Think of the Big6 -

1. Task Definition - Define the information problem. What information do you need?

Write down what you need for information and maybe for images- that way you can answer those questions/phrases as you research books, websites, etc.

2. Information Seeking Strategies - Determine all possible sources, then select the best that fit your informational needs. See the LMC resource page to get started!

3. Location & Access - physically & intellectually locate the best sources and locate the information you need within sources.

Check the indexs and table of contents of books for your topic, skim webpages to verify that it contains the information you really need.

4. Use of Information - Engage and extract the relevant information.

Read, listen, view the sources you have and locate the information that meets your information needs. Notetaking should begin - for tips, click the Notetaking tab above.

5. Synthesis - organize the information from your multiple sources (create an outline with your facts) and decide how you will present your information (poster, paper, PowerPoint, Audio, Video, etc.).

6. Evaluation -

Judge your final product - Is it something you are proud to present? Does it meet all the teacher requirements?

Evaluate the process - How effective was your researching? What will you do differently next time?

Note Taking Tips - You will ROCK at research!
Click here for a note card lesson.

When taking notes...

Read - Reading is one of the most crucial steps in note taking. Finding the correct source and reading the details included will save time. You will also have a better understanding of the subject and the questions you need to answer.

Organize - Note what source your information came from in the beginning of your note taking process. Include the page number, title, author, web page address, and other information that will help you locate the source later to cite in the paper. Try to use a seprate note card or full sheet of paper for each source. Color code, number, or create symbols for sources for easier labeling of facts. See: Notetaking Cards Example

Clear writing- No sharing spaces! Make your notes clear by writing one fact & source per card; answering one of your research questions or one section of your topic. Do not answer all your related questions on one note card. Remember: 1) Each card should be a new fact. 2) Each card should include information from only one source. See: Fill-in Note Cards

Know what you are writing - Understand the notes you take and use your own words. If you copy and paste from a website or write the exact words from print sources, you must include quotations marks on your note card. See: Fill-in Direct Quote Cards

**Make sure to record information in brief phrases. This will lessen the likelihood of plagiarism. Remember to keep track of what sources you are getting your information from as well as documenting page numbers when possible. R-C=P

***Before you close an source, check your notes for accuracy!

****If you think a fact might be useful or is interesting, WRITE IT DOWN! Gather more than you need; it will help fillout yout paper/project.

To assist you with your notetaking, check out the blank forms to the left.
Download the Powerpoint version to type notes there or
print the PDF version to handwrite your notes into the form.
Please print only the number of pages you need.

For More Note Taking Tips:

10 Tips for Taking Notes

Sample Paper - PDF version
Parenthetical documentation or intext citations are highlighted in yellow in PDF version.
Parenthetical documentation or intext citations are in red in the example below. Make sure you double-space your text. Due to formating issues with the panel, we cannot illustrate the double-spacing in the body of the paper below. See the PDF version for a better represenation.

Long 1

Lisa Long

English I

Mr. Martin

March 5, 2009

Copyright in Schools

<indent> Copyright is important for everyone! Why? Copyright protects the creator or author of a body of “original work”, meaning anything new or unique. So why should we care about a creator of something; why should I not use something easily available? By obeying copyright, we show our appreciation of the "original works”, our respect for the author/creator of the item we admire, and our willingness to let a creator decide what is done with his/her works or how it is uses (Friends of Active Copyright Education). A person should also understand that copyright is not trademark. Trademarks are the design, logo, or slogan for a company or industry; it is not limited to just words or just an image (Simpson, Copyright Catechism 4). But how does this apply in schools that have limited resources; as well as, teachers and students that can create their own works for educational purposes?

<indent> Educational institution fall under a guideline of copyright called Fair Use. Simpson defines Fair Use is “a conditional right to use or reproduce certain copyrighted materials as long as reproduction or use of those materials meets defined guidelines” (Copyright for Schools 40). Most court cases have lead to the development of four factors in judging “fair use”: 1) purpose & character of use, 2) nature of copyrighted work, 3) amount of work used, and 4) effect of use on market for or value of work (Simpson, Copyright for Schools 42-45).

<indent> Examples that do not fall under copyright law but rather license agreements include computer software and video games. Playing console games, or video games, in a classroom or library does not violate copyright; however, it might be violating the game’s license. Most games are for personal use in the privacy of home (Russell 18). So check those licenses before use at school!

Long 2

Work Cited

Friends of Active Copyright Education. “Citing Basics.” Copyright Kids. Copyright Society of the U.S.A. 2007.

Web. 04 March 2009 <http://www.copyrightkids.org/whatcopyframes.htm>.

Russell, Carrie. “A Textbook Example.” School Library Journal. Simpson, Carol. February 2009: 18. Print.

Simpson, Carol. Copyright Catechism: Practical Answers to Everyday School Dilemmas. Worthington:

Linworth Books, 2005. Print.

Simpson, Carol. Copyright for Schools. Worthington: Linworth Books, 2005. Print.

 

 

 

 

R-C= P

Resources – Citation = Plagiarism

When creating your final project from your notes:

Always document your information (the research) with the source information (the citation).

Print Citations (textbooks, books, magazines, etc.): Make sure to record the page number of each fact you are taking notes on.

Use qoutation marks (" ") when writing the complete sentence and/or paragraph that you would like to use in its entirety in your paper/project.

 

Always include parenthetical documentation/intext citations with papers and projects.

Facts within a paragraph should have the following format: (Author's last name, pg # of fact) - example (Jones, 171).

Images should have the citation below it or a title listed near the image that can be refered to in the Work Cited page.

 

Assistance with MLA Work Cited Citations- Citation Maker by Calvin University