And then, the discipline in which you are working. In disciplines in which you are working with original sources, for example History of Literature, you will have to include many direct quotations in your notes. As you will want to include some of these quotations in your essay, you must copy them with absolute accuracy. You must remember to attribute the work to the original writer, too. In other disciplines you will more often summarise passages in your own words. The last is your own purpose in relation to your essay topic. If your purpose is clear, you can select and record relevant material in as much detail as you want. Some students insist that they prefer always to take detailed notes because "it is all so interesting" or "it may come in handy later" or "the book is a standard text and so it is worthwhile spending time on it". Well, maybe, but in practical terms you seldom have time.