Ms. Catsos- World History Honors

Research Paper: Taking Notes

At this point in the research process, you have already selected a topic and analyzed at least two articles about it. You have identified several sources that will be helpful. The next step is to read those sources closely and take notes on them. Taking good notes will make it much easier to create an outline and write a draft for your research paper! You may choose the notecard method or one of the alternate methods. Either way you must have at least 30 notecards, containing information from at least 8 different articles. You may use the same articles that you have already analyzed.

Notecard Method (Source: InfoPlease Homework Center).

  1. Use 3 x 5 index cards, one fact or idea per card. This way, related ideas from different sources can be easily grouped together or rearranged.
  2. Number each source from your bibliography and turn in a copy with your notecards. This will save you from copying the info again and again.
  3. On each index card, be sure to note the source (use the number you assigned) and the page number (if there is one). If you wind up using that idea in your paper, you will have the information about the source ready to put in your footnote or endnote.
  4. If you copy something directly from a book without putting it in your own words, put quotation marks around it so that you know it is an exact quotation. This will help you to avoidplagiarism.
  5. Before you sit down to write your rough draft, organize your note cards by subtopic (you can write headings on the cards) and make an outline.

Check out the differences between these two note cards for a research paper on baseball:

Good note card:

Source #1 p.133
Star players become national heroes
Many Americans could name every major league player, his batting average, and other accomplishments.
(What batting records were set?) /
  • Lists source
  • Includes heading or subtopic
  • Is limited to one fact
  • Has personal note/question

Bad note card:

Baseball
Ty Cobb (Detroit Tigers) outfielder one of the great all-time players. Another star was Honus Wagner, a bowlegged shortstop.
"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." /
  • Source not indicated in top right corner
  • Heading too vague
  • Too many facts
  • No name after quotation
  • No personal notes

Alternate Methods to Notecards (Source: zbths.org):

1. The Word File/Bookmark System

  • Create a Microsoft Word file
  • As you work, create the MLA citation information for each source you find.
  • Bold each citation so that it is easily seen in the document. Remember that this will need to be changed on the final list of Works Cited.
  • Under each MLA Citation, copy and paste direct quotations or paraphrase the information that you find from your sources.
  • Create a bookmark in the document next to each citation by going to “Insert” on the file menu and then selecting “Bookmark.” Then, to navigate the file later, you can go to “Edit,” select “Go To” and enter the bookmark name. Hint: Name the bookmark the author’s last name or the web page title as it first appears on the citation.

2. The PowerPoint System

  • Create a new Microsoft PowerPoint file
  • For each new citation, select a different background color for the slide by going to “Format” and selecting “Background” and then choosing a new color for each source and subsequent quotation or paraphrasing.
  • To save time, you might want to create a separate file for each source, selecting the background color and then “Apply to All.” Then, when you have completed your research, combine the files by going to “Insert” and selecting “Slides From Files.” If you choose this method, be sure to create a separate file folder on your H drive for your PowerPoint files so that you don’t miss something when you combine the files.
  • You can then go to “View” and “Slide Sorter” when you are finished taking notes so that you may organize your research cards into a new outline by moving the cards on the program.

3. The Notebook/Binder System

  • This is essentially the same method as the note card system, except that you are using a notebook or binder to organize your notes.
  • Use a notebook or binder that is dedicated ONLY to this project. Do not attempt to place various scraps of information in a folder along with information from other projects or classes.
  • Keep track of your information as you gather it, being careful to document your sources completely as you go.
  • If you are using a binder, you can also place photocopies or printouts in the binder to keep your notes organized.

Note Card Rubric

Honors Research Paper Note Card Rubric
Name: ______Date: ______Period: ______

Category / 25 / 24-20 / 19-15 / 14-10 / 10-0 / Total
Number of note cards / More than 30complete note cards / 25-30 note cards / 20-25 note cards / 15-20 note cards / Fewer than 15 note cards.
Content / Note cards provide more than enough research material for your essay.All notecards contain specific details like quotes, facts, and statistics. / Only a little bit of additional research will be needed to complete your research essay. Most cards have specific details. / Some of additional research will be needed to complete your research essay. Some cards have specific details. / Significant additional research will be needed to complete your research essay. A few cards have specific details. / Notecards have very little specific information. Your project is in trouble!
Heading and notes / All cards have clear, relevant headings. All cards have a personal note or question at the bottom. / Most cards have relevant headings. Most cards have a personal note or question at the bottom. / Some cards have relevant headings. Some cards have a personal note or question at the bottom. / A few cards have relevant headings. A few cards have a personal note or question at the bottom. / No headings are present. No personal notes.
Format / All source numbers and page numbers are present. Provides a complete, correct citation of each source. / Most cards have source numbers but a few page numbers are missing. Provides citations for most sources. / Some cards are missing source numbers or page numbers. Provides citations for some sources. / Most cards are missing source numbers or page numbers. A few sources have citations. / No source numbers or pages numbers are present. No citation of sources.

Total Points Earned: ______Grade Received: ______

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