Building a strong index for the Ontario Bar Exam doesn’t need to take days or weeks.

In fact, the best-performing candidates build a clean, functional index in about 3 hours. Not because they rush, but because they understand what matters and what doesn’t.

This guide will show you:

• How to build a high-performing bar exam index in 3 hours
• The exact step-by-step process
• The most common indexing mistakes that cost students time and marks
• How BarBuddy helps you test and refine your index before exam day

Why Your Bar Exam Index Matters More Than You Think

The Ontario Bar Exam is open-book, but that doesn’t make it easy.

You’re answering:

• 160 multiple-choice questions
• Under strict time pressure
• Using thousands of pages of materials

Your index is not about memorizing law.
It’s about finding the right rule in seconds.

A bad index causes:
❌ Panic
❌ Time loss
❌ Guessing
❌ Missed easy questions

A good index does the opposite.

The 3-Hour Indexing Rule (What Actually Works)

Here’s the truth most students don’t hear:

You do NOT need a 50-page index to pass.

You need:

• Clear topic entries
• Logical structure
• Fast lookup speed

Anything beyond that becomes clutter.

🕒 Hour 1: Build the Skeleton (60 Minutes)

Goal: Create a clean framework not details.

Step 1: Identify Major Sections

Start with the big topics only.

Examples:

• Professional Responsibility
• Civil Litigation
• Family Law
• Criminal Law
• Real Estate
• Business Law
• Estates

Write these as main index headers.

Step 2: Add High-Yield Subtopics

Under each section, add commonly tested concepts  not everything.

Example (Civil Litigation):

• Limitation periods
• Pleadings
• Discovery
• Summary judgment
• Appeals

👉 If a topic appears repeatedly in practice questions, it belongs in your index.

Step 3: Use Simple Alphabetical Order

Don’t overthink structure.

✔ Alphabetical
✔ Clean
✔ Consistent

Complex systems slow you down.

🕒 Hour 2: Add Page Numbers & Keywords (60 Minutes)

Goal: Make your index functional  not pretty.

Step 4: Add Page References

For each entry:

• Add 1–3 page numbers max
• Choose the page with the rule, not commentary

Example:

Limitation Periods  4, 22

Avoid:
❌ Long page ranges
❌ Every mention of the topic

Step 5: Add Searchable Keywords

Think like the exam writer.

Add:

• Alternate wording
• Common synonyms

Example:

“Lawyer Duties” → also index under “Professional Responsibility”

This increases hit-rate during time pressure.

🕒 Hour 3: Test & Refine (60 Minutes)

Goal: Stress-test your index before exam day.

Step 6: Test Using Practice Questions

This is where most students fail.

Do this:

1. Answer practice questions
2. Use ONLY your index to find answers
3. Track:
   • Time to locate rule
   • Accuracy

If it takes more than 20–30 seconds, your index needs refinement.

Step 7: Remove Clutter

Delete:

• Rarely tested topics
• Over-detailed entries
• Long descriptions

Your index should guide you  not slow you down.

🚫 Common Indexing Mistakes That Cost Students Marks

❌ Mistake #1: Over-Indexing

More entries ≠ better index.

Too many entries cause:

• Slower scanning
• Decision fatigue
• Missed questions

❌ Mistake #2: Copying Someone Else’s Index

What works for one student may not work for you.

Your index must match:

• How YOU think
• How YOU scan
• How YOU practice

❌ Mistake #3: Indexing Before Practicing

If you haven’t done practice questions, you don’t know:

• What’s tested
• What matters
• What can be ignored

Index AFTER exposure to questions.

❌ Mistake #4: Never Testing the Index

An untested index is a gamble.

If it hasn’t been used under time pressure, it’s not exam-ready.

How BarBuddy Helps You Perfect Your Index Faster

BarBuddy was built for this exact process.

With BarBuddy, you can:
✔ Practice realistic Ontario-style questions
✔ Track how long it takes to find rules
✔ Identify which topics appear most often
✔ See where your index slows you down
✔ Refine your index using real data

Instead of guessing, you optimize your index based on performance.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need days to build a winning Ontario Bar Exam index.

You need:

• A clear structure
• High-yield entries
• Real practice testing

Build it smart. Test it early. Refine it often.

With the right index  and the right system like BarBuddy  passing the Ontario Bar Exam becomes manageable, strategic, and repeatable.

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