Note taking
Taking accurate notes is the first step in avoiding accidental plagiarism. Good note-taking skills allow you to identify exactly what information came from what source, and will help prevent any last minute misunderstandings, lapses in memory, or confusion over the origin of a given point, quotation, or idea. Good notes can also save a lot of time because they provide a reliable record for double checking sources.
To take better notes, it is important to:
- Record all bibliographic information in your notes to avoid having to go back and search for the source when you're in the process of writing your essay/assignment.
tip: Make out a separate index card for each of your sources and then number each card. While constructing your paper, simply write the number of each appropriate index card with the page numbers in the margins when citing. This saves time because you can then go back and simply reference the cards when creating the final draft.
- Make it clear when you are using your own words and when you are citing a source directly (you may want to color code your notes to indicate this important distinction).
- Keep track of what ideas and quotations go with what source and where (even when paraphrasing a source, be sure to keep an accurate record of page numbers!).
- Note taking skills - Sweet Briar College
http://www.arc.sbc.edu/notes.html - Note taking and in-class skills - Virginia Tech
http://icebreakerideas.com/note-taking/ - Note making - University of Victoria
http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learning/note-taking/ - Taking notes - Mantex
http://www.mantex.co.uk/samples/note.htm - No nonsense notetaking - Keene State College
http://www.keene.edu/aspire/nonsense.cfm
- Online Quiz and Test-taking Strategies
http://www.mindflash.com/online-quiz-and-test-taking-strategies/ - Effective Studying Techniques, from Psychological Science in the Public Interest
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/journals/pspi/learning-techniques.html