Notecards
Click for sample notecards
A complete note card includes a title, a source, direct quotation, paraphrase, and "my ideas." Note cards must be connected to a specific source, unless they are simply thought cards about ideas you've had that are unconnected to researched information.
1. Title
When you begin, title your notecards with the name of the source ("Thesaurus" or "Poem").
As you go on, you may want to revise those titles to content-based categories and title your cards by these categories. If your word is "revenge," you may find that the Bible warns about the negative consequences of revenge on the person seeking revenge. So, you would rename the notecard for this source "Bible--Negative Consequences of Seeking Revenge" (rather than just "Bible"). Then, when you find another source with information that pertains to the same topic, you can give it the same title and group it in NoodleTools.
2. Source
Remember that you should create a MLA source citation for your source BEFORE creating the notecard on it. Be sure the appropriate source has been chosen from the drop down menu.
3. Page
Use this spot to put specific page/line/chapter, etc. numbers if applicable. This will need to be filled out for Shakespeare (include the act/scene/line numbers) and the Bible (include the book of the bible, chapter, and verse).
3. Direct quotation
Cut and paste the direct quotation from your online source into this box. You can do some sifting here and only quote what you feel you really need, or you can quote, for example, a news article in its entirety. Think about it: which one will be more useful to you as you move forward in your research?
Remember that it’s important that you copy enough information to give context. If you only copy a line of Romeo shouting, “I hate you!”, it won’t be very useful if we don’t know whom he’s yelling at and why.
Note: It’s always easier to delete unwanted information than go back and find it again later.
4. Paraphrasing or summary
The paraphrase box is required for all sources except the dictionary and thesaurus entries. Rewriting the info in your own words helps you to understand what you have read. This is a place to summarize a large amount of info into a smaller space as well.
5. My ideas
This box must be filled for ALL sources. This is where you put the "YOU" in your research project. These notes are your chance to analyze your source information and to see how it connects, compares, or refutes ideas you got from other sources.
Questions you may want to consider: (you do NOT need to answer all these questions every time)
A complete note card includes a title, a source, direct quotation, paraphrase, and "my ideas." Note cards must be connected to a specific source, unless they are simply thought cards about ideas you've had that are unconnected to researched information.
1. Title
When you begin, title your notecards with the name of the source ("Thesaurus" or "Poem").
As you go on, you may want to revise those titles to content-based categories and title your cards by these categories. If your word is "revenge," you may find that the Bible warns about the negative consequences of revenge on the person seeking revenge. So, you would rename the notecard for this source "Bible--Negative Consequences of Seeking Revenge" (rather than just "Bible"). Then, when you find another source with information that pertains to the same topic, you can give it the same title and group it in NoodleTools.
2. Source
Remember that you should create a MLA source citation for your source BEFORE creating the notecard on it. Be sure the appropriate source has been chosen from the drop down menu.
3. Page
Use this spot to put specific page/line/chapter, etc. numbers if applicable. This will need to be filled out for Shakespeare (include the act/scene/line numbers) and the Bible (include the book of the bible, chapter, and verse).
3. Direct quotation
Cut and paste the direct quotation from your online source into this box. You can do some sifting here and only quote what you feel you really need, or you can quote, for example, a news article in its entirety. Think about it: which one will be more useful to you as you move forward in your research?
Remember that it’s important that you copy enough information to give context. If you only copy a line of Romeo shouting, “I hate you!”, it won’t be very useful if we don’t know whom he’s yelling at and why.
Note: It’s always easier to delete unwanted information than go back and find it again later.
4. Paraphrasing or summary
The paraphrase box is required for all sources except the dictionary and thesaurus entries. Rewriting the info in your own words helps you to understand what you have read. This is a place to summarize a large amount of info into a smaller space as well.
5. My ideas
This box must be filled for ALL sources. This is where you put the "YOU" in your research project. These notes are your chance to analyze your source information and to see how it connects, compares, or refutes ideas you got from other sources.
Questions you may want to consider: (you do NOT need to answer all these questions every time)
- In what way does this source speak to my research question?
- What surprised me about how my word is used?
- What confirmed what I already knew?
- (If your word has multiple dictionary definitions) Which definition best fits how the word is used in this source?
- Which synonyms best fit how the word is used in this source?
- Does the source use my word as a positive or negative idea/concept? Why?
- In what way(s) does this source use my word similarly/differently than previous sources?
- To what aspect/arena of life does the source apply the word? (e.g. Does it use the word in the context of relationships? Religion? Work? Society broadly? etc.)
- What are the implications for how my word is used in this source? (e.g. "The Bible suggests happiness is a reward for serving God, so can sinners not truly be happy? If so, then that suggests happiness is not a momentary pleasure but something deeper and more spiritual").
- What further questions do I have? (e.g. "Do other sources suggest happiness is a long-term spiritual joy? Or do they define it as physical and ephemeral?").
- Any questions you have for me? (“I’m not sure what Romeo means when he speaks of ‘misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms’—can you help?”)
- Note: I need to see that you’ve tried first. Writing “I don’t get it” won’t get you any credit.