Research Papers
#2 Getting Started
Taking Notes
&
A Working Bibliography
Taking Notes
 Taking notes efficiently and accurately is one
of the most important steps you will take in
writing a good research paper.
 Take more notes than you think you will
need. Too much info is better than not
enough.
 Use 3X5 index cards for easier handling.
Taking Notes…What goes on
those cards?
 Record any and all info you will
need to accurately use this info in
your paper, as well as cite it
correctly on your Works Cited page.
 Don’t panic! See the following
page.
…What goes on those cards?
1. Title of book/periodical/etc.
2. Info you wish to use
3. Type of info (quote, summary,
paraphrase)
4. Page # where you found the info *
5. Category you wish to enter info under
6. Number for card to match category
FYI
* Page numbers in parenthetical
documentation indicate the pages
from which the information is
taken. Page numbers in Works
Cited entries are for the page span
of the entire work.
Writing Tips
• Number each card with the source.
• Give each source a different
number.
• This number will later serve as an
easy way to identify the source.
Prepare Cards
 Take notes from three different
standpoints:
 1. Quote sources directly. Use quotation
marks to indicate direct quotes.
 2. Paraphrase. Write this information in
your own words.
 3. Summarize. Write a brief summary of
the information, highlighting the most
important parts.
Note Cards - Direct Quotation
Sample bibliography card
Bib 8
An Introduction to Music and Art in the Western
world.
“Cubism was a style of twentieth-century art
that reduced nature to basic geometric
patterns…. Again, the artists painted what
they knew, not what they saw. In pursuing
this style, they were concerned more with
how a work was painted and less with what
was painted.” (quotation)
page 307
Note Cards - Paraphrase
Sample bibliography card
Bib 8
An Introduction to Music and Art in the
Western world
Cubists painted geometric patterns to
represent how they thought of a
subject, not what it looked like to other
people.
(paraphrase)
page 307
Note Cards - Summary
Sample bibliography card
Bib 8
An Introduction to Music and Art in the
Western World
Cubists focused on the method of
painting, not on the painting’s subject.
(summary)
page 307
Note & Bibliography Cards
 A good set of note and bib cards will be
invaluable when you begin to put together
your paper.
 Note cards should be labeled with individual
category titles. For example:
You might want to have three main
points covered in your paper. These
could be Picasso, the man; Picasso, the
artist; Picasso’s works.
Note Card Categories
 Picasso, the man could cover historical info
about Picasso, as well as the info about his
early years and what influenced him to be a
painter.
 Picasso, the artist could cover his personal
life, as well as his painting career.
 Picasso’s works could cover not only his
paintings, but his contribution to the world of
artistry and to the changing ideas about art.
Note Cards Will “Write” the
Paper for You
 Well, almost, anyway!
 Once note cards are placed in the order
you wish them to be, it is just a simple
matter of putting the rest of the paper
together by filling in between the cards.
Use Note Cards for Ease in
Handling/Manipulating Info
 Just like a deck of playing cards, note
cards can be easily manipulated as you
assemble the info into the most usable
location.
 Note cards make changing your idea
about placement of info a “piece of
cake.”
A Working Bibliography
 Definition of “bibliography”: A
bibliography is nothing more than a
record of the books, articles, Internet
sites, and other sources you consult
and use.
 This is called your working bibliography
A Working Bibliography
 A working bibliography allows you to
later easily find a source you used.
 When you find a good usable source,
record the publication data on a 3 X 5
card.
 Complete bib cards will help you
accurately write your list of works cited.
Bibliography Card Info
 Different kinds of sources need different
data on their bib (bibliography) cards.
 Notice the following examples of bib
cards and recorded information…
Bib Card Info…Newspaper
1.
Bradley, Jeff. “Picasso’s Genius as a
Graphic Artist on Display at New Metro
State Center.” Denver Post 10 Jun. 1998:
F1. newspaper
Bib Card Info…Periodical
2.
Hughes, Robert. “The Artist: Pablo
Picasso.” Time 8 Jun. 1998: 72-77.
periodical
Bib Card Info…Book
3
Penrose, Roland. Picasso. London:
Phaidon Press Ltd., 1991. book
Bib Card Info…Internet site
4.
“Picasso and Cubism.” Designer: Denise Hall. 7
Nov. 1996. University of Texas. 15 July 2009.
http://ccf.cc.utexas.edu.~ifeh 750/index.html.
internet
Reference
 “Research Paper Writing.” Grammar
and Composition Handbook (Grade
10). New York: Glencoe McGrawHill, 2002. book