Taking useful notes and creating citations as you research saves significant time and energy in the long run. Use this cover sheet to document each selected source to keep your information organized and ready to use.

Citation for this source (use a resource to help with formatting!):

What is the function of this source in my paper? (Select one.)

• Background (information on the topic)
• Exhibit (an example or piece of evidence)
• Argument (ideas to engage with or argue against)
• Method (perspective, study design, or kind of analysis to use in a different context)¹

How will I use the source?

Some questions to consider: How does this fit into my paper? What ideas will I use or refute? Are there any gaps in the argument or research that I want to point out? What is the writer’s authority in the field?

Quotations from this source that I’d like to paraphrase or quote directly (include page number):

1. Bizup, J. (2008). BEAM: A rhetorical vocabulary for teaching research-based writing. Rhetoric Review, 27(1), 72-86. DOI: 10.1080/07350190701738858