Cornell Notes in the ipad

If you love the Cornell note-taking method (here‘s more info about it) and you want to be able to do so in your ipad, most likely, you are disappointed due to the lack of apps catering to this need yet. As I grew tired of waiting for an app, I decided to just create my own template in pages. Now, I can take cornell notes in my ipad as well using only the pages app, which most people probably have already.

I’ve set up the template to be in horizontal (landscape) mode by default which is how people usually take their notes using the ipad.

Just download the pages template here and create duplicates of the pages to create more. You can use this in the ipad and in your mac by using the pages application in the iwork suite. Good luck.

Updated version here: now with autoflow

Also, there is only one app so far for the ipad w/c makes use of a cornell-style note pad and that is noteshelf. The app is actually for hand-written notes and is actually quite excellent from my experience so far. Be sure to purchase a good stylus to be used together with noteshelf. The targus stylus for capacitive screens is very good, so go check that out.

Some applications to help law students

I’ve been using the ipad for almost a year now and it’s been really a great tool in law school so far. Below is an initial list of the applications I found useful and made things a whole a lot easier for me. I’ll add on to this list if I run on some new things later.

1. Dropbox 

This is a must as it makes everything so much easier. Basically, it’s just like a physical dropbox (as aptly named) where you drop in all of your files that you want to share (with other people) or synchronize in your mobile devices or other computers. It saves you time as you don’t need to do the normal uploading and downloading of files or carry a USB stick that are the usual ways of doing things. Its just like apple’s mobile me but FREE. It gives you a maximum of  8GB of free space. So, your files can now be accessed in your computer, mobile devices, and virtually anywhere as the files are also available in the dropbox website.

All that is needed is to create your account. Once that is done, download the free app for your mobile device.

2. Good Reader

Good Reader is the best reader for any file in the iphone or the ipad. It also allows you to annotate (including making highlights and notes w/in the files.) It has lots of functions like cropping the files currently being viewed to fit the ipad or the iphone and best of all is it syncs with dropbox so you can access all your files in dropbox within goodreader and any updates you made in it is synchronized which is very useful when you’re working with other people.  Here’s the iphone and ipad versions.

3. To Do

To do is an application for making to do lists! Studying in law school takes a lot of time and maintaining a to do list will help in ensuring that those precious 24 hours don’t get wasted by unnecessary activities which are not part of your plan for the day. To do is the best app for the job and if you want to get those hours back, download the iphone and ipad versions now and start maintaining your to do list.

4. iA Writer

As the name shows, Writer is a simple no-nonsense note-taking app for the ipad. This can be very helpful in taking down notes during lecture and the customized virtual keyboard it has is so much more delightful to type with than the default one for the ipad. It also syncs with dropbox so that comes in handy. Try it now.

5. Audio Memos

Audio is also very useful when conducting interviews or simply when recording lectures in class. It has a function which makes the volume of the recorded audio file louder and there are also various means of sharing and transferring of the recorded file. Just be sure to ask your Professors first prior to recording as there are some Professors who are not comfortable with the idea of a student recording their lectures. Download it here.

6. Angry Birds

All work and no play makes John a dull boy. So make sure that you place in some time in the day to give yourself some time to relax and unwind. Go and an play time in your to do list and play angry birds, one of the most addictive game in the iphone and the ipad. You can play it anytime you want so no need to worry as it won’t take much of your time like Role Playing Games and MMORPGs will.

That’s all for now. I’ll add on to the list later.

Law Reviewers in the net

I’ve been collecting law reviewers from different sources since I started. I’ll try to post as much as possible the links here. Thanks to those who created the reviewers.

2008 UP – Civil Law Reviewer

http://www.ziddu.com/download/13757780/04-ObligationsandContracts.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13757660/10-LandTitlesandDeeds.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13757659/09-TortsandDamages.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13757658/06-Agency.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13757657/08-CreditTransactions.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13757656/07-Partnership.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13757655/11-PrivateInternationalLaw.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13757571/05-Sales.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13754589/03-Succession.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13754561/02-Property.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13754518/01-PersonsandFamilyRelations.pdf.html

2010 Chan Robles – Labor Law Reviewer

http://www.ziddu.com/download/13760936/PART5-201OBARREVIEWGUIDE.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13760769/PART4-201OBARREVIEWGUIDE.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13760661/PART3-201OBARREVIEWGUIDE.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13760444/PART2-201OBARREVIEWGUIDE.pdf.html
http://www.ziddu.com/download/13760294/PART1-201OBARREVIEWGUIDE.pdf.html

Researching in the net

The internet had been considered by many as the new library where a lot of information can be accessed in an instant. This is one of the few benefits that present law students have over the prior ones and we must learn to take full advantage of it. There are thousands of information that can be obtained from the internet that can help law students in their studies like dictionaries, reviewers, notes, practice exams, reference books, etc.

This can be done by getting familiar on how to properly search with google. Searching in google more effectively and avoiding the need to go to the school library will actually save you time, which you can use to study and rest more. Please click the two links below for the tips on how to properly search in google.

http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=134479

http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=136861#exceptions

How to make audio codals?

Apart from the pdf, law students can also study by converting their reading materials to audio (i.e. mp3 files). Doing this would allow you to continue studying with just your mp3 player.

How is it done?

1. Once again, you’ll need an electronic device such as a computer to do this.

2. Then, you need to access sites where there are electronic copies of jurisprudence and codals, e.g., Revised Penal Code, Civil Code, etc. Sites like chanrobles and lawphil have some very good content in there so better check those.

3. You need to have a software which converts text-to-speech. For PC users, textaloud is a very good example. For mac users, you may want to look at CK’s text to speech converter.

4. Both programs will convert whatever text you have to your desired audio formats so all that is left for you to do is to place them in your mp3 player such as an ipod and listen to them through your earphones.

Of course, listening to the same old voice might bore people. That isn’t a problem as both options mentioned earlier provides for a lot of different voices you may choose so as not to make listening boring. Hope that helps.

How to make pdf versions of Codals?

The first thing that comes to mind when you think about a law student is that it is a person who carries a lot of books with him. This might be very difficult for some people as they have to carry all those heavy books and copies of cases with them while transporting on their way to school.

So, what is the solution? Make pdf versions of (possibly) everything.

How is it done?

1. First, you have to have an electronic device such as a laptop, netbook or a tablet reader such as an ipad.

2. Then, you need to access sites where there are electronic copies of jurisprudence and codals, e.g., Revised Penal Code, Civil Code, etc. Sites like chanrobles and lawphil have some very good content in there so better check those.

3. After which, you need to ensure that you have a program in your computer which can create pdf copies out of websites. For PC users, you may look at the free foxit software. For Mac users, the default pdf viewer (preview) already has this function so no need to install anything.

4. Once you have the necessary software installed, go back to the site where the codals or cases are located and try to print them. For PC users, select the foxit software as the reader and it will automatically save the document as a pdf. For Mac, there’s a “pdf” button located in the print window that you may select to save it as a pdf. (please leave comments or email me in case you’re having trouble in doing this step.)

5. Once you have the pdf files, then you don’t need to have to carry around so many books everyday in class. Also, reading from your computer might be difficult for some people as they’re not use to it but believe give it some time and it will grow on you. Both PC and Mac users are given lots of tools in reading electronically such as the ability to use the highlighter function (in different colors) and other annotating tools to help you in studying.

All in all, I think that doing this is more cost-effective for students as this dispenses the need to buy some books and photocopy cases, not to mention that this would also help our environment as we are reducing the number of papers we used. So, that’s it everyone. Hope this little guide help you make the switch from reading physical paper materials to their electronic versions.

First post

Hello everyone! I’m a first year law student in the Philippines and I’m planning to use this blog to provide information on how to make studying law easier using the electronic tools or softwares currently available in the market. I hope some new students will be find this site useful.