Guidelines for Writing Your Thesis Paper Part

Two-Note Taking

Mrs. LigoLibrary Media SpecialistBayshore Middle School

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.

Note taking

What questions to you have about your subject

Focus on answering the questions-

Note taking

What?Why? When

?How? Where?

Tools to Use

3 x 5 Note Cards

Web Tools (such as EasyBib or NoodleTools)

Idea/mind mapping strategies

Note taking

Organize Your Ideas

Research Topic

Answerques

tion

Gaines; Ace Your Research Paper (p21)

Note taking

Summarizing

Paraphrasing

Quotations

Note taking

Quotations Quotations are original phrases or

passages from a book, article, poem etc.

Use quotes for persuasion or to point out specific facts

Do not overuse quotes- only 10% of your paper should include direct quotes.

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)

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/

Note taking

4 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing1. Reread the original passage until you

understand its full meaning2. Set the original aside and without looking

at it write a paraphrase3. 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/

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)

Note taking

Summarizing A summary is a short overview written

in your own words.

Includes only the main ideas.

Is shorter than a paraphrase.

Note taking

Example of a Summary

Between 1965 and 1970, 11 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed in Vietnam.

Note taking

Creating Note Cards

Between 1965 and 1970, 11 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed in Vietnam.

Agent Orange- History

Silverman,J.; Use of Agent Orange & It’s Effects,5/09

Pgs.1-4

Heading

Page Number

Author,Article or Book Title & Date

One fact

Note taking

Web Tools

Note taking

Creating an Outline Introduction/Thesis Statement I. History of Agent Orange

A. Uses / time period B. Manufacturer

II. Chemical Warfare/Vietnam A. Decision B. Usage

III. Effects A. Human life B. Environment IV. Debate A. Continued contamination B. Generations of birth defectsV. Conclusion

Note taking

First Topic

Supporting ideas

Creating an Outline Introduction/Thesis Statement I. History of Agent Orange

A. Uses / time period1. Herbicide in the US (1955-1960)2. Herbicide in Vietnam War (1962-1970)

B. Manufacturer 1. Monsanto

2. Colorless/ safe

Note taking

First Topic

Supporting ideas

Textual facts to support your ideas

Final Draft Write, Reflect, Revise

Write again, Reflect again, Revise again

Note taking

BibliographyBentley, 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.

Note Taking