Underlining/ emphasizing words in the essays Forum

[plath]

What are your thoughts on using underline/bold text to make the essays clearer? I obviously do not mean underlining the whole thing but rather emphasizing buzz words to help the reader help me. I haven't used SofTest before but I think it is possible.

Anyone get any input from their prep-course on that? Is that recommended?

[peanut123]

Used softest in law school and there were formatting options to bold/underline/italicize. This is just personal opinion as I haven't heard anything from Barbri or another authority on it, but I am thinking I'll use it for my headings/subheadings (probably bold and underline) and then sparingly underline in the text for organization. I will probably not use any formatting for the sake of emphasis. I would just think if the graders are reading hundreds (? thousands?) of essays, they will get to a point where their eyes play tricks and it could end up having the opposite effect (like how no one reads indented quoted paragraphs or footnotes). Just my thoughts.

[plath]

Used softest in law school and there were formatting options to bold/underline/italicize. This is just personal opinion as I haven't heard anything from Barbri or another authority on it, but I am thinking I'll use it for my headings/subheadings (probably bold and underline) and then sparingly underline in the text for organization. I will probably not use any formatting for the sake of emphasis. I would just think if the graders are reading hundreds (? thousands?) of essays, they will get to a point where their eyes play tricks and it could end up having the opposite effect (like how no one reads indented quoted paragraphs or footnotes). Just my thoughts.

Yep that's what I thought. But then I feel like if it was something worth doing Barbri would have mentioned it whenever they could (also, the model essay have no formatting whatsoever)

[peanut123]

It's also entirely possible that SofTest will not allow formatting for the bar exam. I think when I was playing with a mock exam, it didn't allow copy/paste, which is a normal feature I used on law school exams.

The model answers in my essay book have subheadings bolded, but it's not clear if that was original or not (since obviously many of them were written in the pre-laptop days).

[plath]

It's also entirely possible that SofTest will not allow formatting for the bar exam. I think when I was playing with a mock exam, it didn't allow copy/paste, which is a normal feature I used on law school exams.

The model answers in my essay book have subheadings bolded, but it's not clear if that was original or not (since obviously many of them were written in the pre-laptop days).

I actually recall that copy and pasting, as well as underlining, was available. It's also noted on my SofTest page if I enter with my BOLE ID. Then again it may change b/w states. I'm taking NY

[peanut123]

It's also entirely possible that SofTest will not allow formatting for the bar exam. I think when I was playing with a mock exam, it didn't allow copy/paste, which is a normal feature I used on law school exams.

The model answers in my essay book have subheadings bolded, but it's not clear if that was original or not (since obviously many of them were written in the pre-laptop days).

I actually recall that copy and pasting, as well as underlining, was available. It's also noted on my SofTest page if I enter with my BOLE ID. Then again it may change b/w states. I'm taking NY

That is fabulous news. (Also taking NY). I copy and paste like a crazy person during MPTs just so I can quickly see my rules right in front of me.

[plath]

It's also entirely possible that SofTest will not allow formatting for the bar exam. I think when I was playing with a mock exam, it didn't allow copy/paste, which is a normal feature I used on law school exams.

The model answers in my essay book have subheadings bolded, but it's not clear if that was original or not (since obviously many of them were written in the pre-laptop days).

I actually recall that copy and pasting, as well as underlining, was available. It's also noted on my SofTest page if I enter with my BOLE ID. Then again it may change b/w states. I'm taking NY

That is fabulous news. (Also taking NY). I copy and paste like a crazy person during MPTs just so I can quickly see my rules right in front of me.

Please double check me as my brain has come to a stage where when it does not know something it makes it up.