Note-taking for Finding, Organizing, and Reading Sources

Finding and organizing your sources

• Book Research Assistance | University of Guelph Library
• Zotero: How to Organize Your References (Video)

Reading and note-taking

• Reading Critically
• Using A Worksheet to Compare Academic Readings (Video)
• How to Read an Academic Article (Video) - This video will show you how to read an academic article for a research-based assignment.
• How to Read an Academic Book (Video) - This video will show you how to read a book for research-based assignments.
• Note-taking and Writing Tips to Avoid Accidental Plagiarism (Video) - This video provides strategies for gathering information from sources and including that information in writing.
• Daily Writing Log Template  - Complete this writing log after each writing block to record your progress and provide direction when starting your next writing block.
• Grouping Topics or Conversations in the Literature Review: The "Banquet Hall" Analogy - This handout describes the analogy of a banquet hall as a useful strategy for organizing and structuring your literature review.
• Annotated Bibliography  - Use this fillable form after every article you read. Spend at least 10-15 minutes on your note-taking.  
• Single Source – Note-taking Analysis Worksheet  - Use this handout to record essential information for every article that you read. You can refer to these notes when writing a research paper or literature review.
• Multiple Sources - Note-taking Analysis Worksheet  - This table is designed to help you organize all your sources (e.g., books, articles, government documents) based on common themes, topics, methods, theories, etc.  
• Theory, Model, or Method-Building – Single Source Sheet - Use this handout to record essential information for every article that you read. You can refer to these notes when developing and/or justifying a new theory, model, or research method.
• Theory Building: Multiple Sources - Note-taking Analysis Worksheet - This table is designed to help you organize all your notes on different theories, models, or methods (depending on your type of research) in order to strengthen your knowledge.