This document provides guidelines for taking notes while researching for a thesis paper. It recommends developing note taking skills and focusing on the thesis statement while reading. Students should organize their thoughts by creating main ideas and topic sentences for each paragraph. The document discusses using note cards, paraphrasing, quoting, and summarizing information from sources and provides examples of each. It also suggests outlining topics and revising drafts.

1. Guidelines for
Writing Your
Thesis Paper
Part Two-Note
Taking
Mrs. Ligo
Library Media Specialist
Bayshore Middle School

2. Note taking

3.  Note taking is an important skill to develop.
 While you are reading take careful notes.
 Focus on your thesis statement.
 Organize your thoughts by creating several
main ideas or topic sentences for each
paragraph.
 Common knowledge information does not
have to be cited.
Note taking

4.  What questions to you have about your
subject
 Focus on answering the questions-
Note taking
What?
Why? When?
How? Where?

5. Tools to Use
 3 x 5 Note Cards
 Web Tools (such as EasyBib or NoodleTools)
 Idea/mind mapping strategies
Note taking

6. Organize Your Ideas
Research Topic
Answer
Gaines; Ace Your Research Paper (p21)
Note taking

7. Summarizing
Paraphrasing
Quotations
Note taking

8. Quotations
 Quotations are original phrases or
passages from a book, article, poem etc.
 Use quotes for persuasion or to point out
specific facts
 Do not overuse quotes- only 10% of your
paper should include direct quotes.
Note taking

9. Example of a quote:
“…so it goes with Agent Orange, a potent
herbicide used as a defoliant during the
Vietnam War. The U.S. military deployed
almost 20 million gallons (76 millions liters) of
herbicides from 1962 to 1971 [source:
Veterans Administration]. Among these
substances, Agent Orange was the most
used herbicide, around 11 million gallons
(42 million liters) deployed from January
1965 through April 1970.” (Silverman 1-2)
Note taking

10. A paraphrase is…
Your own rendition of essential information
and ideas presented in a new form.
owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/
Note taking

11. 4 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing
1. Reread the original passage until you
understand its full meaning
2. Set the original aside and without looking
at it write a paraphrase
3. Check your original with the paraphrase to
make sure your information is accurate but
do not copy word for word
4. Record the source & page numbers on
your notecard
1. owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/
Note taking

12. Example of paraphrasing
Between 1962 and 1971, US Forces sprayed
nearly 20 million gallons of a toxic herbicide
in Vietnam, more than one half was a
chemical nicknamed “Agent Orange.”
(Silverman 1-2)
Note taking

13. Summarizing
 A summary is a short overview written in
your own words.
 Includes only the main ideas.
 Is shorter than a paraphrase.
Note taking

14. Example of a Summary
Between 1965 and 1970, 11 million gallons of
Agent Orange were sprayed in Vietnam.
Note taking

15. Creating Note Cards
Between 1965 and 1970, 11 million
gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed
in Vietnam.
Agent Orange- History
Silverman,J.; Use of Agent
Orange & It’s Effects,5/09
Pgs.
1-4
Heading
Page
Number
Author,Article or
Book Title & Date
One fact
Note taking

16. Web Tools
Note taking

17. Creating an Outline
I. Introduction/Thesis Statement
II. History of Agent Orange
a. Uses / time period
b. Manufacturer
III. Chemical Warfare/Vietnam
a. Decision
b. Usage
IV. Effects
a. Human life
b. Environment
V. Debate
VI. Conclusion
Note taking

18. Final Draft
 Write, Reflect, Revise
 Write again, Reflect again, Revise again
Note taking

19. Bibliography
Bentley, Nancy. Don't Be a Copycat!: Write a Great Report without
Plagiarizing. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Elementary, 2008. Print.
Gaines, Ann. Ace Your Research Paper. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2009.
Print.
"Purdue OWL: Paraphrase Exercises." Purdue University Online Writing Lab
(OWL). Web. 07 Feb. 2012.
<http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/>.
Revisions. Digital image. Click Biology.com. 2 Apr. 2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.clickbiology.com/advice-year-11s-revise/>.
Silverman, Jacob. "How Agent Orange Worked" 04 November
2008. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://www.howstuffworks.com/agent-
orange.htm> 11 February 2012.
Terban, Marvin. Ready! Set! Research! New York: Scholastic, 2007. Print.
Note Taking