Because the words of a summary or a paraphrase are yours, they are not enclosed by quotation marks. But because the ideas you are restating came from someone else, you need to cite the source on you note card and in your text. Composing Note Cards Note taking demands that you read, select, interpret, and evaluate the information that will form the substance of your paper. After you return books and articles to the library, your notes will be the only record of your research. If you have taken notes carelessly, you will be in trouble when you try to use them in the body of your paper.
Many students inadvertently plagiarize because they are working from inaccurate note cards.
Trimmer, Joseph F. A Guide to MLA Documentation.