Academic writing and APA

1. Academic writingand APA

2. Writing style Academic writing is… • …created by scholars for an audience of scholars • …focused on issues that concern the broader academic community • …should offer the reader a balanced argument (“What is,” 2004).

3. 1. Plan Develop a rough outline or concept map. It’ll provide you a sense of direction.

4. 2. Use formal english • Informal: Them there new-fangled vaccinatin’ shots git the immune thingamajig all riled up and ready to rumble. • Formal: New vaccines may help the immune system fight off cancer.

5. 3. Write Clear, direct sentences • Wordy: The researcher found it within his capacity to conduct tests on samples with characteristics consistent with “toxic waste” for the purpose of ascertaining the specific makeup of aforementioned toxic waste. • Direct and concise: The research tested toxic waste samples to identify their components.

6. 4. Consider your audience Tone should be formal; avoid slang, swear words, and colloquialisms. At the same time, your tone should be inviting. Professors want to read clear, intelligent text—not pompous gibberish (“What is,” 2004).

7. 5. Tenses should be consistent Stick with either all present tense or all past tense, unless there’s a real change in time. • Confusing: For almost three months, BP’s damaged well pumps 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, which was still feeling the effects. • Clearer: For almost three months, BP’s damaged well pumped 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, which is still feeling the effects.

8. 6. Spell it out Define an abbreviation or acronym the first time you use it. Use an abbreviation and acronym only where they are critical to understanding (Writing…1996). Example: “The Mad Scientist League (MSL) decided to open up its membership.”

9. 7. Use bias-free language • Wrong: Her invention will benefit all of mankind. • Right: Her invention will benefit all of humanity. • Wrong: Christopher Jackson, an African-American student, won top prize in the science fair. • Right: Christopher Jackson won top prize in the science fair. • Wrong: The epileptic forgot her medication. • Right: The woman with epilepsy forgot her medication.

10. 8. Consider the structure Your academic essay needs: • Introduction with clear, focused thesis statement • Body paragraphs with reasons supporting your claim • Discussion of opposing arguments • Conclusion that leaves the reader with the “big picture”

11. APA format guidelines

12. APA… …stands for American Psychological Association. This style of documentation is commonly used in psychology, sociology, social sciences, nursing, criminal justice, and business.

13. APA • Also called the “name-and-year” system of documenting sources because these are the two pieces of information you insert into the body of your paper. • Emphasizes how recent the information is.

14. APA cover page Running head: MONSTERS 1 Monsters Run Amok Author’s name University

15. APA paper format • Shortened version of title on top left side of page, page number flush right: MONSTERS 2 • One-inch margins all the way around the page. • Times New Roman font in 12 point type

16. In-text citations • If the author’s name is mentioned in-text, the year of publication (in parentheses) follows the author’s name. Goat (2009) states that an ogre ate his cat (p. 11). • Otherwise, the in-text citation should include the author’s name and year of publication (and page number, if using a direct quotation or specific information): One researcher writes, “I know that darned ogre ate my cat” (Goat, 2009, p. 11).

17. References • List references in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. • If there’s no author name, start with the title of the article. • First line should be flush left, then every following line is indented five spaces.

18. Exceptions Cite personal interviews or e-mail exchanges in the body of your paper, but not on your reference page. Why? Readers can’t access those sources, which is the point of providing a reference page.

19. Examples of References:

20. book Frankenstein, V. (2004). The making of a monster. New York, NY: Monsters Inc. Publishing.

21. Print journal Landis, J. (2011). Slowing the spread of zombie infection: Too late for antibiotics? Journal of the American Medical Association, 60(11), 63-72.

22. Online journal with DOI Shrek, O. (2010). Hunting cats for savory stew. Journal of Alternative Dietetics, 9(11), 38-48. doi: 10.1080/14622200410001676304

23. ONLine journal without DOI Troll, T. (2009). GERD prevalence among Central American goblins. Journal of Digestive Health, 2(10), 12-15. Retrieved from http://www.goblinsare_people_too/indigestion

24. Organization as author Bram Stoker Society. (2009). Practice management guidelines for vampire bites. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 20(4):322-340.

25. Contribution to a book Lobo, W. (2008). The lighter side of werewolves. In F. Canine @ N. Alpo (Eds.), Those wild and wacky werewolves (pp. 24-37). Detroit, MI: Pet Lovers Publishing.

26. web sites CDC. (2007.) Sterile wrappings for ancient mummies. Retrieved from http://www.mummytombs.com/science/websites.htm

27. Where to go for help • owl.english.purdue.edu • http://www.apastyle.org/index.aspx • Madonna University Writing Center, Room 1403, (734) 432-5304

29. Recommended readingS Strunk W, White E.B. The elements of style. 4th ed. New York (NY): Macmillan Publishing; 1999. Olsen LA, Huckin, TN. Technical writing and professional communication. New York (NY): McGraw Hill;1991. Rubens P, editor. Science and technical writing. New York (NY): Henry Holt; 2000.

30. References American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Washington, DC: Author. What is an academic paper? (2004). Dartmouth Writing Program. Retrieved from http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/ac_paper/what.shtml