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Note taking software for college?

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insignificantMB

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 24, 2008
72
0
Lakers!
I'm going to college in about 4 months and I am looking for a note taking software. Something like Microsoft Office OneNote, unfortunately that is only on windows.
I read on a website some good ones are:
xPad
Journler
Scrivener
Mori
Notebook
myNotes
Yojimbo

Just looking for one to keep things organized and full featured
like tabs, highlighting, sorting, etc..
Is anyone familiar with a good note taking software?
 
63dot

63dot

macrumors 603
Jun 12, 2006
5,269
339
norcal
Believe it or not I use Text Edit and keep it simple, that way I could type the basics and still listen to lectures. Either I did that or just wrote down notes.

You will learn to get a system down and learn not to write down every single thing. It's better to write down main points, and if possible (this sounds unpopular) read your notes either right after class or well before bed. Don't wait until too late when your mind starts getting ready for sleep.

For the first two years of college, there's a lot of rote memorization and in the final two years, your have to do more essay writing and some original research. Every year builds on the next, so actually the notes can become more concise as times goes on in college.
 
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Parallax124

macrumors newbie
Apr 18, 2009
2
0
I use OmniOutliner and I love it for lecture notes during class because nothing's easier and quicker for organizing things on the fly and making changes as the discussion progresses. But for making my final outline for a class I use regular print view in Word since I'm way more familiar with the formatting nuances to make it look exactly how I like it.

That said, I don't think OO is worth the price I paid for it. Even Notebook View in Word isn't THAT different, it's just annoyingly slow. If I could go back I think I'd try Circus Ponies Notebook since it looks a little more intuitive...
 
sn00pie

sn00pie

macrumors 6502a
Jun 25, 2008
593
0
United States
Microsoft Office has a pretty decent note taking view. I personally use Pages for all of my notes that I take while in lectures and such.

I've found that its easiest if I type the notes in the lecture, print them off when I get home, and read over them. Then write them out when studying...which is what I'm doing right now. :)
 
A

anth

macrumors member
Jul 19, 2005
45
0
Just a word of advice...

As cool as it is to take notes on your Macbook (and occasionally useful), don't overlook the utility of a paper notebook.

Shock-resistant, deals better with a spilled beer than a Macbook, and all for the bargain price of $2.99.

As a graduate student who has been in more classes than I care to admit, sometimes typing down the notes just doesn't cut it. In many of my most important courses (organic chem, biochem, various molecular and cell biology courses), the most important ideas in class are often diagrammed on the board. I've been at a few pretty decent institutions, and if you really look around the room during upper-level lecture classes,

a)You'll notice that there are relatively few laptops out

b)If you look closely, the majority of those on their laptops probably aren't busy notetaking.

I'm not saying you don't need a notebook - my MBP gets carted everywhere with me - it's just not regularly used IN lecture.
 
W

waffles123

macrumors regular
Feb 23, 2009
228
0
I use Circus Ponies Notebook, which offer a discounted price if you are a student. The main reason I got it was because you can take notes using the Cornell Note Taking Method, which really helps me take notes in class. I also use Genius, (which is like flash cards) to help me memorize important words.

P.S.

1. You can download a free trial of Circus Ponies Notebook.

2. Circus Ponies Notebook has tabs, which I believe you said you were looking for.

3. Circus Ponies cost $30 bucks if you are a student, while Genius is free ;)
 
I

insignificantMB

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 24, 2008
72
0
Lakers!
Blake the Great said:
Have you tried Microsoft Word 2004 or 2008? It has notebook view, for taking notes.
Click to expand...

Wow, I never knew there was a notebook view on word haha...
Seems pretty good, although I'd like all my notes to be on the application instead of on different files? I guess it would be workable, and cheaper since I already have it...

anth said:
Just a word of advice...

As cool as it is to take notes on your Macbook (and occasionally useful), don't overlook the utility of a paper notebook.

Shock-resistant, deals better with a spilled beer than a Macbook, and all for the bargain price of $2.99.

As a graduate student who has been in more classes than I care to admit, sometimes typing down the notes just doesn't cut it. In many of my most important courses (organic chem, biochem, various molecular and cell biology courses), the most important ideas in class are often diagrammed on the board. I've been at a few pretty decent institutions, and if you really look around the room during upper-level lecture classes,

a)You'll notice that there are relatively few laptops out

b)If you look closely, the majority of those on their laptops probably aren't busy notetaking.

I'm not saying you don't need a notebook - my MBP gets carted everywhere with me - it's just not regularly used IN lecture.
Click to expand...

Yea, I heard not many people use them. But I guess when we do use it, it'd be more convenient, copy n paste notes to hw and stuff. And faster note taking.
 
Davy.Shalom

Davy.Shalom

macrumors 6502
Dec 23, 2008
465
1
Best programs and utilities:

-Microsoft Office 2004 and 2008
-both have recording software built in
-both have a notebook view and tabs
-A good old paper notebook. Its cheap and portable.
 
G

gerabbi

macrumors regular
Feb 8, 2009
155
0
Davy.Shalom said:
Best programs and utilities:

-Microsoft Office 2004 and 2008
-both have recording software built in
-both have a notebook view and tabs
-A good old paper notebook. Its cheap and portable.
Click to expand...

Before making a decision you have to at least look at the Notebook from Circus Ponies. It's a pretty incredible software.
 
PeterQC

PeterQC

macrumors 6502a
Jun 30, 2008
727
0
I wonder how it would go if you'd use Photoshop (with an legal page open) + a tablet (Wacom Bamboo). A lot less portable, but at least you can take more complicated thing with it, like math formula (thing that I don't, but would look interesting) and not having to bent yourself to write, just having the tablet on your leg and writing with it, relaxing on your chair.
 
A

ArtursBoy

macrumors member
May 7, 2008
64
0
AZ
waffles123 said:
I use Circus Ponies Notebook, which offer a discounted price if you are a student. The main reason I got it was because you can take notes using the Cornell Note Taking Method, which really helps me take notes in class. I also use Genius, (which is like flash cards) to help me memorize important words.

P.S.

1. You can download a free trial of Circus Ponies Notebook.

2. Circus Ponies Notebook has tabs, which I believe you said you were looking for.

3. Circus Ponies cost $30 bucks if you are a student, while Genius is free ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links, helpful info.
 
M

Molnies

macrumors member
Jun 7, 2006
90
0
Sweden
I use Circus Ponies Notebook as my note taking app. Personally I find it to be ten times better than a pen and paper, simply because I write faster on the computer and it's way more organised. The tabs are useful, but what I like the most is probably the sticky notes that can actually stick out of the side of the notebook, so it's both a tab and a sticky note (just like you would with a book or so).

The multidex keeps everything important easy to find, like all the highlighted words and due dates (even though I use The Hit List for GTD). I'm still on my trial of Notebook, but I will buy it in a few days when the trial ends, and with the great academic rebate it's well worth every cent.
 
A

anth

macrumors member
Jul 19, 2005
45
0
PeterQC said:
I wonder how it would go if you'd use Photoshop (with an legal page open) + a tablet (Wacom Bamboo). A lot less portable, but at least you can take more complicated thing with it, like math formula (thing that I don't, but would look interesting) and not having to bent yourself to write, just having the tablet on your leg and writing with it, relaxing on your chair.
Click to expand...

Wacom tablet for graphic design = incredibly useful.

Wacom tablet for taking notes = no sex for 4 years.
 
B

bufo

macrumors newbie
Apr 20, 2009
16
0
I graduated from college only 5 years ago... I don't see how I would be able to take notes on a laptop. I had to write down all these weird diagrams and formulas all the time.
 
T

tsubikiddo

macrumors regular
Mar 15, 2008
168
69
Melbourne, AUS
since our lecturers publish lecture notes/slides prior the actual lecture,

I use Acrobat for pdf publishes,
Outliner, if there were absolutely nothing published
Word, if the lecture materials were published on .doc

it's all the comment&mark-up tools that I use the most

A keyboard is pretty much how I would like to take notes with since I (touch-)type a lot faster than I write,
and I find it is really important to help me learn the course materials by having all the things down and properly covered.
It doesn't matter if I missed bits since recordings are also available (in most situation)
 
Y

yoyomaster

macrumors regular
Apr 5, 2009
104
0
I just use the notebook view in MS Word, not all courses/majors have complex diagrams or equations(even in upper division) as a few other people have pointed out, it really all depends on what you're taking or your major.
 
yojitani

yojitani

macrumors 68000
Apr 28, 2005
1,858
10
An octopus's garden
I really like Journler . Unfortunately, the developer is going back to school and won't be updating the app. :( It is in pretty good condition now though and is definitely usable for note taking. I tried out Journler and DevonThink and came down on the side of Journler for the simple reason that they do very similar things but Journler is cheaper and does more or less the same thing.

Edit: it appears the developer is working on it again!
 
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