How to take notes for a research paper:

Before you begin to take notes:

Once you pick a RELIABLE source, you need to write your source information down BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO TAKE NOTES.

Figure out if you have a BOOK, A NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE, A WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET, A SCHOLARLY JOURNAL, OR AN ENCYCLOPEDIA ARTICLE.

If you have a BOOK:

Write:Author’s Full NameTitleEditionVolume Number and total number of volumesCity of PublicationPublisher’s NameYear of PublicationPages Used

For a Newspaper or Magazine:

Write:Author’s nameTitle of articleTitle of newspaper or magazineDate of publicationPage numbers

For an article on the INTERNET:

Write:Author’s nameTitle of documentInformation about any publication in print formTitle of the site Name of the editorDate of publication or updateName of Organization that sponsors the siteDate you looked the page upWeb address

For notes from a Scholarly Journal:

Write:AuthorTitle of the articleTitle of the journalVolumeYear of publicationPages the article appears on

For notes from an Encyclopedia

Write:Author’s full name, if there is oneArticle Title (what did you look up?)Encyclopedia TitleEditionVolume number (if in print)Publisher’s name and / or sponsor of websiteYear of publication City of publication (if in print)

Encyclopedia (continued)

Page numbers used (if in print)Date you looked up the pageWeb address (online)

IF IN DOUBT ABOUT WHAT SOURCE INFORMATION YOU SHOULD WRITE, CONSULT www.easybib.com

Once you have the source information, then you may begin to take notes.

Note how you transcribe your material. There are 3 ways to note information:

 

A. Quote: copy word for word from the sourceB. Paraphrase: translate line by line into your own wordsC. Summarize: sum up a large section of text in your own words **It is vital to note which way you use for each fact you take notes on. Marking your notes with a Q, P, or S is a fast and easy way to keep track.

Example:

Quote: “O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love and I'll no longer be a Capulet.“

Paraphrase: Romeo, why are you a Romeo / Montague? Get rid of your name, and if you won’t and you love me, I’ll go against the will of my family.

Summarize: Juliet wonders where Romeo is and if he will leave the traditions of his family to be with her. She is willing to go against her family if he loves her.

Note taking strategies:

1. Note cards:

A. This method makes it easy to organize research into

sub

topics for your paper

B. Each fact you find is written on a single note card

C. Mark each note card with a source reference and the

type

of transcription used (Q, P, or S).

D. Mark the pages used on the card too

Note taking strategies:

2. Photo copies/print outs

A. This is a great way to save rewriting material

B. Use a highlighter to mark the important sections of each

page

C. Be sure the source information, including pages

numbers, are visible on your copies

D. Remember that all of your material will be in quote form

E. Remember that you should only print the sections of the

pages that you need. You don’t want to print a 40 page article.

Highlight and print your selection only.

Note taking strategies:

3. Notebook

A. This is most similar to what you do in class and keeps all of your

notes bound together

B. Mark the source information before starting notes for any given

source. Use your working bibliography to be sure you get all the

needed information

C. Be sure to note page numbers next to each entry as well as the

transcription method (Q, P, or S), unless if it is an online source.

D. It might be helpful to organize your notes so certain sub topics are

easily distinguished to help in selecting subtopics for your paper