1. MRHS RESEARCH Researching with Index Cards
SuS
SUMMARIZING
PARAPHRASING
USING QUOTATIONS

2. Why Index Cards? 2 Saves students from copying needless information.
Reduces the chance of unintentional /intentional plagiarism.
Saves paper.
Reduces printing in the library/computer labs.
Forces students to focus on important information.
Forces students to become a better critical reader.
Becomes a valuable method of organizing ideas.
It is required of all MRHS researchers.

3. On the Card: 2 3 4 1 3 Topic/Subtopic Information Source
Paraphrase/Summary/Quote
Publication Date or Page number 3 4

4. Topic/Subtopic
Although it may seem tedious to give each note card a topic name, it serves two purposes:
It keeps you focused in your research.You will be less likely to write down unnecessary information (facts not related to your topic) if you are careful to write down the topic for every card.
2. It is necessary to have these topics once you begin organizing your research.

5. Information Sourc e
Remember! You are required to have at least 3 information sources
Also remember! You will need more information for your Works Cited page. You will need to add the publication information and follow correct MLA format.
You should also keep updating a SOURCE list for each source you find. Use Citation Machine and keep the list on file.
If you use a website, you need only put the shortened form on the index card. For example, use instead of

6. Paraphrase/Summary/Quote
Item 3 is the paraphrased, summarized (precis) or quoted information that you found … your notes!
It is helpful to paraphrase/summarize /quote your research on the index cards while you are taking notes.
If you are consistent at this stage then you will be certain not to accidentally plagiarize someone’s else’s work.
You will have less work to do when you are actually writing your paper.
Paraphrase/Summary/Quote

7. Publication Date or Page Number
If you use a book (text, encyclopedia etc.) for research, it is important to be accurate with the page numbers on your note cards as you will need this information for any in-text citations you make (which will be formatted using MLA style)
Use the publication date for websites.
If no publication date can be found, simply write down the date that you accessed the information.
Publication Date or Page Number

8. Hypothetical Topic: Accidental Injury
Let’s assume your research/inquiry project deals with accidental injury. You have divided your research into four sub-topics:
Gun Violence
Workplace Negligence
Food-Related Disasters
Saber-Tooth Tiger Attacks
As you find interesting facts about your topic during your research, you should write them down. Each sentence or idea that you find should be paraphrased, summarized (precis) or directly quoted and written on a card.

9. Sample Index Card Gun Violence
One in every three accidental injuries in the home occur because of handguns – but not in the way many may think. Many people, when opening Brazil nuts at Christmas, attempt to use the butt end if the family revolver and end up shooting one of their grandparents who is snoozing in their easy chairs.
Paraphrase
March 10, 2009

10. Sample Index Card Food Disasters
Maclean’s Magazine, 2008
“What they fail to teach you in First Aid training is that, during the Heimlich Maneuver, the food that is lodged from the victim’s throat becomes a guided missile that almost always shoots down another person’s throat, thus starting the whole thing all over again.”
- Florence Nightingale
Direct Quote
Page 39

11. To Recap … Summarizing Paraphrasing Direct
Make sense of your research by:
Summarizing
Includes precis writing
Paraphrasing
Direct

12. In Class Activity:
Using the Maclean’s magazine, your personal novel, and the print out of the web page, create three properly formatted index cards:
One summary
One paraphrase
One direct quote