Research Papers

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 use3. Type of info (quote, summary, paraphrase)4. Page # where you found the info *5. Category you wish to enter info under6. 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 8An 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 - ParaphraseSample bibliography card

Bib 8An 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 - SummarySample bibliography card

Bib 8An 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

McGraw- Hill, 2002. book