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Research Dossier

Joey D. Kassenoff

University of Central Florida

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Introduction to the Research Dossier

For the research topic surrounding the best undergraduate characteristics and degree for

success on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) – and ultimately in law school – the

motivation stemmed from my interest in attending a law school after graduation. The main focus

of the research is to determine what characteristics determine success in the pursuit of a legal

profession. These characteristics can include education (major), personality factors, and

experience. This derives from my own personal goal of earning an economics degree before

moving on to law school. Since the project is so closely tied to my own endeavors, the research

becomes more personally satisfying and valuable. I came into the project with a decent, yet still

insignificant, amount of background knowledge. Therefore, the research was initially focused on

general information about law school and the demanding nature of the curriculum. As research

progresses, its developing into a comparative analysis between personality or education and

success on the LSAT and in law school. Conclusions will be drawn about desirable personality

traits and undergraduate education that influence success and career longevity in legal

professions. It is important to note that although the research may clearly draw relationships

between certain competencies and achievement in law school, these competencies are not always

going to determine future success. Since personality factors, such as problem solving and

judgement, are very abstract concepts, they are limited in how accurately they can determine the

degree of achievement in legal studies.

Instead of a firm solution to the research question, it is important to practice an

interpretive approach. Several of the sources cited include a perspective that address different

aspects of the research question. Several authors focus on the undergraduate majors, such as
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economics and philosophy, that yield the best results in law school. Others address the

personality traits that have a determinable effect on achievements in law school. Additionally,

some authors highlight the stressful nature of law school and the toll it takes on the mental health

of students. Since there are many factors that can impact law student success, the perspectives

are focused on analyzing which ones have the most determinable effects. For example, the most

basic point of my research began with the initial perspective of an economics major and its

effects on LSAT success. This lead me to Wesley Routon’s (2018) article Is an Economics

Degree Good Preparation for the LSAT? This source explores the general implications of

earning an undergraduate economics degree in terms of attempting to gain attendance in a law

school. Further research discovered sources such as Michael Nieswiadomy’s (2017) report,

LSAT® Scores of Economics Majors: The 2015-16 Class Update and 15-Year History, which

provides statistical evidence that an economics major tends to excel in law school to a higher

extent than other majors. However, this source also provides the data from the other majors –

such as philosophy – and the argument can be made that they can be just as successful as

economics.

As the research progressed even further, some more specific perspectives were

introduced. One of the more intriguing approaches to the topic regards the mental health and

general well-being of law students and professional lawyers. Author David French (2011) who

wrote American Legal Education and Professional Despair discusses the emotional implications

of pursuing a legal degree/career. This study includes the general societal perceptions of lawyers

(which tend to be negative) as well as how professional lawyers view themselves and their

occupation. This research can connect to the topic at hand by highlighting the taxing demands of

law school, and the underlying requirements of becoming a law student.

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Research Map

Research Questions

 What undergraduate majors impact LSAT scores and

law student success? \
 What personality traits and skills contribute to success
in law school?
 What factors contribute to how students deal with the
demands of law school?

Key Terms & Topics

LSAT
Law School
Scores
Undergraduate
Characteristics
Major
Demands of Perceptions of
Law School Mental Health Lawyers
of Lawyers

Methods of Research

Peer Reviewed
Interviews
Journals

Professional
Lawyers Students
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Tentative Fall 2018 Semester Schedule

Oct 1: Resume Building Workshop

Oct 7: ACG 2021 Chapter 4/5 Assignments Due

Oct 8: Digital Paper Trail Due

Oct 11: SLS 1501 Midterm

Oct 14: ACG 2021 Chapter 6 Assignments Due/ SLS 1501 Literature Review Practice

Oct 15: Workshop Draft Research Dossier/ ECO 2023H Quiz

Oct 17: Peer Review Workshop 1

Oct 24: ACG 2021 Live Class Activity Session/ Final Draft Research Dossier

Oct 25: Spoken Word Café Event

Oct 26: Concert – Alice in Chains

Oct 31: ACG 2021 Exam

Nov 12: Pitch TED Talk

Nov 15: Dust Tracks on the Road discussion (SLS 1501)

Nov 18: Honors Symposium Service Hours Due/ SLS Elevator Pitch

Nov 28: SLS Literature Review Due

Nov 30: Final Research Paper

Dec 2: First day of Chanukah

Dec 4: SLS Final Exam

Dec 5: ACG Final Exam

Research for the paper can be conducted on most Fridays and weekends, as many

important events fall on dates during the week. That being said, weekdays offer many open

opportunities to conduct research as well. Three of my classes give me research assignments to

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be completed around the same time: The Honors Symposium (IDH) service learning poster, the

Strategies for Learning Success (SLS) literature review, and this English Composition (ENC)

research paper. The most time consuming will be this ENC research paper. It should take an

average of one or two hours a day to gain the proper knowledge on the topic through research

and interviews. For Honors Symposium, I have to complete 15 hours of volunteer service

learning before the poster is due on November 18. I am doing my service learning with the UCF

Arboretum, which will typically be on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, for a couple hours

in the evening. Given these times, my allotted time for ENC research is limited to the weekends,

Mondays, and Tuesdays. The interviews can be conducted through my connections to

professional lawyers in the state of Florida. The students can come from law program within the

University of Central Florida, and it can question their perceptions on important characteristics to

succeed in law school. The final research project that I have to conduct this semester is for SLS,

and it is a five-page literature review on the effect of internships on student success in their four

years of college. Since this SLS paper requires much fewer sources than the ENC paper, it calls

for less time in research. Finding between five to ten sources can be done between times of the

other research papers. Furthermore, studying for my classes will take a considerable amount of

time. Financial accounting is almost entirely online, meaning that it can be flexible with the

times that I do my work. Every week covers a new chapter, and I typically allow for about six

hours of work per week (mostly on Fridays). Every third week there is an exam, so that requires

slightly more preparation time, especially for attending the review sessions. As a whole, studying

for my classes should take me about 30 hours a week, and the research should take about 20

hours a week. The total of 50 hours a week focusing on learning content and gathering research

should be sufficient to balance the work from all my classes.

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Annotated Bibliography

Edmonds, T., Flanagan, D. J., & Palmer, T. B. (2013). Law School Intentions of Undergraduate
Business Students. American Journal of Business Education, 6(3), 279–290. Retrieved
from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1054445&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This source addresses the factors that affect whether or not a student will
pursue a law degree. These factors include the skillset required for a lawyer, their
education, and their future economic aspirations.
Author: The authors of this piece are all professors at Western Michigan University. The
source is credible because it comes from professionals in the field who cite a
plethora of viable resources.
Relevance: This source adds knowledge to why students chose to become lawyers,
particularly in terms of their self-efficacy in their personal characteristics.

Fagan, R., & Squitiera, P. (2002). The Relationship between Personality Characteristics and
Academic Success in Law School. Evaluation and Research in Education, 16(2), 95–103.
Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ789482&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This source focuses on the particular personality traits that directly affect Law
School Admissions Test (LSAT) scores. These characteristics include those such
as “flexibility” and “self-control.”
Author: The authors of this source come from two different backgrounds. One of them is
a professor of the Social Science Division of Pepperdine University in California.
The other is a psychologist who runs a private practice. The two alternate
perspectives give a well-rounded approach to the topic.
Relevance: This source directly adds to the research question addressing personality
traits that can have an impact on becoming a lawyer.

French, D. (2011). American Legal Education and Professional Despair. Academic

Questions, 24(2), 157–166. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ951358&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This article focuses on issues that come with becoming a lawyer. Not only does
the article focus on outside perceptions that the general public has on lawyers, but
also how lawyers view themselves and their profession. Happiness within the
occupation is analyzed and discussed.
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Author: David French is a graduate from Harvard Law School who became president of
the Foundation of Individual Rights in Education. There were talks of him joining
the presidential race in 2016.
Relevance: This source adds an outside perspective to lawyers, which captures the views
that the general public have on them. It also addresses the internal conceptions
about how lawyers feel about themselves.

Knight, R. P. (1990). Remembering. Journal of Legal Education, 40(1), 97–111. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ413495&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This source is a first-hand recollection of experiences in law school.

Author: The author of this piece is someone who went through law school and wrote an
account of their experiences. This source is credible because it is a primary source
that directly captures the demanding nature of law school.
Relevance: The source relates to the research topic because it highlights one’s account of
how demanding law school is, which connects to the qualities and expertise that is
required for success.

Lindsay, K., Kirby, D., Dluzewska, T., & Campbell, S. (2015). “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”:
Newcastle Law School’s Partnership Interventions for Well-Being in First Year
Law. Journal of Learning Design, 8(2), 11–21. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1074672&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This source highlights the emotional and mental stresses that law school can
put on a student. These factors are then concluded by suggesting curriculum
adjustments to manage the amounts of stress put onto students.
Author: All of the authors are members of Newcastle Law School.
Relevance: This source targets the reasons why student’s well-being suffers during their
first year in high school. It adds the perspective of the difficulties of adjusting to a
post-graduate school after graduating from a four-year university.

Nalukenge, B., Wamala, R., & Ocaya, B. (2016). Do Prior Studies Matter?: Predicting
Proficiencies Required to Excel Academically in Law School at Makerere University,
Uganda. Quality Assurance in Education: An International Perspective, 24(1), 139–154.
Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1087500&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This article questions whether or not particular bachelor’s degrees affect
success on law school admissions examinations. Along with the degrees,
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particular characteristics and skillsets are discussed in terms of LSAT

achievement.
Author: The authors are faculty at Makerere University in Uganda. This is one of the
largest Universities in Uganda that offers a well-known law school program.
Relevance: Adds the perspective of the proper degree and competencies that an
individual can have in order to make them more successful on law school
admissions exams and during law school itself.

Nieswiadomy, M. (2017). LSAT® Scores of Economics Majors: The 2015-16 Class Update and
15-Year History. Journal of Economic Education, 48(4), 327–332. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1153467&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This article gives the statistics for Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores
among Economics Majors. The content also includes other majors such as
philosophy, but economics is at the top of the list.
Author: The author is a professor at the University of North Texas. He is also the
Director for Environmental Economic Studies and Research at the university. He
offers credible research on the value of majoring in economics as an
undergraduate endeavor.
Relevance: This source is relevant to the extent to which undergraduate major effects the
scores that students receive on the LSAT.

Routon, P. W. (2018). Is an Economics Degree Good Preparation for the LSAT? Journal of
Economic Education, 49(3), 271–277. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1186331&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This source further analyzes the effects that majoring in economics has on
success of the LSAT.
Author: The author comes from Georgia Gwinnett College, particularly the School of
Business.
Relevance: Adds the perspective of a business professor, because Business Schools are a
popular option for aspiring lawyers.

Shultz, M. M., & Zedeck, S. (2012). Admission to Law School: New Measures. Educational
Psychologist, 47(1), 51–65. Retrieved from
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in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ954657&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This article discusses the connections between LSAT test scores and necessary
competencies, which ultimately relate to first-year Grade Point Average in law
school.
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Author: The two authors offer two perspectives that come together to create a broad base
of knowledge, which adds to the credibility of the source. Both are from the
University of California, one being from their school of Law, the other from the
Department of Psychology.
Relevance: This source draws distinct connections between LSAT scores and first year
law school GPA, which are both derived from highly transferable characteristics
such as judgment and personality. This relates to the research question by
addressing the necessary characteristics for success in law school.

Stenzel, P. L. (2009). A Course to Meet the Unique Needs of Business Prelaw Students. Journal
of Legal Studies Education, 26(1), 1–46. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ859104&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This article discusses the curricular necessities that should be required for
students attempting to get a business degree and eventually become a lawyer.
Author: The author is a professor of International Business Law at Michigan State
University. This is a very specific and qualified position to conduct research on
the needs for a Business major aspiring to become a lawyer.
Relevance: This article is very relevant to the topic at hand, because it addresses the
curricular factors that lead to success and career longevity among business pre-
law students.

Wamala, R. (2016). Do Pre-Entry Tests Predict Competencies Required to Excel Academically

in Law School?: An Empirical Investigation. Quality Assurance in Education: An
International Perspective, 24(2), 211–226. Retrieved from
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in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1094450&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This source identifies that the LSAT measures mostly mental competency
rather than education and general knowledge. Subsequently, the author discovers
what mental competencies are actualy valuable in the pursuit of a law degree.
Author: The author is faculty at Makerere University in Uganda. This is one of the
largest Universities in Uganda that offers a well-known law school program.
Relevance: Adds the perspective of whether the traits that the LSAT is trying to examine
are actual effective when actually admitted into law school.

Wijnen, M., Loyens, S. M. M., Smeets, G., Kroeze, M. J., & Van der Molen, H. T. (2017).
Students’ and Teachers’ Experiences with the Implementation of Problem-Based
Learning at a University Law School. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based
Learning, 11(2). Retrieved from
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in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1145420&site=ehost-live&scope=site
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Content: At the world class Erasmus School of Law, some undergraduate programs
implemented a method of teaching focused around Problem Based Learning
(PBL). This type of learning challenged students and teachers, and the research
debates whether or not it is beneficial for aspiring law students.
Author: The authors are all faculty at the well-known Erasmus School of Law, thus
giving them the valuable credibility of performing research within their own
university.
Relevance: This source adds a new perspective about teaching methods that can be
valuable to help students excel in law school after they graduate with a bachelors.
The teaching strategies can reveal the underlying characteristics that they
promote, thus relating to the research question.

Winters, J. V. (2016). Is Economics a Good Major for Future Lawyers? Evidence from Earnings
Data. Journal of Economic Education, 47(2), 187–191. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?auth=shibb&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1097328&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Content: This article discusses the success of lawyers after they earn their law degree but
organized by their undergraduate major. The results reveal that economics majors
tend to be the fairly successful in mean and median earnings.
Author: The author is from the Department of Economic and Legal Studies in Oklahoma
State University.
Relevance: This source builds on the perspective of an economics major being a good
undergraduate degree for someone hoping to attend law school. It adds the
earning rates of practicing lawyers based on their degree.