How to Do Note Cards in MLA for a Research Paper

Organize your note cards by topic.

The Modern Language Association's (MLA) format for citing sources in research papers is widely used in the humanities field. Because research papers include multiple sources and a lot of information, MLA Style recommends using note cards to organize the facts in a research paper. You will likely find that using note cards will help keep your information organized, but the note cards do need to follow a specific form.

Things You'll Need

• Note cards
• Pen or pencil

Instructions

Creating Bibliography Cards

1. Find a source you would like to use for your research paper. Check with your teacher or professor, as he likely said how many sources you need.

2. Write the author's last name, followed by a comma, then the first name at the top left of the page. End with a period.

3. Continue with all of the important information that you will need to make your "Works Cited" page. If your source is a book, you should write the book's name and underline it after the author's name. After another period, write the city of publication followed by a colon and the publisher's name. Follow that with a comma and the copyright year.

4. Write where you found the source under the source's information.

5. Write "Source" and give each source a number at the top right-hand corner of the card. For instance, if this is the third source you have documented, you should write "Source 3."

6. Compile your sources in alphabetical order by author's last name to create your "Works Cited" page.

Creating Information Cards

1. Write "Source" and the source number you are referencing in the top-right hand corner of the note card. You can also number the note card. For instance, if you are writing your third note card about your first source, write "Source 1-3."

2. Give the note card a descriptive title to help you remember what the information is about. Write this at the top of the note card.

3. Write down the information you need to remember for your research paper.

4. Note the page number on which you found the information in the bottom right corner after the word "Page."

Tips & Warnings

• If you need to write a longer quote for reference, making a copy of it and taping or gluing the copy to the note card can save you some time writing and help ensure that you get the verbatim quote in your paper.

• If you're writing out a long fact that takes two or more cards, staple the cards together to avoid confusion later.

• Longer research papers require several different categories of information. Separate note cards that pertain to different subcategories by placing a rubber band around like cards.

References

• Limestone: What are Bibliography Cards
• Washtington Township Public School District: Note Cards
• Washtington Township Public School District: Documenting Sources

Resources

• Modern Language Association