ACTIVITY 5: Notetaking

I. Introduction

Now that you are already clear with the concept of your study, you are now ready to delve in
deeper to the review of related literature. Reviewing sources is very significant because this is where
you obtain your ideas. This is the writing task that would show if you understood what you read or not.
This is the part where you will test your honesty and patience. An honest and patient research writer
would take time understanding the knowledge, insights, theories and arguments taken from the
sources and really try to make sense of all this in relation to his or her problem, hypothesis and
conceptual justification. An impatient writer would consequently lead to just copy verbatim ideas from
the sources. You are not exempted from this tendency to plagiarize. Some of you committed
plagiarism in your concept paper based on the Turn It In plagiarism software. In the research article,
Selemani, Chawinga and Dube (2018) reported the factors why students plagiarize. Students resort to
copy-paste mentality because of the following: pressure for good grades, lack of good academic
writing skills, uncompliant to citation rules after paraphrasing and summarizing. In this activity, you will
be trained on how to build up a literature review through a systematic notetaking group task.

I. Objectives

At the end of this activity, you can:

1. select twenty (20 ) reliable empirical research studies online;
1. summarize and paraphrase ideas taken from reliable sources ;
2. discuss concepts, models, frameworks, theories and arguments based on sources read;
and
3. build up a critical literature review following a systematic notetaking group task.

II. Concept/s Explanation

Basically, all sources you read are organized into paragraph units. Each paragraph has a
main idea known as the topic sentence. When you read a text, always try to identify the main idea
in a paragraph. The main idea is then followed by supporting details. If you are able to determine
the main idea in a paragraph, it is easy for you to comprehend the message or information that the
author conveys. Once you have the main idea set clear in your mind, you can now state the idea in
your own words. If you try to state the paragraph in a short précis or summary form in one
sentence, you are summarizing. If you are stating ideas in your own words, following the same
length or number of sentences like that of the original paragraph, you are paraphrasing.

Take a look at the paragraph below written by a credible psychologist, Jung (1958) in Ventura
(1999):

“The statistical method shows the facts in the light of the ideal average but does not give us a
picture of their empirical reality. While reflecting an indisputable aspect of reality, it can falsify
the actual truth in a most misleading way. This is particularly true of theories which are based
on statistics. The distinctive thing about real facts, however, is their individuality. Not to put too
fine a point on it, one could say that a real picture consists of nothing but exceptions to the
rule, and that, in consequence, absolute reality has predominantly the character of
irregularity.” (p. 92-93).

The main idea or the topic sentence which is the main thesis statement or point/ claim
advanced, is The statistical method shows the facts in the light of the ideal average but does not give
us a picture of their empirical reality. Then, what follows is the major supporting detail, The distinctive
thing about real facts, however, is their individuality. When you are clear about the author’s thesis or
point, in this case, the limitation of statistics in reporting facts or reality based on just highlighting the
average in that reality is supposed to be grounded on individuality; then, you can already summarize
or paraphrase this paragraph.
 Here are suggested précis or summary to the mentioned paragraph:

Precis A: Since real facts are based on the singular and unique, statistical data misrepresents reality
by showing an “ideal average” that ignores everything else (Jung, 1958, p.17).

Precis B: In Jung’s (1958) view, to analyze reality by statistics is to mislead one into thinking that
what is true about reality depends on collective rather than specific forms of behavior, which are also
part of larger reality.

A very practical and simplified way of paraphrasing adapted from Ventura (1999) is shown
below:

Original Text: The citizens of Ashton are complaining loudly about the problems and inefficiency of
the sanitation system, because Friday the sanitation crew removed approximately half the
refuse on Center Street, and it wasn’t until Saturday that they returned and removed that
which remained.

Paraphrase: Garbage removal for people of Ashton has been a problem. They are unhappy about the
way the garbage collectors have done their job. For example, only half of the garbage was
removed on Friday. They finally came back on Saturday to take the rest of it away.

Examine the original and the paraphrase versions. Determine what was changed in the
paraphrased form. What did the notetaker use to state the ideas in his/ her own words?

“citizens of Ashton”  People of Ashton

“complaining loudly”  unhappy
“sanitation system” garbage removal
“sanitation crew”  garbage collectors
What other changes do you see?
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III. Work/ Practice Exercises

A. Summarizing
Directions: Write a one sentence summary to the given paragraph below. The excerpt
below found at Answer Sheet 5A was taken from Selemani, Chawinga, & Dube, (2018,
para. 3). (40 points; refer to Appendix D for the rubric in grading summarizing and
Worksheet No. 5 below)

B. Paraphrasing
Directions: State in your own words the ideas found in the given paragraph following the
actual length or number of sentence of the original text. Refer to Answer Sheet 5B for
the original text. (40 points; refer to Appendix D for the rubric in grading paraphrasing
and Worksheet No. 5 below)

C. The Main Notetaking Task

Directions: Set your MS Word page into landscape format. Divide the page into 2
columns. In your left column attached the a image in JPEG file the source that you chose
to discuss in your literature review. Highlight the ideas with a color marking for the ideas
that you intend to summarize and paraphrase. Organize your sources according to your
outline. In your right column write your summary or paraphrase. Ensure that you cite your
sources following the APA 6 format. You end your notetaking task with the references
section following the APA 6 format. All sources cited in our notetaking should be included
in the references section. Below is a sample template found in Worksheet 5C. (50
points; refer to Appendix G for the rubric in grading notetaking and Worksheet No. 5
below):
 WORKSHEET No.5
Group Work

Name:______________________________________ Score:__________
Course/ Section: ______________________________ Date: __________

Notetaking Task

(Summarizing and paraphrasing are part of the notetaking process)

A. Summarizing:
Directions: Write a one sentence summary to the given paragraph below. This excerpt was taken
from Selemani, Chawinga, & Dube, (2018, para. 3). (40 points; refer to Appendix D for the
rubric in grading summarizing)

“For quite a long time, several studies have reported the existence of plagiarism in institutions
of higher learning in Anglo-phone countries such as UK, USA and Australia, and there is a
growing number of the same from Non-Native English speaking countries such as South
American and Asian countries. In Africa, there are also a number of studies that have
reported on the existence of plagiarism in institutions of higher learning. For instance, in South
Africa (De Jager and Brown 2010; Ellery 2008), in Nigeria (Nordling 2018; Agu and
Olibie 2009), and in Botswana (Batane 2010).”

__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.

B. Paraphrasing: State in your own words the ideas found in the given paragraph following the
actual length or number of phrases or sentences of the original text. ( 40 points; refer to
Appendix E for the rubric in grading paraphrasing)

“A conviction of certainty is one of the most certain signs of ignorance and may be the best
operational definition of stupidity” (Blau, n.d., p. 213, in Rosenwasser and Stephen,
2012, p.37).

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

C. The Main Notetaking Task

Directions: Set your MS Word page into landscape format. Divide the page into 2 columns. In
your left column attached the a image in JPEG file the source that you chose to discuss in
your literature review. Highlight the ideas with a color marking for the ideas that you intend to
summarize and paraphrase. Organize your sources according to your outline. In your right
column write your summary or paraphrase. Ensure that you cite your sources following the
APA 6 format. You end your notetaking task with the references section following the APA 6
format. All sources cited in your notetaking should be included in the references section.
Below is a sample template (50 points; refer to Appendix G for the rubric in grading
notetaking):
 Original Sources (Attach the image of your source in JPEG File ) Summary/ Paraphrase (Include the page or paragraph number of
your original source)

A. Introduction A. Introduction
A. Summary/ Paraphrase (p.___ or para.____)
A. ______________
According to Selemani, Chawinga, and Dube (2018)……
B. ____________________________________________