A seen exam provides the questions in advance (typically 24–72 hours before), while a take-home exam gives you a longer window (often 24 hours to a week) to write your answers. Both formats expect significantly higher quality than unseen exams.
1. Higher Expectations
Because you have time to prepare, examiners expect:
- More authorities: Cite a wider range of cases, statutes, and academic sources
- Deeper analysis: Engage with academic debate and comparative perspectives
- Better structure: Your argument should be logically watertight
- Precise referencing: OSCOLA should be flawless
2. Seen Exam Strategy
When you receive the questions:
- Read all questions carefully — identify the specific issues each one raises
- Research thoroughly — go beyond lecture notes to journal articles and case notes
- Plan detailed outlines — structure each answer with clear headings and authorities
- Practise writing — write at least one full answer under timed conditions
- Do not memorise scripts — examiners recognise rehearsed answers and penalise them
3. Take-Home Exam Strategy
Take-home exams blur the line between exams and coursework:
- Manage your time: If you have 24 hours, do not spend 20 hours researching and 4 hours writing
- Check the rules: Can you use any materials? Is there a word limit? Can you collaborate?
- Proofread carefully: With more time available, there is no excuse for typos or incomplete references
4. Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Why It Costs Marks |
|---|---|
| Writing a memorised script | Answers feel generic and do not respond to the specific question |
| Over-researching | Including every source you found rather than the most relevant ones |
| Ignoring word limits | Exceeding limits suggests inability to prioritise |
| Treating it as coursework | Seen exams still test exam skills — concision and focus matter |