Note cards shouldn't be busy work that teachers ask kids to do. There is a purpose to them! This shares the process of how to use note cards to evaluate research and organize for the outline or rough draft.

1. How to
actually
NOTE CARDS make
them
useful!

2. ORGANIZING
Your paper will begin with an introduction that
sets up your topic with background that leads
into your thesis.
It will end with a conclusion that restates your
thesis and summarizes the main arguments of
the paper.
You need to concentrate on organizing the
body of the paper.

3. DO YOU HAVE BACKGROUND?
 Many topics require that you start by providing
background information.
 Think about what essential background information
should appear early on, and group that information
together.
 You might want to include:
 The author’s life (but only what is important!)
 Basic historical context
 Anything that leads into your topic
 For example, if I was proving Madeline was not real in
“The Fall of the House of Usher” I might include:
 Poe’s relationship with the women in his life
 Mental illness during the 1840s
 A brief summary of the plot (what most people see on the
surface)

4. ARGUMENTS
 After background, you should consider the kinds of
materials you have to present in your paper.
 Think about your arguments and what order you want to present
them.
 Least controversial to most controversial
 Familiar to least familiar
 Least to most important
 Don’t forget your counterarguments!
 Only you can decide where to best put these.
 Are they grouped together? Do they follow an argument?
 My suggestion is to not end with a counterargument, unless you
have an amazing counter to it.
 If you have strong counterarguments, concede their strengths and
discuss their limitations before your own arguments. (Don’t end with
a counterpoint to your thesis).

5. THESE PILES = PARAGRAPHS
 Sort your note cards into separate piles of
related ideas and information using your
slugs/subtopics.
 Review your piles.
 Are you lacking in anything? (small piles)
 Are you loaded with information in one area?
Do you change your focus? Do you separate this
pile into several paragraphs?
 This is your last time to get more
information!

6. ALMOST DONE!
 Once you have your note cards into
separate piles, organize the facts within
those piles into a logical order.
 When you type your outline, you should be
able to flip through your cards and type
without having to worry too much about
organization.

7. NOW, CREATE YOUR FORMAL OUTLINE
 General rules
 You must use correct MLA format
 You must have more than one subtopic
 Use this format for the topics and subtopics:
I.
A.
1.
2.
B.
II.
A.
B.