If you have located your sources but need help organizing your research, this is the guide for you! If, however, you still need some help searching for scholarly sources, check out the library's Researching at Jacobs Library guide!
Learning how to read an academic or scholarly source is different than simply reading a book. There are strategies and techniques you can use to quickly extract information and gain an understanding of what the source is discussing.
What information can you use to take effective notes?
How do you find the main idea?
A great place to start with this is the article’s abstract. An abstract is a brief summary of the article, and you can often find keywords and main ideas here.
Some articles also have subject terms associated with them, and you can use these to pinpoint keywords and main ideas as well.
Look for thesis statements or paragraphs, often at the beginning and end of the article, that summarize the arguments being made.
Learn how to take better notes in-class!
How can I take better notes?
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1. Active listening
Practice makes perfect! |
2. Learning your professor's teaching style
Some professors-
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| 3. Repetition
Most teachers speak more quickly than note-takers write their notes. Teachers:
Other teachers will offer a series of examples to help you understand new ideas. |
4. Read the assigned readings before the lecture Read the chapter before class and take enough notes or outline it. After class is over, check to make your chapter notes better. Real learning happens after you are home comparing your chapter notes to the lecture notes. |
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5. Review your notes regularly and cumulatively Look for repetition and relationships of different lectures. It helps you "see the big picture" and makes note-taking a regular part of your study habits. |
Organizing Your Sources
Making sure you organize your resources as you find them is a crucial part of the research process. Making sure you can locate and get back to information you want to use will help stream line your research. Some important information to be taking down is your search terms including combinations of terms you searched, your results especially if you find a source you are considering using to cite, and any notes on the sources like why you chose that source. Here is a list of items to track:
Search Terms: What keywords can I pull from my main ideas and questions I have about my proposed topic?
Results: SOAR and many other databases have the feature of 'Saving Your Query' for future reference, or 'Saving an Item'. You will need be sure to log in to save and get back to your materials. Additionally, you can utilize an excel spreadsheet or table in a word doc to log your research. You can also use NoodleTools to log your resources! When logging results, be sure to take down the permalink and/or citation.
What is a permalink? If a database goes through an update, the URL bar links may change, in turn you will lose access to the source you found. By taking down a permalink, this ensures the link will not break and will work every time. Permalinks are also sometimes called Permanent Links, Persistent Links, Stable URLs, and Direct Links. For more information on getting permalinks in different databases, visit Creating Persistent Links to Content page. If you have trouble, reach out to a librarian.
Notes: If I have found a lot of results with similar titles, it's a great idea to note what sets the resource apart from the others.
Search Log Example:
| Search Terms | Results | Notes |
| Masks, Classroom, Covid |
Gallè, Francesca, et al. “Understanding Knowledge and Behaviors Related to CoViD-19 Epidemic in Italian Undergraduate Students: The EPICO Study.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 10, MDPI AG, 2020, p. 3481–, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103481.
Permalink: https://i-share-ivc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CARLI_IVC/ kdtr8p/cdi_doaj_primary_oai_doaj_org_article_0ea3e392de0b4483b0bcda33f56bf120 |
This source provided a survey to undergraduate students about behaviors they adopted during lockdown. |
| Masks, Effects, Communication, School |
Mheidly, Nour, et al. “Effect of Face Masks on Interpersonal Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Frontiers in Public Health, vol. 8, Frontiers Research Foundation, 2020, pp. 582191–582191, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.582191.
Permalink: https://i-share-ivc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CARLI_IVC/ kdtr8p/cdi_doaj_primary_oai_doaj_org_article_1bddce324ee3470f88e70d62f9281f37 |
This source was specific to masks and communication. |
Source: Walden University Library
As you locate information for your assignment, be sure to keep track of where the information came from. Remember, for every piece of outside information you use, you must cite it. Which is why it is also important to save your sources along the way. You can do this by saving the persistent link or 'permalink' when using online resources. Visit Creating Links to Content to learn where to find the permalink in the databases you use!
For more information about citing your sources, check our Jacobs Library's Citation Guide!
Source: Loyola University Libraries: Organizing Your Sources
The library subscribes to NoodleTools a citation manager which can help you take notes, organize, and cite your sources!
