Exam Review Memo

LAW 6250
Professor Pedro A. Malavet
Fall 2016 (2 credits)
Tuesday, Thursday
2:00-2:50 p.m.
Room 284

Review

I am on sabbatical during the Spring 2017 term, but if you want to sit down to go over the exam, please send me an email to schedule a meeting.

You may pick up your exam by going to the Faculty Support Office and asking my assistant, Ms. Lena Hinson to get your exam. If Ms. Hinson is not at work that day, please see the Director of Faculty Support for assistance.

You may pick up your exam at your discretion and review it regardless of whether or not you wish to meet with me. However, if you want to meet with me to go over the exam, you must first pick it up and review it by yourself prior to scheduling a meeting with me.

Grading in General

I graded on three bases noted on the grading rubric that is available HERE in pdf form.

Question and Structure are about remaining focused on the case problem that I gave you as well as the designated discussion points. Several people insisted on reviewing the entire course in trying to answer the question and that did not score well in this regard. You had to show that you understood that you were trying to problem-solve a specific factual matter, again, not summarizing the entire course.

Comparative Analysis was about effectively describing and comparting both the US and French systems and how they would approach this particular problem.  Did you reference the basic materials that were included in the course packet as well as the outside materials linked on the website to discuss both the US and French systems.

Overall Quality of discussion. Did you write effectively? Did you conduct good research and support your contentions effectively?

Length Limitations. Surprisingly, a few students failed to reach the mandatory minimum length or 15 pages. No one went over the maximum length limit of 20 pages, however.

Class GPA Average. I was bound by the lower 3.25 maximum average for the class and I went right up to it. I chose to not be too harsh with those who wrote poorly (perhaps because I was in too much of a holiday mood, or perhaps because the entire class had been a pleasant experience of discussion in the classroom). The problem with that approach is that I could not be very generous at the higher end of the scale. Hence the relatively low number of "As" or "A-minuses".