Taking Notes for Research

Finding credible sources is a skill of its own, but once you’ve done that knowing what to do with those sources presents its own challenges.

You’ve got a stack of library books or a list of websites that you have already checked for credibility. (If you don’t, check out this resource on the CRAAP test.) Now what? 

Well, it’s time to start taking notes. 

What's the best note-taking system?

I wish I could tell you that I’ve found the perfect note-taking system. I could teach it to you, and we could all go on with our lives knowing that we’re taking the best notes in the world. 

That’s not how it works. 

Note-taking is a very personal thing. What works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. A lot of people say they’ll teach you the perfect system, but they’re really only teaching you the perfect system for them. (Or, worse, they’re just trying to sell a book.) 

The best note-taking system is the one that works with the way YOU think — and you have to be the one to find it.

Watch the Video

Tip 1: Experiment!

You are going to take some notes that end up not being very helpful. It’s part of the process. You didn’t learn to walk without falling down. You don’t learn to cook without burning a few things. You don’t learn to take notes without making a mess. 

Every time you take notes (whether it’s to help write a paper or just to help remember what you’ve read), spend some time at the end reflecting on what is working and what isn’t. Over time, you’ll build more and more “what’s working” elements into your note-taking habits. If you start now, you’ll be well on your way to a system that works for you when you need it most.  

Tip 2: Keep Sources Separate

While there are elements of note-taking that will look very different for each person, some of them are key to good habits. When you’re taking notes on a bunch of different sources, keep those sources separate. It’s really, really frustrating to look at a page of notes and not know what information came from each source. It can make writing your paper take a lot longer, and it can mean having to go back and re-read material you thought you had finished. (What’s really bad is when you’ve already taken the book back to the library and now someone else has it. Eek!)  

You can avoid all these headaches by making sure you use a separate page (or separate document if you’re doing it electronically) for each source. Be sure to write the source’s title, author’s name, and publication date at the top. That will help you keep track of which information comes from each source.

Tip 3: Start with Your Best Source

When you’re doing research in middle and high school, you’re probably reading about something that’s already well-known and well-covered. After all, you’re not expected to conduct your own groundbreaking experiments or discover a new species. You’re learning how to find, read, take notes on, and share important information from credible sources. 

That means that a lot of your sources will probably repeat information. If you start with your best source (and, by that, I mean the one that’s the most thorough and credible), you can then skip taking notes on repeated information in other sources.

If you’re researching George Washington and all five sources tell you his birthday, you only need to write it down once. Starting with your strongest source prevents a lot of unwanted repetition later.

Reflect on It

Remember that note-taking is personal, and you have to figure out what works for you. Here are some questions you can ask yourself along the way:

  • Do I like handwriting my notes or typing them on a computer?
  • Do I prefer to write notes in the margins of the text or on a page of their own?
  • What headings, columns, and visual elements can I use to make my notes more organized?
  • What color-coding and symbol systems can I use to make my notes more standardized? 

Check Out More Resources

I mentioned in the video that looking at other note-taking systems can help give you some ideas for your own. Here are some links that may provide inspiration. Remember, though, most people end up piecing together the elements that work best for them. It’s okay if your system doesn’t look exactly like one of these: 

  • Cornell Notes– This is one of the most popular note-taking systems. It focuses on getting key ideas on the page. 
  • Mind-Mapping– This system is usually best for connecting ideas after you’ve taken initial notes. It helps you see how your sources relate and find ways to organize ideas from multiple places. 
  • Multiple Methods– This page from the University of Tennessee provides five examples of note-taking strategies all in one place. 
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