Sample note card Exercise#3 By: Rey G. Panesa

Creating Note Cards:
What did I Find?

When you have determined that a source contains material that is reliable and useful, you will want to take notes on it. There are three types of notes: summary, paraphrase, and quotation. Regardless of which type of notes you use, remember to cite the source.

SUMMARY NOTE CARD: This type of note card is used if you want to record only the general idea of large amounts of material. This is usually done either in outline or bulleted form. Even though you are not using the author’s exact words, the ideas you are using are not yours and therefore must be cited.

PARAPHRASE NOTE CARD: This type of note card is used if you require detailed notes on specific sentences and passages but do not need the exact wording. In other words, you are restating the material by rephrasing it in your own words. This requires that you alter not just the vocabulary used, but also the entire grammatical structure of the sentences. However, because the ideas you are using are not your own (even if the words are yours), you must cite the source of the information.

QUOTATION NOTE CARD: This type of note card is used when you believe that a sentence or a passage in its original form might make an effective addition to your paper. You should transcribe that material exactly as it appears, word for word, comma for comma, enclosing it in quotation marks to distinguish the quotation from summary and paraphrase notes. Try to use direct quotations sparingly in your paper, saving them for special emphasis. Again, you must cite the source.

The general rule of thumb for a note card is: one source + one topic = one note card.

*In addition to your actual notes, a note card should include:

1. A subheading

2. Enough information to enable you to locate the source easily in your working
bibliography.

This information should be the same as any parenthetical citation (author’s last name and page number).

Example of a Summary Note card:

Children and Sports Leonard 140 I. Sports A. Cause children emotional stress B. Cause children fear and anxiety II. Scanlan and Passer’s Study A. Of preadolescent soccer males 1. Shows losing players had post-game anxiety 2. Shows anxiety caused more problems a. Avoid failure b. Shy away from active participation c. Won’t try new things

Example of a Paraphrase Note Card:

Children and sports Leonard 140 Stress and anxiety on the playing field can result in children backing away from participating in sports because they fear rejection if they perform poorly. This anxiety and stress is a result of the child’s fears of being hurt or not being good enough. A study by Scanlan and Passer, showing that boys who lose in soccer have more anxiety after losing a game than boys who win, confirms these findings.

Example of a Quotation Note Card:

Children and sports Leonard 140 “...(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.”

Note Card Tips

Note cards are a very necessary part of the research process. Once you have written a bibliography card for the source that your are using, you will begin writing note cards from that source. There are several important facts to remember about notecards.

1. Each note card should contain a title from the preliminary outline.

2. Each note card should also contain a letter in the top right-hand corner that tells which reference it came from. (This letter is the same letter that is on the bibliography card for the source you are using.)

3. Each note card should contain at least one sentence on it.

4. Each note card should contain paraphrased information that is summarized (in your own words).

5. The numbers on the note cards should go in consecutive order (1,2,3, etc.) even if the letter on the note card changes.

6. Each note card should contain a page number on the bottom. (This is helpful if you need to go back to the source.)


Examples:
Let's say that your preliminary outline looks like the one below.
Bowling

I. History of the Sport

II. Health benefits

III. Risks involved

IV. Cost of equipment

V. Famous bowlers

How to Write Note Cards

Back to Survival WebQuest

Information from Rockwood School District Research Paper Guide, 2004

Parts of a NOTE CARD -

TOPIC SOURCE

Using a direct quote, summary, or paraphrase,

write only one piece of information written on one side of the card.

(AUTHOR'S LAST NAME AND PAGE NUMBER, if applicable)

SAMPLE NOTE CARD with information directly written from source

-info must be reworded for assignment

PREPARATION www.worstcasescenarios.com/mainpage.htm

"Avoid being in the water during darkness or twilight hours,

when sharks are most active and have a competitive sensory advantage."

(Joshua Piven)

SAMPLE NOTE CARD with information put into student's own words

PREPARATION www.worstcasescenarios.com/mainpage.htm

When it's dark, sharks can sense things well and are very active;

stay out of the water in the dark.

(Joshua Piven)