Library:Library Research Skills For Land and Food Systems/Module 02A/Page 04

Why take notes? As you write your paper, rather than referring directly to the book or article that you wish to cite, you should take notes. This helps you remember which sources covered which ideas, so ideas don't slip into your paper without proper attribution.

Steps to taking good research notes

Read through the information source a couple of times until you are able to verbally summarize the author's main point(s) without looking back at the source. On a separate piece of paper or note-card, write down these main points in your own words. The final step is to compare your notes to the text. Ensure that your notes paraphrase and/or summarize the author's main points.