Do you guys take reading notes? Forum

[goodolgil]

One color highlighting with an occasional star next to something important. No margin notes, and definitely no laptop notes while reading. Worked out great grades-wise 1L year, not as well thus far in 2L.

[romothesavior]

I don't even hardly take class notes, so no I don't take reading notes. Works great for me.

Also, multi-colored highlighters is super TTT. It's like a friendship dealbreaker for me.

[Dany]

& bils, i'm sure there are more than 5-10 people in our class who take 0 reading notes

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I barely take any reading notes. I type notes in class and mostly include what the professor says about a note or case and write down what they think about it, which I think is the most important information anyway. My cold calls are fucking terrible because I don't bother to type up anything about a case that I wouldn't use on the exam, but I don't really care about anything that doesn't affect my grade, so it doesn't really bother me that my reading notes are shit nonexistent.

But I digress: Just do whatever works for you. Law students are obnoxious and neurotic and always want affirmation of what they're doing, or they just want to show off the work they're doing which should never, ever matter to you. Keep on keepin' on, fellow note slacker.

[Lasers]

& bils, i'm sure there are more than 5-10 people in our class who take 0 reading notes

<------

I barely take any reading notes. I type notes in class and mostly include what the professor says about a note or case and write down what they think about it, which I think is the most important information anyway. My cold calls are fucking terrible because I don't bother to type up anything about a case that I wouldn't use on the exam, but I don't really care about anything that doesn't affect my grade, so it doesn't really bother me that my reading notes are shit nonexistent.

But I digress: Just do whatever works for you. Law students are obnoxious and neurotic and always want affirmation of what they're doing, or they just want to show off the work they're doing which should never, ever matter to you. Keep on keepin' on, fellow note slacker.

perfectly describes me.

[crossarmant]

I don't even hardly take class notes, so no I don't take reading notes. Works great for me.

Also, multi-colored highlighters is super TTT. It's like a friendship dealbreaker for me.

I find the multi-colored highlighters to be extremely helpful, not so much for my own note taking, but for when I'm cold called in class. It helps me jump to the specific parts in the case I need to know, whether it's the facts of the case, holding, reasoning, etc.

[shock259]

I take some basic notes of things from the reading that I think will go into my outline.

For cases, I do the LEEWs method, which is basically just writing 1-2 sentences on the facts, then the holding and the reason for the holding. In total, I write about 3-4 sentences max for each case (with some exceptions for particularly important cases). I then go to class and take notes on what the prof thinks is important about that case.

For casebooks that give general reading/non-case reading sections, I will take notes as they seem relevant for my outline. Generally, some policy arguments for a policy-heavy class or other basic info.

I'll make my outline from combining my reading notes, class notes, and supplements.

Working out great for me.

[TTH]

I talk to my wife, play X-Box, TLS, and glance at the reading on the bus to school. Not a terrible system, but I feel like I'm spending too much time on the reading.

[somewhatwayward]

where's the option for 'no but it's probably a good idea'?

[spleenworship]

I think it depends on how you learn, to some degree...

1L 1st semester- briefed every case until the last month, then book-briefing. Took extensive notes in class.

1L 2nd semester- taking occasional notes in class if the prof says something useful/insightful. All the crap I did last semester did basically nothing to help me get top 3rd. Practice finals, CALI, outlining towards the end, listening in class, and reading the cases did that for me. If you can't extract the holding and rule from the case and recall it for a week or two until you throw it in an outline, then yeah, I would write those down when reading. But if you have a good memory for what you read, I wouldn't bother.