WRITING AN ESSAY AND A SHORT STORY / 101 quotation marks around the quote and acknowledge its source. (See Chapter 4.) Briefly write down the facts that you will need to use. If there are examples from a particular text that you may need, make a note of the book and the page number so that you can refer back to it. Use headings for your notes as this makes it easier when you start to write the essay. Sometimes your essay will not need any research. Perhaps you are sitting an examination and therefore have all the facts in your head; it might be a personal experience piece or something that you have to work out for yourself. Whatever type of writing you are doing you must make notes first. Write down quickly all the things that come into your head relating to the title. Sentences are not important at the moment. Words or phrases are sufficient. It is important to get everything down before you forget it. Remember to keep a record of the books you use as you are usually required to identify your sources. Write a list of the books you have used stating the title, author, publisher and publication date. This is called a bibliography . After your note-taking, it is essential to plan your essay. Your notes do not constitute the plan. They have to be organised. Planning the work Making a bibliography