A researching we go. . .

Make author cards. It's time to begin note taking.  But first, take out your small index cards.   Whether you go online or to the library, write down EVERY good source you find.  Use a new card for EACH source.  Write the information down IN THE PROPER STYLE; ask your teacher what is expected or find a style guide (like Kate Turabian's) at the library or an MLA guide online.  When it's time to write a bibliography, all the work will be done already.  Shuffle your cards into alphabetical order and copy them.

Use the library well. If you go to the library for part of your research, look up your topic on the online catalog.  Write down the call numbers.  Go to the stacks and gather all the sources at once.  Check Tables of Contents and indexes in likely books for your topic.  Check out the same call number in the oversize and reference areas.  Take your armload of books to the table and start scanning!

Make note cards. Begin scanning one book, periodical, or website.  If it looks usable -- (See link on credibility.) -- make an author card for it.  Next, take a large note card and write the author's last name or website name in the upper right  corner of the card (this will tie it to the author card).  Look at your outline and decide which heading to start taking notes on.  Put that Roman numeral in the upper left  corner of the card.  As you take notes, jot down the page number in the card's margin from which you are notetaking, if applicable.

One card, one heading. If you change books, or just change headings, start a new card.  Don't worry that you are wasting cards.  It beats wasting time later, hunting for information.

Exhaust one source before moving on.  Stick with one source until there are no more good notes to be gotten, or you think you need to get another point of view.

Use several sources.   Check your instructions or ask your teacher how many sources you must use.  If there is no requirement, five sources is a good minimum.  Be sure to use a variety, too -- such as magazines, websites, books, and interviews.  Consider when the item was written.  Is it current enough?  Consider who the publisher is.  Is the website reliable?  Is it from a reputable source, like a school, library, or publisher?

Rewrite as you go. (See mini-lesson on plagiarism for more.) Instead of copying everything word for word, put information into your own words.  Paraphrase or summarize what you read.  This may take time, but you will not have to do it later when you write your paper.   All you will have to do is copy from your cards.  This also keeps you from accidentally stealing an author's words.  Plagiarizing is against the law!!  Also, don't use the copy machine and end up with reams of papers.  Take notes RIGHT AWAY! Eventually you will have to put everything  into your own words anyway.

Copy interesting quotes. While you should paraphrase while note taking, look for truly excellent quotes to include word for word.  If the author says something in a very special way, put it on your notecard exactly, in quotation marks.  Later, using your style guide, you can include the quote in your paper.  Only quote very good passages -- not everything!!  Most of your paper should be paraphrasing and summarizing.

Look for illustrations. Keep an eye out for interesting graphs, charts, and artwork.  If you copy something from a book, be sure to credit the source.  Illustrations will make your paper stand out and may earn you extra points.

Hey, YOU!  Remember me?  I'm your outline. . .

Recreate your outline. Now that you have some research complete, you may feel your outline can be improved.  Go ahead and make any changes necessary.  Be sure to change the numbers on your notecards to keep them up to date.

Check off completed outline headings. Some students get so involved in an interesting topic, they don't know when to quit researching.  Your outline will help you avoid this.  Every so often, go back to the outline and check off your completed headings.  If you have enough information on a heading, move on.  This will clearly identify what you still need to research.

Review your outline. Does it work for your paper?  If not, make changes.  Go back to your notecards and change the headings to correspond to the new outline numbers.

Organize your notecards. Put your notecards in the order of your outline.  If you thought a particular card might work in more than one section, put it in the first section and move it later if you need to.

Alright!  Don't quit now.

Mini Study Skills Lessons