2023 Spring - Grade 8 Science - Life Cycle Analysis Project: Notes & Sources

When you take notes on a source:

• Skim the entire source first. Is it right for your project?
• Identify how it is organized and what the main ideas are.
• Record all citation information. 
• Always paraphrase: put information into your own words. This helps you learn and prevent accidental plagiarism! 
• Develop a shorthand for efficient notetaking. Use bullet points and abbreviations and avoid complete sentences.
• Don't write down every bit of information - record only what is relevant!
• Be sure to write down page numbers for print sources. This will help when you create in-text citations.

You are not required to use research notesheets for this project.  If you do, make certain to use one notesheet per source and make a copy of the linked docs and rename to make them your own. If you don't use notesheets, be sure to keep careful track of where every single piece of information comes from. 

• Give credit where credit is due.  The author worked hard to create the source you have chose to incorporate into your project! 
• Leave "information breadcrumbs" for yourself and for your teacher.  By recording the right information about your source, you and your teacher will be to follow your trail and locate your sources.
• Avoid plagiarism. Don't take credit for knowledge or ideas that you did not develop on your own.
• A good works cited list keeps your organized.  If you record relevant information about each source as you go, you won't have to scramble to track down information later.

1. Create a New Project in NoodleTools.  

• Use MLA Style and Junior Level.
• Name your project using this method:  Last name, First Initial -- Science - Cradle to Grave 
  • For example: Spence, C - Science 8 - Life Cycle Analysis Project

2. Share with your teacher's Project Inbox - for this project, choose the Project Inbox for your section:

• Falck 8-? Life Cycle Analysis 
• Bader 8-? Life Cycle Analysis
• Bader 8-? Life Cycle Analysis 
• Falck 8-? Life Cycle Analysis 

3. In Sources, create a citation for each source you used.  The information in your notes will help you complete your citations. Have questions? ASK!  

4. Once you have created citations for all of your sources, choose Print/Export to GoogleDocs in the Sources screen.

Can I use the citations made by the database I am using?

Generally we find that information given within databases is misleading and their examples are routinely wrong. Databases often provide a "source citation" at the bottom of the article. Although these source citations provide useful data (e.g., title of the database, authors, etc.), spend the time to review them thoroughly and compare them to the style guide examples before simply copying and pasting those examples into your source list.

From the NoodeTools Help Desk

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