1. + TAKING NOTES SAVE TIME BY DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME

2. + STEPS TO TAKING NOTES USE A PENCIL IN CASE YOU NEED TO EDIT SOMETHING. WRITE DOWN YOUR PRELIMINARY THESIS (JUST ONCE) AND THESIS POINTS. THESES WILL REMIND YOU WHAT YOU ARE RESEARCHING. ON TWO SEPARATE SHEETS OF PAPER, WRITE SOURCES USED AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS. EACH TIME YOU TAKE INFORMATION FROM A SOURCE, WRITE DOWN ITS BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IN THE PROPER ORDER ACCORDING TO MLA. WRITE DOWN RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR EACH THESIS POINT SO YOU REMEMBER WHICH FACTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR PAPER.

3. + USING THE GRAPHIC ORGANIZER WHEN YOU FIND INFORMATION THAT SUPPORTS A THESIS POINT AND/OR ANSWERS A RESEARCH QUESTION, DECIDE WHETHER IT SHOULD BE A QUOTE OR A PARAPHRASE. FACTS OR STATISTICS SHOULD USUALLY BE A PARAPHRASE, WHILE OPINIONS OR INFORMATION DELIVERED IN AN INTERESTING WAY ARE USUALLY QUOTES. WHEN PARAPHRASING, USE YOUR OWN WORDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ANY INTERESTING WORDS YOU BORROW FROM THE WRITER MUST BE IN QUOTES. FOR ANY INFORMATION, BE SURE TO RECORD THE WHO, WHEN, AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES (SPEECH, INTERVIEW, STUDY, CENSUS, POLL).

4. + MLA CITATIONS ANY INFORMATION FROM ANOTHER SOURCE, EVEN IF YOU HAVE PARAPHRASED IT, NEEDS A CITATION. LOOK AT YOUR SOURCES USED PAGE. IF THE SOURCE HAS A PERSON’S NAME ATTACHED TO IT, BEGIN THE CITATION WITH THE PERSON’S LAST NAME. IF THE INFORMATION COMES FROM A BOOK OR FROM A SOURCE WITH ACTUAL PAGES, INCLUDE THE PAGE. (LEE 24) NO COMMA, PG, OR P. IF THE INFORMATION COMES FROM AN INTERVIEW, INCLUDE WHICH INTERVIEW. (ERICKSON INTERVIEW 3) NO COMMA

5. + WHAT IF THE SOURCE DOESN’T HAVE AN AUTHOR? IF THE INFORMATION COMES FROM AN ORGANIZATION OR DOESN’T HAVE A PERSON’S NAME ATTACHED, USE THE TITLE OF THE ARTICLE, INFORMATION AT THE TOP OF THE WEBSITE, OR ENTRY NAME IN AN ENCYCLOPEDIA. DO NOT USE THE ORGANIZATION, NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINE, WEBSITE, OR ENCYCLOPEDIA. (“KOREAN WAR” 22) (ADOPTION INFORMATION GUIDE 8) (“THE MISSING LINK”) IF ONLINE, NO PAGE NUMBER

6. + QUESTIONS? GO TO http://owl.english.purdue.edu/o wl/resource/747/1/ (ON MRS. ROSIN’S WEB PAGE) REMEMBER, NEVER ASSUME!