Comments on: Make your Studying More Tech Friendly (Part I in a Series) http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:24:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sharon http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2934 Sharon Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:23:10 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2934 Thanks for the heads up on the audio series. My commute is 45 minutes each way from work and these will prove invaluable to me. Thanks for the heads up on the audio series. My commute is 45 minutes each way from work and these will prove invaluable to me.

]]> By: ouij http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2923 ouij Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:11:47 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2923 @Adam Vella, Agree w/ audiobooks. I used them quite successfully in studying for Corporations and Evidence (although in the latter case, "success" meant "averting failure") For Linux users looking for a hyperlinkable note-taking solution, there's always Tomboy: http://projects.gnome.org/tomboy/ No fancy-pants diagram-drawing abilities here, at least not the last time I checked. I briefly considered going with Tomboy as a note-taking suite, but I found I was just more comfortable taking paper notes. @Adam Vella, Agree w/ audiobooks. I used them quite successfully in studying for Corporations and Evidence (although in the latter case, “success” meant “averting failure”)

For Linux users looking for a hyperlinkable note-taking solution, there’s always Tomboy:

http://projects.gnome.org/tomboy/

No fancy-pants diagram-drawing abilities here, at least not the last time I checked. I briefly considered going with Tomboy as a note-taking suite, but I found I was just more comfortable taking paper notes.

]]> By: Adam Vella http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2922 Adam Vella Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:21:18 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2922 @ouij, That's right, you have the hour long DC train ride. I use OneNote (another upcoming part of the TechStudy series) which I use to integrate my notes, syllabuses, outlines, case briefs, as well as the cases and materials--all hyperlinked together for ease of navigation. My main point of the audio books was that sometimes you don't have the option of looking at something to read--like when you're driving, or cooking dinner, or or cleaning the house, etc. Its not always even important to absorb it all when listening, you catch a phrase here and there, and next time you catch different ones, and with enough repetitiveness they all come together. @ouij, That’s right, you have the hour long DC train ride. I use OneNote (another upcoming part of the TechStudy series) which I use to integrate my notes, syllabuses, outlines, case briefs, as well as the cases and materials–all hyperlinked together for ease of navigation.

My main point of the audio books was that sometimes you don’t have the option of looking at something to read–like when you’re driving, or cooking dinner, or or cleaning the house, etc.

Its not always even important to absorb it all when listening, you catch a phrase here and there, and next time you catch different ones, and with enough repetitiveness they all come together.

]]> By: ouij http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2921 ouij Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:14:25 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2921 @Adam Vella, I tend to take paper notes; where I choose to make outlines, I tend to use LaTeX to reassemble them into nicely typeset documents that I print out and carry with me everywhere. Then I do my outline memorization while I'm on the train, without having to trot out any other devices. Personally, I prefer the type of output I get: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/2125882368_91fee8a09f.jpg Whatever method you use, most of the benefit comes, I think, from actually being forced to confront the material & synthesize it all. The workflow is just incidental. @Adam Vella, I tend to take paper notes; where I choose to make outlines, I tend to use LaTeX to reassemble them into nicely typeset documents that I print out and carry with me everywhere. Then I do my outline memorization while I’m on the train, without having to trot out any other devices. Personally, I prefer the type of output I get:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/2125882368_91fee8a09f.jpg

Whatever method you use, most of the benefit comes, I think, from actually being forced to confront the material & synthesize it all. The workflow is just incidental.

]]> By: Adam Vella http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2920 Adam Vella Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:03:54 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2920 @ouij, Not at all, its a personal preference. I work all day with computers, multiple large LCD screens, and have been doing so for years--its what I'm used to. The best tips for other is always to use what works best for 'you', I just like to point out the options available. @ouij, Not at all, its a personal preference. I work all day with computers, multiple large LCD screens, and have been doing so for years–its what I’m used to. The best tips for other is always to use what works best for ‘you’, I just like to point out the options available.

]]> By: Adam Vella http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2919 Adam Vella Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:57:52 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2919 @Molly, That does sound very helpful! I'm still a borderline 'newbie' myself and only get my Westlaw/Lexis access this semester so I haven't yet had the pleasure of doing caselaw research but I will definitely take this tip and blog about it when I become proficient with it. Thanks! @Molly, That does sound very helpful! I’m still a borderline ‘newbie’ myself and only get my Westlaw/Lexis access this semester so I haven’t yet had the pleasure of doing caselaw research but I will definitely take this tip and blog about it when I become proficient with it. Thanks!

]]> By: ouij http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2918 ouij Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:55:58 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2918 Does it make me a hopeless Luddite to say that I still do most of my studying on paper--with a fountain pen? Reading dense text from a screen isn't as easy on the eyes (yet) as a well-printed page. On the same note, I never used to understand the point behind legal pads--until I went on an internship and started using them to take notes while I was observing trials. Suddenly, I wanted ALL my pads to be legal-sized. Does it make me a hopeless Luddite to say that I still do most of my studying on paper–with a fountain pen? Reading dense text from a screen isn’t as easy on the eyes (yet) as a well-printed page.

On the same note, I never used to understand the point behind legal pads–until I went on an internship and started using them to take notes while I was observing trials. Suddenly, I wanted ALL my pads to be legal-sized.

]]> By: Molly http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2917 Molly Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:52:11 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2917 Since you're doing a series, here's my tech tip: you can use a Firefox add-on called "Scrapbook" to save cases from Westlaw, Quicklaw, etc in a form that looks and acts the same as it did on Westlaw and Quicklaw, but doesn't require internet access, and allows you to highlight, add notes, and otherwise edit in your browser window. It's fantastic for research. Since you’re doing a series, here’s my tech tip: you can use a Firefox add-on called “Scrapbook” to save cases from Westlaw, Quicklaw, etc in a form that looks and acts the same as it did on Westlaw and Quicklaw, but doesn’t require internet access, and allows you to highlight, add notes, and otherwise edit in your browser window. It’s fantastic for research.

]]> By: Adam Vella http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2916 Adam Vella Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:47:03 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2916 @Joshua Auriemma, Hey hey hey--no stealing thunder. Modality's iPhone Law in a Flash in part of the upcoming series write ups. :-) @Joshua Auriemma, Hey hey hey–no stealing thunder. Modality’s iPhone Law in a Flash in part of the upcoming series write ups. :-)

]]> By: Joshua Auriemma http://legalgeekery.com/2009/08/14/making-your-studying-more-tech-friendly-part-i-in-a-series/comment-page-1/#comment-2915 Joshua Auriemma Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:25:05 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2048#comment-2915 Nifty, I didn't even realize Aspen was doing this. Also recommend Law In A Flash iPhone apps. Flashcards on-the-go. Nifty, I didn’t even realize Aspen was doing this. Also recommend Law In A Flash iPhone apps. Flashcards on-the-go.

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