The document provides guidance on taking effective notes for research papers. It emphasizes using different colors to distinguish notes from different sources, putting quotes in your own words, taking more notes than needed, and only using peer-reviewed sources such as journals, books, and databases. Notes should be organized with citations and include the student's own analysis. Color-coding notes and citations helps keep track of sources.

1. Create Order With COLOR

2.  Do
◦ Put it in your own
words.
◦ Keep track of your
sources by color.
◦ Make note of page
numbers.
◦ Indicate “direct
quotes.”
◦ Differentiate between
speaker and author.
◦ Take more notes than
you think you need.
 Don’t
◦ COPY (or paste) notes
◦ Take too few notes.
◦ No notes = no paper.
◦ Leave your citations for
later.
◦ Rely on sources that
are not credible.

3.  Use ONLY sources that have been peer-
reviewed:
◦ Magazines, journals, news articles
◦ Books
◦ Database articles
◦ Online NEWS articles
 Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable sources.
 Web pages or blogs are NOT acceptable
sources.

4. Note: There are notes from four sources
here, each represented by a different
color.

5. Make yourselfheard over all the information

6. Note: The black text represents my
analysis of the notes I took from the
source above. (I need to add more!)

7. Use the Cornell Notes method I
placed in your notes document to
explain, analyze and expand
upon your researched
information.

9. Notes from Source #1=
Red
Source #1 Citation = Red
**Choose a different color for each source!**

13. Note: The same
student relied on her
color system for her
in-text citations.

14.  Detailed notes = detailed research
paper
 Organize notes (sources) by
COLOR
 Use black text to signify your
thoughts and analysis of your
researched information.

15. 1. Put your Topic and Guiding Question at the
top of your NOTES file.
2. Use the “Database Shopping Mall” handout
to guide you to the best databases.
3. Take notes in COLOR!
4. Use quotation marks around ALL words that
are not your own.
5. Use the Cornell Notes method to analyze
and explain your researched information.
6. Copy and paste the entire CITATION into
your Works Cited page. Use COLOR here
too.