Note Cards

1. Note Cards Composition and Literature

2. What are note cards, and why do I need them? • Note cards are a convenient way to record and organize your research. • As you find interesting facts about your topic during your research, you should write them down • They are also important because they help you avoid plagiarism.

3. Step One: Gather Enough Note Cards For your research paper, you will create a total of 20 note cards from your two sources. (10 cards per source) If you have more than two sources, you may hand in more than 20 cards. Overall though, each of your sources should be represented in your cards. These cards will then be used to help you write your research paper.

4. Answer the follow: You are required to hand in a minimum of 20 note cards. Why is it a good idea to have MORE note cards than you are required? • The more note cards you have, the more information you have to use. • It is easier to take out information than to find out you don’t have enough!

5. Step Two: Provide Source Information • In the upper right hand corner of your card, write the letter of your source (for example: “A”) and the number of the note card (for example: “1”) • You also need to record the page number on which you found the information.

7. Step Three: Decide Which Card to Write. There are three ways to write note cards: • Direct Quotes: This is when you copy the quotation from your source, word for word, without changing anything (including punctuation) 2. Paraphrasing: This is when you take the quotation and rewrite it, putting it into your own words. A paraphrase should be shorter than the original work. 3. Summarizing: This is when you put a writer’s main idea(s) into your own words. Very often, this occurs when a writer summarizes an entire page or even chapter of a book.

8. Sample Note Card: Direct Quotation

9. Sample Note Card: Summary/Paraphrase Original Text: “...(in organized sports) children may be subject to intense emotional stress caused by fear and anxiety ...concern about physical safety, and doubts about performance and outcome. This anxiety may emerge if children are ignored, chastised, or made to feel that they are no good. Scanlan and Passer’s study of preadolescent male soccer players showed that losing players evidenced more post-game anxiety than winning players. Children who experience anxiety in sport competition may try to avoid failure by shying away from active participation by developing excuses or by refusing to try new things” (45)

10. Sample Note Card: Summary/Paraphrase Paraphrased Text:

11. The Importance of Good Note Cards: • If you have a good set of note cards, and THINK before you write, then your paper will almost write itself. • If you choose to just write anything down on your note cards (just to hand them in) your paper will not make sense, therefore lowering your grade (and possibly failing you for the second quarter). • Carefully read and review your sources before writing your notes—think about what your possible narrowed topic may be and write notes which will support that idea.

12. Your Assignment: • Create 20 note cardsfrom your sources • Note cards will be worth 20 points total (1 point per card) toward the final grade of your research paper.

13. QUESTIONS????