Exams

Exam Basics

In this course, we examine the scope and source of laws involving crimes against persons, property, morals, and public welfare. We study classifications and general elements of crimes, definitions of common and statutory law, acceptable evidence, types of intent, the capacity to commit crimes, legal defenses, criminal culpability for principals and parties to a crime, laws of arrest, and constitutional aspects of U.S. law.

Our exams test your recall of those subjects. This study guide is here to help you to focus your studies for our:

Midterm exam (16-week course only) – up to 50 questions, covering chapters 1-8 of our textbook in 90 minutes
Final exam – up to 50 questions, covering our entire textbook in 90 minutes

Our exams are timed, open notes (open book for online courses), and structured much like our chapter quizzes, offering issue spotting scenarios, multiple choice(s), matching and/or true/false questions.

Maximize knowledge retention with active learning

Use the SQSTR Method to actively seek information as you explore course materials, taking notes that summarize, organize, and centralize important information:

Survey: First, skim each assigned reading, paying special attention to chapter objectives and summaries, and any information that is highlighted or called out, e.g., charts and tables.
Question: Create questions about the content of the reading, such as: What are its key points? What will I be expected to learn from these materials?
Seek: Actively read the materials, seeking answers to the questions you formulated in Step 2, along with an overall understanding. Immediately consult a dictionary for any unfamiliar terms.
Teach: Upon completing a reading, write a summary that explains it in simple terms, as if you were teaching it to a student who is new to this topic.
Review your notes regularly: Quiz yourself on the questions you created, plus any publisher-provided questions. If you have study partners, quiz each other.

Study: Textbook > Slides > Quizzes + Cases = Notes

Narrow your studies as follows, adding highlights to your notes at each step:

1. First, review the textbook, paying special attention to chapter objectives, chapter summaries, vocabulary, featured text (bulleted, bold, etc.), and questions posed by the author
2. Review our Slideshows, noting featured information
3. Quizzes - note the question types and topics covered, and focus on questions you missed
4. Cases - make/review an alphabetical list of each case we covered, with its name and rule
5. Create an outline of the law that we have covered, so that you can see how it all works together
6. Regularly review your notes

Watch this video for tips on how our exams are constructed and how you can maximize your success.

Issue Spotting Scenarios

Before the Exam

Study the law, and don't be afraid to ask questions when you need help. You need to understand the law in order to be able to apply it.

Create an outline, summarizing the law so that you can see how the rules work together.

During the Exam

Carefully read each sentence of the scenario and ask why each fact is there. Be creative as you spot issues in the facts that relate to the law covered in our course. Guide

Scenario facts may be presented:

to provide background
to raise issues; or
to throw you off

Create an outline of your answer before you start writing it. Cite relevant constitutional provisions, cases, statutes, rules of evidence and jury instructions that pertain to your answer.

What to expect on our exams

Our exams typically include the following:

Vocabulary, including legal/professional terms, Latin
The Bill of Rights, including its history and development, and incorporation, with focus upon the application of the following amendments to criminal justice: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th and 14th Amendments
Scenarios that require you to apply statutory and/or case law rules to fact patterns.
Questions relating to our Student Learning Outcomes
1. Examine the functions of the U.S. criminal justice system from detention through release back into society
2. Explain the application of constitutional principles to criminal procedure.
3. Identify and analyze concepts of due process as related to criminal litigation.
Questions relating to our Course Objectives
1. Describe the history and application of various criminal procedure concepts, including the Exclusionary, Corpus Delicti, and Ex Post Facto rules
2. Identify and critically analyze concepts of due process as found in the 6th, 8th, and 14th Amendments, including right to counsel, bail, jury trial, and due process
3. Describe the application of defendant's rights, including the right to counsel and the right to a jury trial
4. Describe and apply laws of arrest and use of force as defined in procedural statutes, case law, constitutional law, and other applicable rules
5. Differentiate among California's three court levels including general and original jurisdiction areas and selection or election processes for judges and justices
6. Contrast the various charging documents applicable to each court level in the California court system
7. Identify, describe, and order the stages in the jury trial process
8. Explain the court arraignment process in both felony and misdemeanor cases
9. Describe the preliminary hearing process and standard of proof required to successfully bindover a defendant for trial
10. Differentiate between cases investigated by the grand jury for indictment and cases issued through the normal complaint process
11. Identify the various motions that can be made by the prosecution and the defense during the course of judicial proceedings from point of arrest to final adjudication
12. Analyze the purpose and function of the plea bargaining process and other alternatives to trial
13. Describe the California Juvenile Court System, applicable procedural statutes in the welfare and institutions code, and applicable juvenile case law.