Know your topic. While reading through texts, keep your hypothesis in mind. It becomes critical during the research process, helps maintain focus, and avoids unnecessary note taking.
Separate concepts. Record different ideas on separate note cards. This makes grouping the note cards into similar subject matters easier during the writing process.
Record any relevant information. Write down pertinent facts that will help support your thesis statement and any examples that make the report stronger. Use phrases and lists on the note cards rather than excerpts so that when writing the report plagiarism does not become an issue.
Use quotation marks when quoting a person to differentiate your ideas from those of others in text.
Label the cards with headings. If writing or speaking about basketball, label cards with subject matter such as point guards, offensive plays and technical fouls.
Include sources. Write down references used to ascertain information. This makes the resource, or bibliography, easier to write and less time-consuming. Record the author's name, title of publication, and page number rerferenced on one of the top corners of the card.