The Five Basic Kinds of Notes Paraphrase Summary Direct Quotation Personal Comment Combination Note

Paraphrase This is when you repeat what the author said word for word, but in your own words. Example: Author: Martin grew up during the Great Depression, a period in the 1930’s when many people lost their jobs and were poor. Student: Martin was young in the time of the Great Depression. During the 1930s many people were out of work and had no money.

Summary To write or type in your own words what a passage has said without using a lot of detail. Example: Rosa Parks was arrested because she refused to give up her seat to a white man. As a result the police were called and Rosa was taken away and arrested by the police. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organized a giant bus boycott. As a result the law was changed.

Direct Quotation This is when you copy write from the book. (When done, it should be in quotation marks and cited.) Quoting should be used sparingly with the intention to prove a point or because you feel it can not be worded any other way. Example: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.” (Martin Luther King : The Peaceful Warrior; 1968)

Personal Comment This is when you write your personal opinion of what you saw or read. Example: Author: The city of Birmingham was strictly segregated, and the police chief, T. Eugene “Bull” Connor intended to keep it that way. The SCLC faced the task of trying to change the attitude of the white citizens. Student: It is a shame that the police chief was such a racist. Because of the level of racism, SCLC was relentless in its fight for racial justice.

Combination Note A note which combines any two of the other kinds of notes. Example: Direct Quotation/Personal Comment Sample: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted everyone to understand the meaning of equality, he verbalized this in his most famous speech I Have A Dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.” (Martin Luther King : The Peaceful Warrior; 1968)

4 Items to include on card .

How do I begin? After selecting your material, begin reading it carefully. Skim and scan or read quickly for information. Use aids such as the contents pages and the indexes of books to help you find only the information you are looking for. Remember, you are researching, therefore you need not read the books from cover to cover. When taking notes write in your own words as much as possible. Try not to write in complete sentences. You are only jotting things down you want to remember.