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I used Google Docs and handwritten for undergrad, and I'm curious what most of you have you guys used and what would you recommend for law school.

I use handwritten in class, and use OneNote to compile/outline. Only reason I use handwritten in class is I know if I bring my laptop I'll spend the majority of the time fucking around on the internet as opposed to paying attention to lectures - if you're more disciplined than me, I'd go OneNote all the way.

I take notes by hand in class. It helps condense and focus my mind on the big picture. I'll type them up after class, or by unit - it just depends on my mood. Typing them reinforces and helps me remember what was said in class that day.

Edit: I do use google drive to keep my word docs synced between my desktop and laptop.

Apparently, studies show that people retain much more when using pen and paper than when typing. Reason being that typing is much easier and so people end up typing everything down mindlessly while retaining little; whereas with pen and paper you are take a greater role in noting things down and you have to be more selective with note taking since your hand can get exhausted faster. The result is that you listen more closely.

Not a law student, but LibreOffice should definitely be an option. It is the most current open source Office-type program, and it has the largest dev community. Everybody who worked on OpenOffice migrated to Libre a few years ago.

Theopliske8711 wrote:Apparently, studies show that people retain much more when using pen and paper than when typing. Reason being that typing is much easier and so people end up typing everything down mindlessly while retaining little; whereas with pen and paper you are take a greater role in noting things down and you have to be more selective with note taking since your hand can get exhausted faster. The result is that you listen more closely.

Sure, but it's way harder to GChat people on a spiral notebook.

Anyone use EverNote?

Thanks for the replies. So the consensus is that there isn't so much substantive content you need to record in a typical class that you would be hampered by taking hand-written notes? If you don't have a computer in class at all, does that assume you have your notes physically with you for that class, too? (For, like, getting called on)

I've been fussing around in onenote the past few days now, and it's freaking awesome..

n1o2c3a4c5h6e7t wrote:Not a law student, but LibreOffice should definitely be an option. It is the most current open source Office-type program, and it has the largest dev community. Everybody who worked on OpenOffice migrated to Libre a few years ago.

Yeah I use libre too; I would consider it to be equivalent to word/pages, unless there is a specific libre "notes" program I am unaware of?

Just use OneNote because it's awesome and explicitly designed for this type of thing.

Will_McAvoy wrote:Thanks for the replies. So the consensus is that there isn't so much substantive content you need to record in a typical class that you would be hampered by taking hand-written notes? If you don't have a computer in class at all, does that assume you have your notes physically with you for that class, too? (For, like, getting called on)

I've been fussing around in onenote the past few days now, and it's freaking awesome..

n1o2c3a4c5h6e7t wrote:Not a law student, but LibreOffice should definitely be an option. It is the most current open source Office-type program, and it has the largest dev community. Everybody who worked on OpenOffice migrated to Libre a few years ago.

Yeah I use libre too; I would consider it to be equivalent to word/pages, unless there is a specific libre "notes" program I am unaware of?

I just have a legal pad per class, and generally don't take much in the way of notes for readings (beyond maybe some signals in the margins of the casebook). But no, profs aren't like that micromachines spokesperson that's going so fast you can't keep up - pen and paper is just fine.

kalvano wrote:Just use OneNote because it's awesome and explicitly designed for this type of thing.

Could you elaborate? I used OneNote a couple years back for some science courses, and I wasn't in love with it.

OneNote.

theycallmefoes wrote:

kalvano wrote:Just use OneNote because it's awesome and explicitly designed for this type of thing.

Could you elaborate? I used OneNote a couple years back for some science courses, and I wasn't in love with it.

It's explicitly designed for note taking. What more is there to say? If you didn't like it, there are other programs, but OneNote is pretty awesome.

kalvano wrote:

theycallmefoes wrote:

kalvano wrote:Just use OneNote because it's awesome and explicitly designed for this type of thing.

Could you elaborate? I used OneNote a couple years back for some science courses, and I wasn't in love with it.

It's explicitly designed for note taking. What more is there to say? If you didn't like it, there are other programs, but OneNote is pretty awesome.

I think there's plenty more to say, because not everyone takes notes the same way. I was originally taught to take all notes like an outline:

I.
(tab) A.
(tab) 1.

but found that didn't work well for all subjects. What way of organizing notes does OneNote facilitate?

ZipWhenSheMoves wrote:

kalvano wrote:

theycallmefoes wrote:

kalvano wrote:Just use OneNote because it's awesome and explicitly designed for this type of thing.

Could you elaborate? I used OneNote a couple years back for some science courses, and I wasn't in love with it.

It's explicitly designed for note taking. What more is there to say? If you didn't like it, there are other programs, but OneNote is pretty awesome.

I think there's plenty more to say, because not everyone takes notes the same way. I was originally taught to take all notes like an outline:

I.
(tab) A.
(tab) 1.

but found that didn't work well for all subjects. What way of organizing notes does OneNote facilitate?

OneNote lets you take notes however you want to. You can place things anywhere on the page, in any order or design you want. Whatever works for you. That's why it's so awesome, because it works however you want it to.

Check these threads out:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=163781

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &p=5160078

Whoa I just found out that OneNote is finally out for Mac. I'm mildly tempted to convert all my notes over even though this school year is almost over.

Crowing wrote:Whoa I just found out that OneNote is finally out for Mac. I'm mildly tempted to convert all my notes over even though this school year is almost over.

Had a friend with a Mac do exactly this. Is very pleased.