How to take notes in law school? Forum

[alinora14]

.

[uwgbluedevil]

Whatever is going to make you more comfortable.

I tried taking hand written notes at the very start of the first semester -- but personally I found it to be much more physically taxing than just typing. I have a few professors who speak so quickly when lecturing that I found it impossible to take down everything I wanted to when writing by hand.

Additionally, I love OneNote. Its so nice / convenient to have everything laid out class by class, so that at the end of the semester you can just copy and paste things into your outline to study.

You'll be able to figure it out when you get into class and get into the swing of things.

You were the second or third person I've read who recommends OneNote, so I decided to check it out. I have the the full Office suite, so I had it and didn't even realize it. Can someone give me a quick run down? Besides the "folders" aspect, how is it different from word? What are the advantages? How do you personally use it to take LS notes?

There is an extensive one note breakdown in the TLS Content Competitions section of the forum.

[kalvano]

Whatever is going to make you more comfortable.

I tried taking hand written notes at the very start of the first semester -- but personally I found it to be much more physically taxing than just typing. I have a few professors who speak so quickly when lecturing that I found it impossible to take down everything I wanted to when writing by hand.

Additionally, I love OneNote. Its so nice / convenient to have everything laid out class by class, so that at the end of the semester you can just copy and paste things into your outline to study.

You'll be able to figure it out when you get into class and get into the swing of things.

You were the second or third person I've read who recommends OneNote, so I decided to check it out. I have the the full Office suite, so I had it and didn't even realize it. Can someone give me a quick run down? Besides the "folders" aspect, how is it different from word? What are the advantages? How do you personally use it to take LS notes?

I love OneNote. It allows you to separate things much easier than Word, and allows for a more natural way of taking notes. Word is very rigid and structured, because it's a word processing program. OneNote let's you put things anywhere on the screen, so you can logically connect things. Also, separating things into logical ways is great. I have a notebook for each class, then a new section for the main ideas, and then within each section a breakdown. Here's what one of my Contracts sections looks like, so you can see why it's different -










I can move around each of those text boxes at will, make charts and diagrams, whatever I need to do.






Also, this thread will be helpful:

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... Note+guide

[TatteredDignity]

Thanks to all!

[lawfreak]

Thanks but I have word 2003, how do I get OneNote?

[kalvano]

Thanks but I have word 2003, how do I get OneNote?

Use your student discount to buy Office 2010 for about $60.

[lawfreak]

Is a Compaq laptop with Windows Vista good enough for taking notes in law school? Is Word 2003 good enough too, or do I have to get at least Word 2007?

[Stonewall]

^ OneNote looks pretty solid

[lawfreak]

^ OneNote looks pretty solid

Can I get OneNote free or do I have to first purchase 2007?

[kalvano]

OneNote comes as part of Office. Student discount on Office is amazing.

[gothamm]

does anyone record the professors (in addition to - not instead of - taking notes, of course)? i saw some dudes doing this in UG but it might not be a bad idea..........replay the part you need again when you're reviewing or something, you know?

Why the eyeroll. I was one of these undergrad students and recording professor lectures on onenote and syncing it with the notes was a godsend.

[SoCow]

Laptops were banned in all my 1L classes.

[TatteredDignity]

What school?

[Rooney]

Looks like I'm out of luck with a Mac. Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac does not have OneNote. (Thanks, Bill Gates.)

Anyone using a Mac have experience with Growly Notes? Looks like the closest thing to OneNote...

[kalvano]

I've heard from Mac People that Circus Ponies is close.

Alternatively, use Boot Camp to boot Windows 7 and run Office.

[dextermorgan]

Looks like I'm out of luck with a Mac. Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac does not have OneNote. (Thanks, Bill Gates.)

Anyone using a Mac have experience with Growly Notes? Looks like the closest thing to OneNote...

I was an avid OneNote user throughout UG. I have been searching for a OneNote replacement since switching to the Mac, and I have finally found it in Growly Notes. It is OneNote.

[JCUGuy0428]

I did about 2-4 hours of work a day for the first half of the semester. Then did all my outlining between Fall break and Thanksgiving - so 12 hours a day or so - this included research memo. At the end, around finals time, i studied about 8 or 9 AM to 3, 4, or 5 PM. Kept me well rested during finals and I could do other studying besides outlining. Worked well for me.

[sanjola]

Looks like I'm out of luck with a Mac. Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac does not have OneNote. (Thanks, Bill Gates.)

Anyone using a Mac have experience with Growly Notes? Looks like the closest thing to OneNote...

I was an avid OneNote user throughout UG. I have been searching for a OneNote replacement since switching to the Mac, and I have finally found it in Growly Notes. It is OneNote.

I plan on using Growly Notes this upcoming fall. How is it working for you? It seems almost identical to OneNote.

[Rooney]

Looks like I'm out of luck with a Mac. Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac does not have OneNote. (Thanks, Bill Gates.)

Anyone using a Mac have experience with Growly Notes? Looks like the closest thing to OneNote...

I was an avid OneNote user throughout UG. I have been searching for a OneNote replacement since switching to the Mac, and I have finally found it in Growly Notes. It is OneNote.

I plan on using Growly Notes this upcoming fall. How is it working for you? It seems almost identical to OneNote.

Nice. Saying it is OneNote is about as good as I could hope for. And it's FREE

[nigelfrost]

4 hours a day is pretty intense! I don't know if I can handle that.

Don't go to law school.

[cornellbeez]

Best answer - use an old outline.

[trace30]

This is a very good but expensive alternative (LinkRemoved)