You’ve probably heard the saying Don’t judge a book by its cover. The same idea applies to the websites you find when you search online. You won’t know which pages relate to your topic unless you open each link and read some of the site’s contents. You don’t need to read everything on each web page you visit, though! Instead, use your skimming skills to determine if the source includes useful, relevant information.

To skim texts, read the title and subheadings, and look closely at any graphics. If the source seems as though it may be relevant, read the first and last sentences of each paragraph. You can also look for sections labeled introduction, discussion, or conclusion, and read these more carefully. They should tell you exactly what kind of information appears in the article.

As you skim your sources, note which ones will work best for your research report. You aren’t trying to summarize your sources at this stage of the research process. Instead, your goal is to include enough information about each source so that you know at a glance what it’s about. Study the table below to see what to include in your notes.

Links to Websites	Be sure to copy all URLs for websites you plan to use. If you can’t determine from the URL what the site is about, also include a brief note about its content.
Author, Title, Publisher, etc.	Note the author’s name, the title of the text, any publisher information you can find, copyright or publication dates, and any page numbers for print resources. The more information you record now, the less you will have to look up later.
Brief Overview	You’ll summarize your sources later in the research process. For now, write a few words and phrases that will help you easily recall what information is in each document.
Stand-out Features	If you find something that you really like and want to use, be sure to include this information in your notes. For example, if you come across a graphic, fact, or quote that you think is really good, you might say something like this in your notes: “different types of mushrooms—good overview.”