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Research : NoodleTools

What is NoodleTools and why do I have to use it?

NoodleTools is a resource for you to use to keep track of the sources you use when you are writing a research paper.  As you find sources while you are researching you can add them to your project in NoodleTools to keep track of articles, websites, or news that you have found useful to your research. 

 

Everyone knows that when you write a research paper you find out information you didn't know before. You need to give credit to the author/authors of the information where you learned it. We will also talk later in this guide on how you can cite the source in your paper (parenthetical citations).

 

I always open my NoodleTools project when I start researching, that way if I find something that I think may be useful I can add it to my project. If I don't end up using it I can go back and delete it.

When do I need in-text citations?

Here is good information from the Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning

ALWAYS CITE, in the following cases:

  1. When you quote two or more words verbatim, or even one word if it is used in a way that is unique to the source. Explanation
  2. When you introduce facts that you have found in a source. Explanation
  3. When you paraphrase or summarize ideas, interpretations, or conclusions that you find in a source. For more explanation, see Fair Paraphrase.
  4. When you introduce information that is not common knowledge or that may be considered common knowledge in your field, but the reader may not know it. For more information, see Common Knowledge.​​https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/writing/using-sources/understanding-and-avoiding-plagiarism/warning-when-you-must-cite

This is an example of an in-text citation: ...the end of your sentence ("Legends Profile")

 

How to create a NoodleTools project

Parenthetical citations

To create your in-text citations (parenthetical citations) here are the steps you need to follow:

  • Go to the options box next to the source you want to cite
  • Choose In-text reference
  • It will tell you what your parenthetical citation should look like
  • If it asks for a page number, you don't need to have one. Many websites or even database articles won't have them​

                                      

Creating your works cited page

Once you have finished adding your sources to NoodleTools and you are ready for your works cited page it is very easy to do. From your source tab, "print/export" drop down box.  From here you will choose "Print/Export to Google Doc". This will open a Google doc in your drive and you can then share it with a teacher or print it out. Make sure that before you do this you make sure there are not grammatical or spelling errors, if there are fix them before you share or print.

                             

Adding a website

If you are adding a source from a website these are the 5 things you MUST include:

  • URL
  • Most recent date of access (click on the blue today button)
  • Web page or document/article title
  • Name of website
  • Publisher (this is usually found at the bottom of the page next to the copyright information)

***if there is a date of publication you need to make sure to add it, same with an author

Adding a source using a database

It is very easy to add a source from one of the Gale databases. You have to have your NoodleTools project open in order to start this. 

The one thing you want to do before you share or print your works cited is to take out the URL for the database. The links can be very long and your teacher will not be able to get to the source because it is a password protected database. To take out the URL go to the option box next to the source that needs to have the URL taken out. Use the drop down and choose edit, from there you can go in and delete the URL. 

                                       

                                       

 

Sometimes when you export the source from the database to NoodleTools, it will put the title or author in all capital letters. You need to make sure to change that before you print or share your final works cited. You can do this either through the edit option right on NoodleTools or you can fix it after you have exported it to a Google doc. 

Adding a book to NoodleTools

Trouble logging in?

If Classlink does not automatically log you into NoodleTools you can log in through Google. You need to be logged in to Google through your school account.

In this screen shot you can see the arrow pointing to the "waffle". Click on the "waffle" and at the bottom you will see a NoodleTools icon. Click on it and it should sign you in to NoodleTools.