Highlight photocopies of sources
	Take notes electronically using "cut & paste" functions
	Use individual note cards

Summarized information = student selects main idea, key phrase, definition

Summarizing is used to record in one's own words the most important points of a passage. Often summarized information is common knowledge, i.e. accepted by experts in the field as fact or information not unique to one person's views or theories. Students will find this type of information repeated in three or more sources.

EXAMPLE:

ORIGINAL INFORMATION "The story of the Titanic began on Wednesday, April 10, 1912, as the great liner steamed majestically away from the dock of Southampton, England, heading out to sea on its maiden voyage."	SOURCE: 4             PAGE: 23
	1. Who said it? Author SUMMARIZED INFORMATION T. left Southampton, England Maiden voyage 4/10/12

Paraphrased information = student puts author’s thoughts in his/her own words (most common method)

Paraphrasing is also restating material in one's own words, but the information is NOT common knowledge. Rather, students are rephrasing someone else's ideas, theories, concepts or interpretations which are uniquely the author's and not the student's. Though paraphrased information does not contain quotation marks, it is essential that the student give proper credit for these original ideas. 

EXAMPLE:

ORIGINAL INFORMATION "As Jessica Mitford states in The American Way of Death, 'The undertaker is the stage manager of the fabulous production that is the modern American funeral.'"	SOURCE: 3             PAGE: 19
	1. Who said it? Jessica Mitford  Compares the modern funeral to a stage production with the undertaker serving as the organizer of the event.

Directly quoted information = word-for-word note in quotation marks

Direct quotations should be used sparingly, or not at all. Too many direct quotations suggest lazy writing and lazy thinking, and a way to avoid summarizing or paraphrasing. Material worth quoting is vivid, forceful information, brief technical passages and an expert's opinion to reinforce something one has already written.

EXAMPLE:

ORIGINAL INFORMATION "As Jessica Mitford states in The American Way of Death, 'A funeral is not an occasion for a display of cheapness. It is, in fact, an occasion when feelings of guilt and remorse are satisfied to a large extent by the purchase of a fine funeral.'"	SOURCE: 3             PAGE: 32
	1. Who said it? Jessica Mitford "A funeral is not an occasion for a display of cheapness. It is, in fact, an occasion when feelings of guilt and remorse are satisfied to a large extent by the purchase of a fine funeral."

NOTE: One may use only part of a quote, and indicate the deletion with ellipsis, e.g. "A funeral is not an occasion for a display of cheapness.... Feelings of guilt and remorse are satisfied... by the purchase of a fine funeral."