Notetaking

Notetaking

            The notetaking stage is an oft-neglected phase of writing a good research paper, as many students think of notetaking as a tedious waste of time and prefer to work directly from their sources. However, taking notes and responding to source information BEFORE you begin writing the research essay is a beneficial way to make sense of information, take stock of your current sources, figure out how you will use the information you are gathering, transform the information into material that can be used directly in your essay, catalog your response/analysis/conclusions about source information, and avoid plagiarism. It is this notetaking stage, the stage that happens between gathering sources and writing the research paper, that is nearly as essential as composing the draft of the paper itself. Taking notes carefully will save you time in the long run and help you to produce a better essay. Just think: rather than staring at a huge pile of books and periodical articles as you begin writing your first draft, you’ll be working with a typed document in which you have already extracted the best information from the sources and have thought in advance about how you can use that information. 

 

To take good notes, you need to get to make use of three basic methods for working with source material: PARAPHRASE, SUMMARY, and QUOTATION. These three tools will help you pull usable information from a source and transform it into paper-ready material. But, remember, to be an active researcher, you need to do more than write down source information. You also need to analyze and respond to that source information, so that you can compare it to information from other sources, think about what you believe it means, identify potential biases of an author, draw conclusions based on the facts you are reading, and decide how you will use the information in your essay. That’s why the best sorts of notetaking methods involve two parts: One, summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting source information; and Two, responding to that source information.

 

Choosing a Notetaking Method

There are several beneficial notetaking methods, and which one you choose will depend upon your preference and your instructor’s requirements. Below are just a few of the many ways you could organize your notes.

 Method #1: INDEX CARDS

An index card system appeals to the most organized of students, though they’re not for everyone. Some students find them tedious or tend to lose the cards; they also require retyping, so they take a little more time. However, they do have a number of good qualities that make them unique. Benefits of index cards include:

 ·   PORTABILITY: if you don’t have a laptop, you can easily schlep a few index cards to the library, write some notes, and bring them back home without having to check out any materials or spend your precious change on photocopies.

·   FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATION: Index cards are small and usually contain one main idea, so you can shuffle them around, reorder them, pile them up, etc. as inspiration (and your paper’s organization) dictates.

 

To create index cards:

1.                  Gather up your BEST SOURCES so far. It’s OK if later you decide not to use some of these or find others, but try to locate quality sources so you don’t waste time.

2.                  On one large index card, write the bibliographic citation (in correct MLA style).

3.                  On a second card, write a NOTE from the source in the form of summary, paraphrase, or quotation. Try to go for a variety when you write notes; don’t use ALL quotes, or ONLY summary. It’s best to label each of the entries with an S for summary, a P for paraphrase, or a Q for quotation so you can remember what you are working with later on. Be sure to cite page numbers indicating where you got the source information so that you can successfully cite that borrowed information parenthetically if you do decide to use it in your essay.

4.                  On the back of the card, write YOUR RESPONSE--questions, comments, interpretation, clarification, and feelings about the source material that you’ve chosen. Avoid brief, overly simplified responses like “I agree” or “This is important.” Think about using the following questions to guide your responses: 

 

·   What is most striking about this material?

·   How does it compare to facts or studies or opinions given in other sources?

·   Does it support your point of view, or argue against it?

·   Do you have personal experiences, observations, or interview material that supports or contradicts this information?

·   What does the author mean? What is being implied that perhaps is not stated?

5.                  Repeat this process until you have pulled all the usable material from one source, then move on to the next.

 

Method #2: The Research Log

The research log will feel much more organic and free-flowing than making index cards, as it takes more of a narrative approach.

 

To create a research log:

1.      Gather your BEST SOURCES so far. It’s OK if later you decide not to use some of these or find others, but try to locate quality sources so you don’t waste time.

2.      At the top of the page, type the bibliographic citation (in correct MLA style) for your first source.

3.      Begin by capturing your initial response to the entire source. Does it seem believable? Credible? What seemed most convincing? Least convincing? How does the source compare to other sources you’ve read? Write about a paragraph.

4.      Follow your initial response paragraph with source notes: summary, paraphrase, and quotation (don’t forget to record the page numbers) directly from the source. Be sure to also put your quotes in quotation marks, so you don’t inadvertently plagiarize. You will want to choose the information that is most important and most relative to your topic. This section shouldn’t contain your own opinion, just source information.

5.      Follow the source notes with one more paragraph called the source reconsidered, that details your further response to what stands out in the source notes you have just taken. It’s more specific than the initial response and should deal with particulars from within the facts and opinions you’ve pulled from the source.

6.      Repeat this process until you have pulled all the usable material from one source, then move on to the next.

 

Method #3: The Double-Entry Journal

The double-entry journal tends to be a research instructor favorite, since it asks students to find usable material within a source and respond to it immediately and analytically.

To create a double-entry research journal:

1.      Gather your BEST SOURCES so far. It’s OK if later you decide not to use some of these or find others, but try to locate quality sources for the journal so you don’t waste time.

2.      At the top of the page, type the bibliographic citation (in correct MLA style) for your first source.

3.      Type a SOURCE entry from the source that contains important information you could use in your essay. The entry from the source should be in the form of summary, paraphrase, or quotation. It’s best to label each of the entries with an S for summary, a P for paraphrase, or a Q for quotation so you can remember what you are working with later on. Be sure to cite page numbers indicating where you got the source information so that you can successfully cite that borrowed information parenthetically if you do decide to use it in your essay.

4.      Under the source entry, add YOUR RESPONSE questions, comments, interpretation, clarification, and feelings about the source material that you’ve chosen. It’s good to label your response with an R so that you remember to take credit for it in your essay. Avoid brief, overly simplified responses like “I agree” or “This is important.” Think about using the following questions to guide your responses: 

·   What is most striking about this material?

·   How does it compare to facts or studies or opinions given in other sources?

·   Does it support your point of view, or argue against it?

·   Do you have personal experiences, observations, or interview material that supports or contradicts this information?

·   What does the author mean? What is being implied that perhaps is not stated?

·   Does the author show some personal bias here, or does it seem objective?

·   What additional questions does the information raise in your mind that you could further look into?

·   How will the information fit into the larger scheme of your essay?

9.      Repeat this process until you have pulled all the usable material from one source, then move on to the next.

 

REMEMBER: With all of these notetaking methods, the response is the hard part! Really think about the material that you’ve chosen and respond to it intelligently and formally. The better your response, the more likely you can use it directly in your essay. Your goal is to create as much material for your research paper as you can, so the more work you do now, the less you’ll need to do when you’re ready to start your first draft.