Verse Notes: best way to use them

Would some of you proficient note takers explain how you use notes--especially assigned to verses. I thought one way to use them is to attach salient commentary sections to a verse--does anyone do this? And what do you do if you find a large amount of text over several commentaries?

Also: How do you handle taking notes for a sermon you are preparing? what about your research that spans commentaries, collections, encyclopedias, illustrations, etc.?

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

J.R. Miller

I use Word, but I would be interested to know what others do in notes. I never thought much of them in 3.0 and could never imagine putting anything of value in them, so this is a great question. What did I miss? How does it translate to 4.0?

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28796#Comment_28796

I use Word,

The reason i used Logos Notes was because i could easily take notes within the program without toggling. I really didn't like them. If I had a second monitor, I may have used word more--actually I would cut and past my notes to word and save them. How did you use notes in Word?

But my use of Notes was also probably clunky. I would make a notefile for every series of sermons I had. If I were preaching from John 15 over a few weeks, each sermon title would be followed by how I proceeded in my study: reading notes context, grammar, commentary, ideas, application, etc.

What I didn't do well was attach notes to the bible itself. I really don't have a great system

J.R. Miller

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28808#Comment_28808

I had word set-up with a special sermon template that I created. I took all my notes (no editing), just hit copy and pasted them into the document. I printed it when I was done. highlighted what I wanted to review. I turned my highlights into an outline and went from there.

Notes in 3.0 never let me format or print something that was comparable to word and I preferred having all my notes and outline and manuscripts in one file.

I like the notes in 4 better, but I THINK I will still do everything in Word (or Pages) unless I see what others are doing and how it would be an improvement.

J.R. Miller

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28846#Comment_28846

Oh, one necessary feature would be highlight and print. Without that feature, there is no point to Logos notes for the way I prepare.

Kevin A. Purcell

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28847#Comment_28847

I actually use another program for notes. But you could easily do what I do in that program in Logos. The fact that they did not include notes import in this release makes me hesitant to switch.

But here is what I do. I open the bible to my passage and when I find important information I keep it in notes. My first pass through the text is just my observations and questions. The second pass through the text is from word study and grammar. The third pass is for commentary research. And then my final pass is illustrations and application. When I am done I have a very complete set of notes on each verse in the passage. Sometimes enough to fill an entire printed page and others just a paragraph.

(‾◡◝)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28895#Comment_28895

I have toyed around with Notes but seeing as how an Import Utility is on the way, I will wait until then to immerse myself. However, here is one comment related to Note files ...

The Drop Down for 'File' perplexes me a little bit in the way it behaves. On the left are listed all of the various File types ... Clippings, Handout, Notes, etc. At first, I thought that as I caused the cursor to hover over each File type, the right hand side would display a listing for that particular type. IOW, point at 'Notes' and view all available Notes at the right. Furthermore, I expected that for each Note that contained multiple sub-notes, I would see a listing of those sub-notes instead of the greyed-out word, "Notes". But this is not the way this menu behaves. ALL files are listed simultaneously.

The problem that I foresee is that if the right pane lists ALL of my Clippings, Handouts, Notes, etc. simultaneously, then this is going to become a very large/busy Drop Down in a very short time, isn't it?

As always, Bob and crew probably have a very good reason why the drop down acts as it does ... but I am not seeing it right now.

Trey Selman

Another program to use is MS Onenote.

Great program!

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/31271#Comment_31271

Another program to use is MS Onenote.

Great program!

OneNote is great. theres several thoughts I have about notes right now. Either way you go does not guarantee you'll be able to easily use those notes in the future. If you link thinks in OneNote, how can I be sure the link format in the future will stay in contact? the side of the coin is am I guaranteed that L5 will read L4 notes correctly? There are no guarantees, but hearing that Note and hyperlink importing is coming causes me to lean towards keeping my notes in Logos.

Stephen

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/31277#Comment_31277

I use Circus Ponies Notebook on my Mac. It does a really good job of being able to organize them they way I like. if you use a Mac I suggest checking it out.

Jacob Hantla

Here are my primary uses for notes:

Sermon prep: Making observations on a passage
Sermon prep: A place to collect the best-of my research.
A repository for quotes. As I read and I know that I'm going to want to use a certain quote next time I'm on a passage, I'll make a note and stick it there, so I find it. Now with Logos4 I can also tag the note so I might find it when doing a topic search
Journaling: A place to just write about the section of scripture I'm studying. Very free form. This is primarily devotional.
Sermons & lessons: My sermons and teaching transcripts are always saved as a note for future reference.

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28947#Comment_28947

The problem that I foresee is that if the right pane lists ALL of my Clippings, Handouts, Notes, etc. simultaneously, then this is going to become a very large/busy Drop Down in a very short time, isn't it?

If you type "clipping" in the find box you will narrow the box to just clippings. Same for anything else.

Trey Selman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/31277#Comment_31277

Something to keep in mind is that the folks at Logos view notes as an resource annotation tool.

While it can be used in other ways it is important to keep in mind how they view it.

Design has been based on this function, primarily.

They have steered away from making it an internal word processing tool and have said that there are better external resources that do this.

I would love to do all my study and resource collection inside the program and I do use notes in ways other than the intended function.

I am just bringing back to remembrance what has been said from the designers about this tool, so that you can make better decisions about how you want to collect your information.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/31447#Comment_31447

Something to keep in mind is that the folks at Logos view notes as an resource annotation tool.

This is good to know - especially since it doesn't fit with my use of notes. Actually, I do like it being a resource annotation tool and therefore linkable to any resource. But what I have used notes for most is for collecting materials to build Bible studies. The basic categories of information in my notes are:

notes of explanation that I might wish to include in a lesson (i.e. short and pointed cpmmentary)
questions that I might wish to include in a lesson - categorized by the kind of question it is
structural and contextual information from non-Logos resources (most my resources are non-Logos)
intratextual/intertextual notes
stuff I put in notes that didn't belong there but L3 didn't offer me good alternatives
stuff I've forgotten what I thought I would use it for
stuff that I would swear wasn't mine
cobwebs, spiders and mouse-droppings

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/31559#Comment_31559

And PS: using a 3rd party note taker like OneNote is even better with a "pin-open" app like "Deskpins"

I set the One note window size to a normal Logos window size, then pin it open..it stays on top while I cut/paste things into it.

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32749#Comment_32749

And PS: using a 3rd party note taker like OneNote is even better with a "pin-open" app like "Deskpins"

Did you create this program? You are un-relenting in advertising for it.

Damian McGrath

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32795#Comment_32795

Did you create this program? You are un-relenting in advertising for it.

I thought something similar.

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32799#Comment_32799

I thought something similar.

Has anyone checked where that spambot link takes you? Does it take you to the Deskpins website by chance?

Damian McGrath

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32805#Comment_32805

ROFLOL

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32749#Comment_32749

And PS: using a 3rd party note taker like OneNote is even better with a "pin-open" app like "Deskpins"

I set the One note window size to a normal Logos window size, then pin it open..it stays on top while I cut/paste things into it.

i didn't know about Deskpins--is that free (i guess I could google it. . . later, as I am walking out the door. . . well in a second or two I will be)

I have OneNote and really like its versatility, but I hated toggleing. If I can "pin" it over the L4 window, that would be great. More great would be embedding capability of it, or Word or whatever.

George Somsel

Would some of you proficient note takers explain how you use notes--especially assigned to verses. I thought one way to use them is to attach salient commentary sections to a verse--does anyone do this? And what do you do if you find a large amount of text over several commentaries?

Also: How do you handle taking notes for a sermon you are preparing? what about your research that spans commentaries, collections, encyclopedias, illustrations, etc.?

I use notes extensively. It constitutes one of the primary reasons that Logos has been of such great value to me. I have used notes in 3 different manners in 3.0., but until there is a vast improvement in the notes function in 4.0 I will continue to use 3.0:

1. General notes. This is the only file that I always have open in 3.0. In it it keep all of those things which I want to show up whenever I am looking at a particular passage. As an example, in Gen 18.25 I have a note attached to BHS 4.2 regarding the fact that לָּךּ is in pause and therefore appears to be 2fs though it is masc. Whenever I encounter Gen 18.25 in BHS I am reminded of this fact without needing to open a specific note file dedicated to that book/chapter/passage.

2. Translation: If I am doing a translation of a chapter or book I will make a note file with each chapter being a separate note and each verse linked to the verse in the original language text. Obviously this is not possible in 4.0 since it is not possible to link to resources within a note.

3. Commentary: I am working on a commentary on Revelation so I have a separate note file for each chapter. Until it is possible to link to resources from within the note as was possible in 3.0 the notes function of 4.0 is useless.

Obviously I don't seek to format these notes precisely as I would if I were actually writing the commentary though certain formatting abilities are desirable (such as the font always remaining as I set it). Notes are precisely that, not a finished product. For a finished product I copy them into Word or simply transfer the IDEAS in the notes to Word.

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32859#Comment_32859

I have OneNote and really like its versatility, but I hated toggleing. If I can "pin" it over the L4 window, that would be great. More great would be embedding capability of it, or Word or whatever.

You can pin onenote to the top without Deskpins (sorry bob)

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32864#Comment_32864

I use notes extensively. It constitutes one of the primary reasons that Logos has been of such great value to me. I have used notes in 3 different manners in 3.0., but until there is a vast improvement in the notes function in 4.0 I will continue to use 3.0:

I did not take many notes in L3. As someone who did, do you see yourself every taking advantage of the combined features of the saved guides and Guide notes?

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32873#Comment_32873

I did not take many notes in L3. As someone who did, do you see yourself every taking advantage of the combined features of the saved guides and Guide notes?

I can't answer that since I haven't yet tried using those. In fact, I seriously doubt that I will ever use them. Also, I don't know what the "Clippings" function is for though I assume it is for quotations of some resource. If I have something I want to quote, I put it in my notes.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32873#Comment_32873

As someone who did, do you see yourself every taking advantage of the combined features of the saved guides and Guide notes?

Yes

SteveF

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/32869#Comment_32869

Philip, I think by "pinning" he means that the actual program acts almost like a Window within the L4 program -- I do not think that he is referring to (merely) "pinning" a start "short-cut" (Bye the way, I do that with Word)

I am ready to be corrected on this one.[:D]

Steve

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/33307#Comment_33307

Philip, I think by "pinning" he means that the actual program acts almost like a Window within the L4 program -- I do not think that he is referring to (merely) "pinning" a start "short-cut" (Bye the way, I do that with Word)

I am ready to be corrected on this one.

Steve

The button in OneNote in the picture that I showed keeps OneNote on top of other programs. It does not pin it to the start menu.

SteveF

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/33364#Comment_33364

Wonderful!

Thanks

Steve

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/33535#Comment_33535

thank you all for your help. I have been bowled under by sickness and other things, but am emerging. Appreciate the various comments from pinning, to George's recent, extensive insight. Will use them.

Right now I am trying to figure out how to print them. wow. IS THERE? (short of copy and paste each section? I don't see notefile summary OR "print". hmmm.

Ralph Mauch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/35306#Comment_35306

I would love to hear more comments on Notes, I've just started Logos4 (long time Ver3 notetaker [:)]) this morning and am trying to make sense of it all. Daniel asks about printing, and I have to ask the same thing... do you have to make a Handout and put the note as a handout inorder to print it?

Also, I see that one can put a note inside of a note (haven't yet figured out the full potential of that) while in a resource, but I haven't figured out how to hyper link something from in the note to a resource other then if it's a Bible verse, which gets a link automatically. If that makes sense, I'd appreciate anyones input! [:D]

Ralph

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/39292#Comment_39292

do you have to make a Handout and put the note as a handout inorder to print it?

Temporarily, yes sorta kinda. Printing is coming....

http://www.logos.com/4/missingfeatures

but I haven't figured out how to hyper link something from in the note to a resource other then if it's a Bible verse, which gets a link automatically

You have to make the link in Word, and then cut and paste that link back into the note file. This has been acknowledged as a bug they are working on. If you need help with how to do this let me know.

Ralph Mauch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/39310#Comment_39310

You have to make the link in Word, and then cut and paste that link back into the note file. This has been acknowledged as a bug they are working on. If you need help with how to do this let me know.

Ahhh, now I remember reading that somewhere else, thanks for the response, I think I remember how to link in Word. Taking notes is to me the most important aspect of the whole Bible Study package like Logos, which is what kept me in Logos way back when, but I suppose it will never take the place of a software package like Word... I actually use both, but would rather have it all in one package.

I was just becoming a pro in Ver3, thanks to folks like Andrew who didn't come along to the forum... somebody tell him he's needed now more then ever [;)]!

spitzerpl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/39327#Comment_39327

thanks to folks like Andrew who didn't come along to the forum... somebody tell him he's needed now more then ever !

We do miss Andrew :-)

Ken F Hill

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/31271#Comment_31271

I use freeware outliner/organizer KeyNote 1.6.5 (http://www.tranglos.com/free/keynote_toc.html). It has a clipboard capture feature so anything you select and copy in Logos automatically gets pasted in a KeyNote outline. msWord also has a clipboard capture that can save you from having to toggle back and forth, but at some point you need to go to Word and put all the clips into a document. (btw - I hope you don't get a popup on the KeyNote page -- I did for the first time ever but you can close it easily.) Another outliner/organizer is TreePad which comes in a free version and several paid versions. It has more robust searching.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/41080#Comment_41080

I would discourage anyone from using an outside resource for notes now. The reason is that the "My Content" feature of the guides picks up the notes which adds a significant additional function to Logos. I used notes differently in Logos 3 than I will in Logos 4 - partially because of the additional items to which notes can easily be attached. I try to use verse level as if it were sentence level putting linguistic considerations, intertextual observations and proposed study questions here. At the passage level, I put similar information relating to the pericope ... but sentences that cross verse boundaries I treat as a pericope because of the way the notes are implemented.