Organizing Information

Taking notes, tracking the sources of notes and keeping this information well-organized between school and home can pose many challenges.

There are many different note-taking strategies/systems and print/digital tools to accommodate different learning styles and learning needs.  Moreover, the choice of strategies/systems and tools will vary depending upon the context and scope of your research.

Your teacher-librarian and teacher will work together to find the choices that work for individual learners in specific learning contexts.  However, the  suggestions listed below are tried-and-tested starting points.

Regardless of the system, the “R5” Process is a process you can follow to help you decrease any chance of plagiarism, increase your comprehension of what you’re reading and researching, and meet all criteria of “S.M.A.R.T.” Notes.

Note Making SystemPurpose Templates & Tools
Cornell Notes Method- for taking notes from a lecture, interview, audio or video recording Note Making Template
Mindmapping Method- for brainstorming notes to activate prior knowledge or build knowledge with a group
Outlining Method- for organizing written text in a structured, logical way from a chapter or article. Best for Humanities and Social Sciences courses.
Inverse Pyramid Method- for organizing research notes from multiple sources