Making Note Cards
Note Card System from English Works:
http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/notecard.html
Making Note Cards form Latin School
http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/12_Making_Note_Cards.asp
Your research note cards should include all the information necessary to write your term paper. You should take extreme care as you create these note cards.
1. Start with a fresh pack of research note cards. Large, lined cards are probably best, especially if you want to make your own detailed personal notes. Also consider color coding your cards by topic to keep your paper organized from the start.
2. Devote an entire note card to each idea or note. Don't try to fit two sources (quotes and notes) on one card. No sharing space!
3. Gather more than you need. Use the library and the Internet to find potential sources for your research paper. You should continue to research until you have quite a few potential sources—about three times as many as your teacher recommends.
4. Narrow down your sources. As you read your potential sources, you will find that some are helpful, others are not, and some will repeat the same information you already have. This is how you narrow your list down to include the most solid sources.
5. Record as you go. From each source, write down any notes or quotes that could be useful in your paper. As you take notes, try to paraphrase all information. This reduces the chances of committing accidental plagiarism.
6. Include everything. For each note you will need to record:
· Author's name
· Title of reference (book, article, interview, etc.)
· Reference publication information, to include publisher, date, place, year, issue, volume.
· Page number
· Your own personal comments
· Slug or Topic(Top of card)-This will help you categorize your ideas for your outline
· Note or Source Card #-For each Source Card assign a number and then assign numbers for each note card that corresponds to a source card (Source #2, 4th Note Card=2.4)
· Location of original source on bottom: Washburn Public Library, Park Service-Bayfield, WHS LRC, etc.
7. Create your own system and stick to it. For instance, you may want to pre-mark each card with spaces for each category, just to make sure you don't leave anything out.
8. Be exact. If at any time you write down information word for word, be sure to include all punctuation marks, capitalizations, and breaks exactly as they appear in the source. Before you leave any source, double-check your notes for accuracy.
9. If you think it might be useful, write it down. Don't ever, ever pass over information because you're just not sure whether it will be useful! This is a very common and costly mistake in research. More often than not, you find that the passed-over tidbit is critical to your paper, and then you won't find it again.
10. Avoid using abbreviations and code words as you record notes —especially if you plan to quote. Your own writing can look completely foreign to you later. It's true! You may not be able to understand your own clever codes after a day or two, either.
Sample Source Card:
The #1 in the upper right hand corner is the source #.
Number your sources as you collect them.
Be sure to collect as much information about your source
as possible.
At the bottom, write where you found the source in case
you need to go back and find it later.
Information needed for Works Cited list:
Book/Non-Periodical Print:
1. Author
2. Title
3. City of Publication
4. Publisher
5. Date of Publication
Periodical in Print:
1.Author
2. Title of Article Web Source (website, online periodical, database, etc.):
3. Name of Periodica 1. Author, compiler, editor, narrator, etc.
4. Series # or name 2. Title of work
5. Volume number 3. Title of Website
6. Issue Number 4. Version or edition
7. Date of Publication 5. Publisher or sponsor of site
8. Inclusive Page Numbers 6. Date of publication
9. Medium of publication consulted (Print) 7. Medium of publication (Web)
8. Date of access (day, month, year)
Note: If no author’s name is available, begin with the title of the work and alphabetize in your works cited using the title.
Sample Note Card from same source:
Slug or Topic written on top helps you organize
and keep track of your notes. This will help you
later when it comes time to create your outline.
You can always change these topics if you need.
#1.4 corresponds to the #1 source you collected
above. 1 is your first source, 4 is the 4th note card
created from this source= 1.4!
Be sure to copy quotes accurately so you do not
risk plagiarism.
Even if you paraphrase something from a source
you will need to create a note card. Direct quotes
are always more powerful and credible than
paraphrased information.