The faintest ink is better than the sharpest memory. (Chinese Proverb). 

	•  Accuracy is paramount. Make sure your notes reflect your sources—the main ideas, evidence, examples, analysis, and so on—accurately. •  Distinguish among quotations, paraphrases, and your own ideas. (Develop a tri-color code system if it helps.) •  Never copy or paste someone else's words directly into your notes unless you put quotation marks around them and write down the location of that quote. •  Write or print clearly today so that in the future you can read what you wrote. •  Don't worry about over-referencing at this stage—it's safer to over-reference than under-reference. •  Personalize your note-taking so that it is enjoyable and convenient for you to take notes and transform your research into writing. •  Keep complete files of all of your research notes. •  Visit your notes often to keep them fresh in your mind. For more information on how not to use notes, check out the film Shattered Glass starring Hayden Christensen as former New Republic journalist Stephen Glass, who was caught fabricating sources.

One of the most important, and most efficient, habits you should develop is keeping track of your sources as part of your note-taking process. Academic writers use notes not only to track their comprehension and learning, but to protect themselves from plagiarism. To avoid plagiarizing other people's work is to take organized and precise notes during the research process.

•  Consider keeping a working bibliography that tracks every source you review. If you format this bibliography as you write it, you'll save yourself time in the long run (because you won't have to create a reference page from scratch).

•  Consider putting all of the bibliographic information for a source on the same page where you write your notes so the information is there if you choose to use it later.

•  No matter your system, make sure you keep all of the bibliographic information from your sources, and that it is always accurate and complete. This will help you cite your information properly and create an accurate reference list—both of which will help prevent plagiarism.

•  When you take notes on and write summaries of your sources, make sure that you 1) put direct quotes in quotation marks, and 2) note the page number(s) where the quotes can be found. If you paraphrase an author's words, make a note to remind yourself that you have paraphrased (as well as the pages where the original passage can be found) so that you don't forget to cite the paraphrase later. Your notes should always distinguish between your words and ideas and those of your sources.