Creating Note Cards

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Creating Note Cards

• Basic Guidelines Based on MLA Format

Presentation by Mandy Dwight
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Why Use Note Cards?

• To help with organization
• To prevent plagiarism

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Guidelines for Note Cards

• At the top of each card, place a source number
  that corresponds with the source number that is
  on the top of the bibliography card from which
  the note was taken.
• Limit the amount of information on each card.
  Put only one note per card.
• After writing information on a note card,
  summarize what the information on the card I
  about by placing a specific topic title on the
  top of the card.
• Omit unnecessary words, using abbreviated text.
• Always write a page number of where the
  information was found.

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Guidelines for Note Cards that Have Direct
Quotations

• Copy direct quotes word for word.
• Put quotation marks around all words or phrases
  that are not your own.
• Write the page number where the quote was found
  on the bottom of the page.
• Write down who wrote or said the quote.
• If you leave out part of a quotation, use
  ellipses ().

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There are four types of note cards.
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They are...

• Summary Cards (S) When you read an entire
  passage, article, or book and summarize it in
  your own words.
• Paraphrase Cards (P) When you take small
  detailed notes and put them in your own brief
  words.

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And...

• 3. Quote Cards (Q) When you copy material
  exactly from the sources and put it in quotation
  marks, telling who the writer or speaker of the
  quote is.
• 4. Idea Cards (I) When you write down an
  original idea of your own on a note card.

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This is what each type of note card should look
like...
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Sample Summary Note Card
Source 1 Summary of Of Mice and
Men George and Lennie travel to CA farms as
migrant farmers. L doesnt know his strength.
Make friends w/ Candy. L kills Curleys wife and
G has to kill L. Novel themes friendship,
violence. P. 1-137 S
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Sample Paraphrase Card
Source 5 Violence OMM shows violence
Curley, Carlson P. 24 P
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Sample Quote Card
Source 3 Friendship Quote Of Mice and
Men is, above all, the greatest novel ever about
friendship. Quote from Walt Meyer P.
56 Q
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Sample Idea Card
Source 2 Lack of Friendship Remember to
talk about the lack of friendship in the
novel. I
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Remember
When in doubt about referencing and citation,
use the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers Fifth Edition.