1. Guidelines for
Writing Your
Thesis Paper
Part Two-Note
Taking
Mrs. Ligo
Library Media Specialist
Bayshore Middle School

2. Note taking

3. Note taking
 Note taking is an important skill to develop.
 While you are reading take careful notes.
 Focus on your thesis statement.
 Organize your thoughts by creating several
main ideas or topic sentences for each
paragraph.
 Common knowledge information does not
have to be cited.

4. Note taking
 Whatquestions to you have about your
subject
 Focus on answering the questions-
Why? When?
What?
How? Where?

5. Note taking
Tools to Use
3 x 5 Note Cards
 Web Tools (such as EasyBib or NoodleTools)
 Idea/mind mapping strategies

6. Note taking
Organize Your Ideas
Answer
Research Topic
Gaines; Ace Your Research Paper (p21)

7. Note taking
Summarizing
Paraphrasing
Quotations

8. Note taking
Quotations
 Quotationsare original phrases or
passages from a book, article, poem etc.
 Use
quotes for persuasion or to point out
specific facts
not overuse quotes- only 10% of your
 Do
paper should include direct quotes.

9. Note taking
Example of a quote:
“…so it goes with Agent Orange, a potent
herbicide used as a defoliant during the
Vietnam War. The U.S. military deployed
almost 20 million gallons (76 millions liters) of
herbicides from 1962 to 1971 [source:
Veterans Administration]. Among these
substances, Agent Orange was the most
used herbicide, around 11 million gallons
(42 million liters) deployed from January
1965 through April 1970.” (Silverman 1-2)

10. Note taking
A paraphrase is…
Your own rendition of essential information
and ideas presented in a new form.
owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/

11. Note taking
4 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing
1. Reread the original passage until you
understand its full meaning
2. Set the original aside and without looking
at it write a paraphrase
3. Check your original with the paraphrase to
make sure your information is accurate but
do not copy word for word
4. Record the source & page numbers on
your notecard
1. owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/

12. Note taking
Example of paraphrasing
Between 1962 and 1971, US Forces sprayed
nearly 20 million gallons of a toxic herbicide
in Vietnam, more than one half was a
chemical nicknamed “Agent Orange.”
(Silverman 1-2)

13. Note taking
Summarizing
A summary is a short overview written in
your own words.
 Includes only the main ideas.
 Is shorter than a paraphrase.

14. Note taking
Example of a Summary
Between 1965 and 1970, 11 million gallons of
Agent Orange were sprayed in Vietnam.

15. Note taking
Creating Note Cards Heading
Agent Orange- History
One fact Between 1965 and 1970, 11 million
gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed
in Vietnam.
Silverman,J.; Use of Agent Pgs.
Orange & It’s Effects,5/09 1-4
Page
Author,Article or
Number
Book Title & Date

16. Note taking
Web Tools

17. Note taking
Creating an Outline
Introduction/Thesis Statement
I. History of Agent Orange First Topic
A. Uses / time period
B. Manufacturer Supporting
II. Chemical Warfare/Vietnam ideas
A. Decision
B. Usage
III. Effects
A. Human life
B. Environment
IV. Debate
A. Continued contamination
B. Generations of birth defects
V. Conclusion

18. Note taking
Creating an Outline
Introduction/Thesis Statement
First Topic
I. History of Agent Orange
Supporting ideas
A. Uses / time period
1. Herbicide in the US (1955-1960)
2. Herbicide in Vietnam War (1962-1970)
Textual facts
to support B. Manufacturer
your ideas
1. Monsanto
2. Colorless/ safe

19. Note taking
Final Draft
 Write, Reflect, Revise
 Write again, Reflect again, Revise again

20. Note Taking
Bibliography
Bentley, Nancy. Don't Be a Copycat!: Write a Great Report without
Plagiarizing. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Elementary, 2008. Print.
Gaines, Ann. Ace Your Research Paper. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2009.
Print.
"Purdue OWL: Paraphrase Exercises." Purdue University Online Writing Lab
(OWL). Web. 07 Feb. 2012.
<http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/>.
Revisions. Digital image. Click Biology.com. 2 Apr. 2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.clickbiology.com/advice-year-11s-revise/>.
Silverman, Jacob. "How Agent Orange Worked" 04 November
2008. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://www.howstuffworks.com/agent-
orange.htm> 11 February 2012.
Terban, Marvin. Ready! Set! Research! New York: Scholastic, 2007. Print.