Research Skills Workshop

Advanced Note-Taking Techniques

As you attain more writing skills, the papers often get longer, and you have to juggle more sources over extended periods of time. 

Sometimes, the note-taking strategies you used before don't hold up to these new pressures. 

In this class, we'll talk about how to create a note-taking system that adapts to different kinds of sources (print, video, and audio) and how to organize notes so that you can more quickly find connections in your writing. 

Gain Key Academic Writing and Reading Foundations

Students will learn foundational academic writing and reading skills including keeping track of sources for citations, adjusting note-taking strategies for complexity and type of source, and maintaining notes in an organized system that makes them easy to access over lengthy projects. 

Meet Live Weekly

This is a live class, which means we meet weekly to discuss the reading and explore writing tips. Learners can also interact with each other and the instructor between class meetings on our class discussion boards.

Class Details

Ages

This class is aimed at high schoolers who have some previous research and note-taking experience. Advanced middle school students are welcome to join if they could benefit from more challenge.

Schedule

This class is March 22-April 18, 2027 with live meetings on Wednesdays from 11-11:45am Eastern/10-10:45am Central/9-9:45am Mountain/8-8:45am Pacific. 

Supplies

There are no required texts for this class. Learners will need the following to successfully participate: 

  • PDF Reader
  • Google Drive 
  • Notebook and Writing Utensils

Depending on what kind of note-taking strategies they'd like to try, they may also want access to the following: 

  • Notability (a computer app available with a free starter option and more advanced subscription models) 
  • Noodle Tools (Note-taking and research app with a subscription model)
  • Post-It Notes 
  • Highlighters
  • Note cards 
  • Sketchbook/blank paper
  • Hole punch
  • Folder/three-ring binder 

Pricing options

This class uses a sliding fee scale for pricing options in order to build more equitable access to these educational opportunities.

Is this the right fit?

This class is aimed at high school students who have some previous experience with using sources and taking notes. Advanced middle school students may also find this class to be a good fit. To be successful in this class, students should be able to: 

  • Write about 500 words (about 2 pages double spaced) on a single topic
  • Confidently read texts at or above 800L on the Lexile rating
  • Define direct quotes and paraphrases
  • Understand the basics of citing sources to avoid plagiarism

Skills Gained

Students will practice note-taking and keeping track of research across multiple sources. If students are working on a specific research project for another class, they may use it as the topic for this class.

Individual Support

We will have a Rough Draft Day in class where learners can meet individually with the instructor to get support on their final projects.

My teaching philosophy very much focuses on starting with students’ strengths to build confidence and using them to work on improvements over time.

Feedback is tailored to each student’s individual needs and goals. I also encourage a lot of self-reflection and provide opportunities for students to directly communicate their challenges so that facing them with strategies becomes a normal part of the writing process.

Content Warning

Students are going to be encouraged to choose their own research topics and will be allowed to share pieces of their research in class. While all topics must be class- and age-appropriate, some students may choose topics (like specific historical events or medical topics) that others may find disturbing or distressing. I will do my best to allow space for everyone's needs in the class. 

Meet Your Teacher!

Michelle Parrinello-Cason

Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason is the founder of Dayla Learning. She has a PhD in rhetoric and composition, a passion for helping students find their writing voice, and two homeschooling children of her own. Michelle has taught in a wide variety of settings including six years as a full-time college professor. She has been teaching virtual and in-person homeschool writing and humanities classes for more than five years. Michelle believes in meeting students where they are and — as any of her previous students will tell you — believes deeply that there is no such thing as a bad rough draft!