Note taking is a time-consuming yet vital component of the research paper writing process. If note taking is done well, you can even save time in the end: you will not waste time running back to the library for a missed citation or searching desperately through stacks of books for that perfect quote you know is there somewhere (Avery, et al., 71).
Taking good notes can also save you time during the writing process. While reading and searching for information during note taking you will begin to understand, evaluate, and synthesize your material. In other words, you will get a good head start on the thinking involved in writing your paper.
Your note taking will only be effective if you constantly think about the material. Read an entire chapter or article before taking notes. You will only understand the author's meaning after a thorough reading. If you begin taking notes before you completely understand a piece of writing, your notes will be a collection of disjointed data without meaning or context.
During note taking, you must also think about your research question. Each research notes should, in one way or another, answer your research question. You may even want to write your research question on a note card and keep it in a place to which you can constantly refer.
When you are finished you should be able to organize your notes according to the following structure:
You should have a complete and accurate bibliographic note for each source in your preliminary bibliography.
-quotes
-paraphrases
-summaries
-your own ideas, thoughts or questions about the primary sources
-quotes
-paraphrases
-summaries
-your own ideas, thoughts or questions about the secondary sources