Unit Description

How do I take notes?

One thing's for sure: technology makes it easy to copy and share ideas and information. But a person can get into big trouble when they share ideas and information that they don't own. Almost every day we read about people who made the mistake of copying and publishing without asking permission.

Plagiarism in a research project can lead to dismissal from a college. Plagiarism at work can lead to dismissal from your job. So how do you make sure you are not plagiarizing? The key is organized research. Organized research starts with a close reading of the source. Researchers take good notes and organize them so that they are useful.

By the end of the unit, you will be able to say:

• I can take good notes from my sources on the evidence I have gathered.
• I can organize my notes and recognize plagiarism.
• I can apply strategies and tools for organizing information.