This document provides guidance on creating a detailed outline for effective note-taking when writing a research paper. It recommends color-coding the outline to label different types of information: using red for copied text from sources, green for your own annotations, blue for citations, and orange for transition sentences. Following this process ensures all planned content is included, sources are properly cited, and different elements of writing like analysis and transitions are added. The document also suggests assessing, editing, and transferring the outline content to a final draft, then further editing the draft with feedback.

1. Note Taking
using a color-
coded detailed
outline

2. Why create a
detailed outline for
note-taking?
▪ It ensures that you follow your set order
▪ It ensures that you don’t accidentally insert new content without
changing the outline
▪ It ensures that you don’t accidentally forget to write about
something that you planned to address
▪ It helps you scan to make sure that you have included all proper
elements of writing
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3. Following
your set order
As your outline follows the
order of your thesis statement,
your paper must follow the
order of your outline.
This helps to ensure that you
remember to follow the set
order in your written paper.
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4. How to create a
detailed outline for
note-taking
▪ Open your outline
▪ Make a copy and call it your “detailed” or “working”
outline
▪ Scan your resources for useful content and copy/paste OR
reword your content straight into the area of the outline
that it supports
▪ Change the text to red to identify that it is from an outside
source 4

5. Example:
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6. Labeling
content
Sometimes you will be summarizing that content and
sometimes copying and pasting for direct quotes.
Simply place the copied and pasted text into quotation
marks to identify that they are direct quotes and just
color paraphrased/summarized content red. 6

7. Further labeling
Every time that you use ideas or specific
words from outside sources, they must be
cited. It’s the best idea to do this now so that
you don’t accidentally plagiarize later.
If using MLA Style, place the author(s) last
name or the article title (in quotation marks)
or the italicized book title with page numbers
into parentheses as you would cite it
parenthetically. Color your citation blue.

8. Example:
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Note: the parenthetical
citation continues on the next
line with the second author’s
last name

9. Checkpoint #1
At this stage, it is best to consult all
of your resources, extract useful
information from each, and properly
cite the information.
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10. Maybe you ran across content that you
wanted to add and it didn’t match your
outline
If this happened, add an element to your
outline and remember to adjust your “non-
detailed” or “non-working” outline as well as
your thesis statement to reflect the addition.
Have you wanted
to add content
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“It ensures that you don’t
accidentally insert new
content without changing
the outline.

11. After looking over your outline, are there
areas that you never filled out?
If this happened, search for new resources
that support the concept or adjust the outline
and thesis statement to remove the concept
if your content is not easily “researchable”
Do you have
enough content
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“It ensures that you don’t
accidentally forget to write
about something that you
planned to address”

12. Maybe you only have one source to support
each idea
If this happened, look for additional sources
to further support that idea to allow you to
better synthesize expert information.
Is your content
diverse
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13. Ensuring all
elements of
writing
In addition to “curating” all of
that supportive information that
you found by arranging it into
the proper areas you must
complete additional steps to
qualify as an effective writer.
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14. Annotations
This is your paper! You created a unique thesis statement based upon
your interests. You get to lead your reader on a path that you set. The
way that you do this is by introducing or following expert information
with your own thinking. You “cushion” the research with your own
inferences or thoughts. You do this using formal writing techniques (no
personal pronouns, etc.) that possibly “break down the meaning” of
the information presented or “connect the human element” Be careful
that any of your own writing does not present new information and,
instead, analyzes the information gathered from experts. Color any
annotations green. 14

15. Example:
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16. Transition and
Topic Sentences
Transition and topic sentences organize your writing to help your
reader follow your path seamlessly.
A good transition sentence addresses the topic or idea that was just
explored and introduces the upcoming topic or idea.
A strong topic sentence will help the reader with their “footing” as they
consider your next idea. Color any transition or topic sentences orange
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17. Example:
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18. Checkpoint #2
At this stage, check to ensure that
you have annotations and transition
and topic sentences.
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19. Does green text “cushion” red and blue text throughout?
Your introduction and conclusion may be completely green
representing that they are entirely your own writing but you
may be able to strengthen those areas with a fabulous quote
(red text and cited in blue). The introduction may even
include a statistic or story (also red text cited with blue).
You do not want to scan your paper and see entire
paragraphs within the body green since this is a research
paper and must be heavy with research from expert sources.
Have you added
annotations
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“It helps you
scan to make
sure that you
have included all
proper elements
of writing”

20. What to do now
assess edit transfer
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21. Assess all sections one last
time. Is your source quality
top-notch? Have you included
all elements?
assess
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22. Edit writing for further
sophistication and clear
communication of ideas and
edit as needed
edit
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23. You’ve basically written your first rough
draft! Either copy your content to a new
document or delete the outline portion
on this document. Remember to switch
colors to black unless directed
otherwise.
transfer
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24. Edit as often as
possible
You
Edit a few times with breaks
between sessions
A trusted friend or parent
Ask that they give feedback and
give them ample time.
A teacher or librarian
Ask if they have the time to edit
and would not mind. Give them
ample time if you want their
best quality work. Consider
asking two teachers.
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25. You are done!
Great job!
I hope that you found this
process helpful!
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26. Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at
▪ khornberger@palisadessd.org
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27. Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and
released these awesome resources for free:
▪ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
▪ Photographs by Unsplash
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