It is essential to keep your research organized. You will access many sources, but not all of them will be used in your essay. You will quickly find that the information begins to get muddled in your mind.
It is recommended that you paraphrase each quote. It is good practice to make sure that you understand what the author is saying. The author's language can seem advanced, especially on a topic that we are not experts in.
Paste the link of your source in your notes, and also write down the author and the title of the article. If the link becomes inaccessible, you can still attempt to find the article again. Even better...download the full-text article if possible.
You can make a copy of this Research Notes Organizer and edit it as needed for your sources and notes.
NoodleTools includes an option to create notecards. The notecards look like post-it notes on the screen and can be color-coded and moved around the 'tabletop.'