Research Paper Notes III

Taking Notes The purpose of taking notes for a research paper is to write down information that you think you will use in the writing of the paper. Once you have ascertained that a piece of information will be useful, take notes on it. There are four main types of notes that you can take.

Direct Quotations This type of notes is when you write down the exact words of the source. Only take this type of note if the wording of the passage is absolutely perfect for your purpose.

Paraphrase—use for details Paraphrase is the type of note that you will take most often. In it you write the information down in your own words. In a paraphrase, you write down all relevant information.

Summary—use for concepts Summary is when you write down the information in your own words. It differs from paraphrase because in a summary, you write down only the most important information. It is a way to produce a note that is shorter than paraphrase.

Note cards Type of note taken Source number Question Page number Take notes in the center of the card. Only write down one piece of information per card