In the previous two articles, we covered how to plan your research and tips for conducting effective research. Now it’s time to begin, which means tackling the best way to take notes. Like everything, there are options. Your best bet is to choose the method that makes sense to you.
In our next blog, we’ll discuss how to organize your research. For now we’ll focus on the notes themselves. Here are my best tips:
Don’t Complicate It
Notes need to be clear, complete and cited. Anything else is unnecessary. Focus on the facts and what you need. Simple systems are best because they are easy to maintain. Consistency is crucial.
What works best for me, might not for you. I prefer a notebook and a computer file in either Scrivener or Notetaker. The combination of old school and tech makes sense for me. I often scan in hard copies of articles or notes if I don’t feel like typing them up. It depends on the project and timeline. Rush jobs don’t allow for extra steps. I copy all related emails, links and web sites to a single folder for easy access. The point is to be organized and able to locate what you need without searching.
The Notes Themselves
I use a modified Cornell system of note taking. I don’t use the summary feature at the bottom, but I do use a two column format that allows me to list the important dates and subheads on the left and the details on the right. This helps when scanning the notes for specific bits. I do separate my notes by subject and type, even if they are for the same project. I will go into that more in the forthcoming Organizing Your Research blog.
Quoting vs. Paraphrasing
Be careful on this one. It is remarkably easy to rewrite paraphrased notes back into their original form or close enough to be called plagiarism. I always try to quote important bits and mark those with quotation marks. When I do paraphrase, I always preface the note with a large P so I’m aware the material is paraphrased. If I want to use this material, I make sure to rewrite it in a way that does not resemble the paraphrased portion. When I paraphrase, I try to keep it as close to the original as possible to eliminate the possibility of rewriting it back to the original form. Quoting is easier if you suffer anxiety or tend to worry a lot.
Visual & Audio Elements
If you are writing a script that relies on visual elements, be sure to log them with clear descriptions. Raw footage should be logged and indexed with subject, time code, and description, which could include anything from a brief overview of content or camera angle. You will need this information when writing your script if that happens after the shoot. If you are writing a shooting script, then you will include what needs to be filmed. It’s best to work with the director on this. She’ll have a vision for how it should be filmed. A complete log also will help you and the editor easily find the right footage during editing.
This method also works if you are using photographs and/or footage for setting purposes, although you may not need to be as detailed.
If you have filmed or recorded interviews with subject matter experts, you should transcribe the material and log it with time codes for easy review and retrieval. The transcript will fulfill your citation requirements with editors and fact checkers.
Keep a Bibliography
Commit to keeping a full citation for each resource. Pick a style (MLA, APA, AP, Chicago) and stick to it. It doesn’t matter which one you choose (unless you need to provide a final copy). Be consistent and diligent. There is nothing worse than remembering a fact and not being able to find it or, worse, prove it to a fact checker.
Code It
Book and journal titles can be long and cumbersome. Save time by giving your citations a code. I do this in my bibliography to make things easy. The code is a quick way for me to cite on the go. For example, if I am taking notes from a book entitled Ways to Cite Sources by John Smith, I would replace the title and author with the following code: WCS. Then when I’m taking notes from that book, I would simply write WCS, p. 209: “Being able to cite sources properly is essential as a writer.” This saves me from having to write out the title every time. It’s a shorthand. I use my own version a lot.
Shorthand
If you don’t know shorthand, make your own version to use. This will save you time when taking notes. I use abbreviations I’ve used since college. Every project I add to the master list. This helps me take notes faster. Instead of writing George Washington every time, I use GW. I know this always means our first president.
Making a shorthand list saved me tons of time when coming up to speed on this field. Just be sure to write your abbreviations down before you forget what they mean. It will help if you ever revisit your notes.
The next and final blog in this series will cover ways to organize your research.