Note Taking and Research

1. Note Taking and Research Why, How, and What? Affirmative Action/EEO College

2. What is Research? • A systematic search or investigation of a subject or for additional information. Cy-Fair College Branch Library

3. What is Analyze? • To examine material in a critically method as to determine the importance of the information. • To break the material into small details as to identify key factors. Cy-Fair College Branch Library

4. What is Evaluate? • To determine the significance or worth of the information that is being analyzed. • To make a decision on how to use the analyzed material. Cy-Fair College Branch Library

5. Note Taking & Research - Why? When researching a topic for class project, you usually need to find: • News Articles • Books • Internet pages • Videos Cy-Fair College Branch Library

6. Note Taking & Research - Why? Taking useful notes from these information sources is important, but … Cy-Fair College Branch Library

7. Note Taking & Research - Why? … how do I take & organize notes that are truly helpful? FAST FOOD Note 256 McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Jack-in-the-Box, Taco Bell, Subway, KFC How can I make these notes better? Cy-Fair College Branch Library

8. Note Taking & Research - Why? Keeping detailed notes from research sources: • Helps organize ideas • Gives credit to original author • Follows NHMCCD Academic Integrity Policy • Prevents plagiarism Cy-Fair College Branch Library

9. What is Plagiarism According to dictionary.com --- • the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work, as by not crediting the author Cy-Fair College Branch Library

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11. Note Taking & Research:More Tips for Keeping Track Extra tips for documenting sources: • Keep all photocopies of sources • List all Internet sources used in your paper • Remember to cite non-text information such as charts, graphs, photos, and music Cy-Fair College Branch Library

12. Note Taking & Research:Review • Why? - Keep track of information & abide by academic integrity rules • How? – Use note cards or electronic files with unique numbers/letters for source information • What? – Include text, photos, music, Internet pages, etc. that support your research question + source information Cy-Fair College Branch Library

13. Note Taking & Research:Sources • Lester, James D. and James D. Lester, Jr. Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide. 10th ed. New York: Longman, 2001. • Plotnick, Jerry. “Paraphrase and Summary.” U. Coll.Writing Workshop, U of Toronto. 28 Sept. 2005 <http://www.utoronto.ca/ucwriting/paraphrase.html>. • Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of theAll-American Meal. Boston: Houghton, 2001. • www.dictionary.com Cy-Fair College Branch Library

14. Modern Language Association • AKA – MLA • Use in Language Arts • Many other styles – Chicago, or American Psychological Association (APA) Cy-Fair College Branch Library

15. Three Main Parts to MLA Citation • Information Itself • The In-text Citation • The “Works Cited” page Cy-Fair College Branch Library

16. The Information Itself • Quoting and paraphrasing • Two ways to include people’s ideas and words Cy-Fair College Branch Library

17. Paraphrasing • Always cite the source • List the source on the Work Cite page • Restate in your own words and sentences • Not even the same sentence structure • Combine information from different sources • Try not to use more than 2 sentences back to back from same source Cy-Fair College Branch Library

18. Quotation • Write the sentence in the exact words of an author • Use quotation marks – when it is four lines or less • Use when author has written it in a powerful or unique way Cy-Fair College Branch Library

19. Example • Picasso’s attraction to art came at an early age; in fact, he “was able to draw before he could speak, and he could speak long before he was able to walk” (Bernadac and Bouchet 19). Cy-Fair College Branch Library

20. Long Quotes • Write the quote as a paragraph • Indent 1 inch • Justify left margin • Do not justify right margin • Do not use quotation marks Cy-Fair College Branch Library

21. Example • Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: • They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78) • http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/03/ Cy-Fair College Branch Library

22. The In-Text Citation • Information quoted or paraphrased in your paper • Print source - End of sentence you will write the author and the page number • Multi-volume = encyclopedias – you will write the author, volume number and page number • Internet site – author only Cy-Fair College Branch Library

23. Example • Picasso’s attraction to art came at an early age; in fact, he “was able to draw before he could speak, and he could speak long before he was able to walk” (Bernadac and Bouchet 19). Cy-Fair College Branch Library

24. The “Work Cited” Page • At the end of the paper you will write a list of all the resources you cited in the paper • Work Cited – goes at the top of the page – centered • First line – “hanging indent” or 1st line is left justified and the other lines are indented Cy-Fair College Branch Library

25. What is the difference between a topic sentence and a thesis sentence? Cy-Fair College Branch Library

26. Thesis Statement • Tells what the entire essay is about • Usually located at the end of the introduction Cy-Fair College Branch Library

27. Examples of Thesis Statements • The causes of the Civil War were economic, social, and political. Cy-Fair College Branch Library

28. Thesis Subject: The Effect of Mozart’s Music on Short Term Memory • Sample Thesis Statement: The thesis statement is created from the essential question i.e. “is there any presence of a positive cause and effect relationship on the memory status of the students who listen to Mozart’s music, as it is propagated in the theory of Mozart’s effect”. The hypothesis tested for this study is, “Listening to Mozart’s music has no effect on human memory”. Cy-Fair College Branch Library

29. Topic Statement • Tells what a body paragraph is about • Usually located at the beginning of a body paragraph Cy-Fair College Branch Library

30. Example - • Fiction, like food, is of different nutritive values. • Comment - The topic sentence of this paragraph is the first sentence. In exposition, writing intended to give information, this is usually the case. • But most of the reading which is praised for itself is neither literary nor intellectual. It is narcotic. • Comment - The topic sentence in this paragraph is the second sentence. The first sentence is a transitional sentence; it points back to the two kinds of reading that he has just discussed. Cy-Fair College Branch Library

31. Resources • http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/ • Mrs. Houck – 7th Grade ELA teacher • www.dictionary.com • www.andyspinks.com/mla • http://www.writeawriting.com/writers/thesis-statement-examples/ • web.nestucca.k12.or.us/nvhs/staff/groves/Library/samplethesis.html • http://www.moonstar.com/~acpjr/Blackboard/Common/Glossary/ExTopicSen.html Cy-Fair College Branch Library