1. When writing notecards you must: Use index cards Use ink except for label on card Have one card for each item/idea Write on one side of card List the source … author, page number Label each card with an idea that it represents Include historic dates

2. Methods for taking notes Make sure notecard is self-contained Be accurate …spelling, dates, page #s, etc. Indicate if note is summary, paraphrase or quote Maintain a balance of sources

3. Using Quotes – Accuracy Don’t misspell any words, names, etc. Don’t add or omit info in quote without noting additions/omissions – Use [brackets] for additions – Use … ellipsis for omissions – Use sic for misspellings in original source

4. Using Quotes – When & Why? Quotes are a great way to add color to your paper. They are a great way to let the evidence speak for itself. When to use – The author of a text/article makes a great point or judgment that really supports your paper. – Primary sources Example: Bismarck on German Unification: “Germany does not look to Prussia’s Liberalism, but to her power.”

5. Paraphrase v. Summary Paraphrase is a short interpretation of a short passage, paragraph or quote – good for an important idea – Example: paraphrase Karl Marx’s idea of class consciousness or Darwin’s theory of natural selection Summary is an interpretation of a longer passage, chapter, etc. – Summarize facts, data or the author’s description of an event or person – Example: Summarize key aspects of Napoleonic code or the decisions made at the Council of Trent

6. Note Card Format Content Label (in Pencil) Information Significant, Specific Analysis, Interpretation, or Evaluation Info. evidence, expert testimony Info. that makes connections, cause/effect Context of information Type of info. (P, Q, S) Initials Source, P.#

7. Sample Note Card Intervention in Panama Roosevelt authorized cable, giving US troops authority to prevent Colombian troops from interfering. Nov. 3, 1903 P RNMorris (Theodore Rex), 290