APA Writing Lab Guide

WRITING LAB
 APA Formatting
 Thesis/Organization
 Researching: Miller Library
Agenda

APA
FORMATTING AND STYLE
GUIDE

WHAT IS APA?
APA
(American Psychological Association)
is the most commonly used
format for manuscripts in the
Social Sciences.
APA regulates:
 Stylistics
 In-text citations
 References
(a list of all sources used in the paper)

APA stylistics: Basics
Point of view and voice in an APA paper
 the third person point of view rather than using
the first person point of view or the passive voice
The study showed that…, NOT
I found out that….
 the active voice rather than passive voice
The participants responded…, NOT
The participants have been asked….
Use:

Language in an APA
paper is:
 clear: be specific in
descriptions and explanations
 concise: condense information when you can
 plain: use simple, descriptive adjectives and minimize
the figurative language
APA STYLISTICS: LANGUAGE

GENERAL FORMAT
 be typed, double-spaced,
with two spaces after
punctuation between
sentences
 on standard-sized paper
(8.5”x11”)
 with 1” margins on all sides
 in 12 pt. Times New Roman
Your essay should:

GENERAL FORMAT
Header
include a page header (title)
in the upper left hand of every
page and a page number in the
upper right-hand side of every
page
Running head: SHORT TITLE OF YOUR PAPER 1
The Title of Your Paper
Your Name
School Affiliation

References
Main Body
Abstract
GENERAL FORMAT (CONT’D)
Title page
Your essay should
include four major
sections:

TITLE PAGE
Page header:
(use Insert Page Header)
title flush left + page number
flush right.
Title:
(in the upper half of the page,
centered)
name (no title or degree) +
affiliation (university, etc.)

ABSTRACT PAGE
Page header: do NOT
include “Running head:”
Abstract (centered, at the
top of the page)
Write a brief (between 150 and 250
words) summary of your paper in an
accurate, concise, and specific manner.
Should contain: at research topic,
research questions, participants,
methods, results, data analysis, and
conclusions. May also include possible
implications of your research and future
work you see connected with your
findings. May also include keywords.

MAIN BODY (TEXT)
 The first text page is page
number 3
 Type the title of the paper
centered, at the top of the page
 Type the text double-spaced
with all sections following each
other without a break
 Identify the sources you use in
the paper in parenthetical in-
text citations

REFERENCES PAGE
 Center the title - References-
- at the top
of the page
 Double-space
reference entries
 Flush left the first line of the
entry and indent subsequent
lines (hanging indent)
 Order entries alphabetically
by the author’s surnames
Do NOT include
“Running head:”
in the header
after the title
page!

REFERENCES: BASICS
Knightcite.com

IN-TEXT CITATIONS: BASICS
 the author’s name and the date of publication
 for quotations and close paraphrases, provide a
page number as well
Whenever you use a source, provide in parentheses:
In-text citations help readers locate the cited
source in the References section of the paper.

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
Format for a quotation
 Caruth (1996) states that a traumatic response
frequently entails a “delayed, uncontrolled repetitive
appearance of hallucinations and other intrusive
phenomena” (p.11).
 A traumatic response frequently entails a “delayed,
uncontrolled repetitive appearance of hallucinations
and other intrusive phenomena” (Caruth, 1996, p.11).
When quoting, introduce the quotation with a signal
phrase. Make sure to include the author’s name, the year of
publication, the page number, but keep the citation brief—
do not repeat the information.

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
Format for a summary or paraphrase
There are several formats for
a summary or paraphrase:
 provide the author’s last name
and the year of publication in
parentheses after a summary or
a paraphrase:
Though feminist studies focus solely on women's
experiences, they err by collectively perpetuating the
masculine-centered impressions (Fussell, 1975).

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
A work with two authors
 When citing a work with two authors,
use “and” in between authors’ name in
the signal phrase yet “&” between their
names in parentheses:
According to feminist researchers Raitt and Tate
(1997), “It is no longer true to claim that women's
responses to the war have been ignored” (p. 2).
Some feminists researchers question that “women's
responses to the war have been ignored” (Raitt &
Tate, 1997, p. 2).

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
A work with 3 to 5 authors
 When citing a work with three to five
authors, identify all authors in the
signal phrase or in parentheses:
(Harklau, Siegal, & Losey, 1999)
 In subsequent citations, only use the first
author's last name followed by "et al." in the
signal phrase or in parentheses:
(Harklau et al., 1999)

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
a work with 6 and more authors
 When citing a work with six and more authors,
identify the first author’s name followed
by “et al.”:
Smith et al. (2006)
maintained that….
(Smith et al., 2006)

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
A work of unknown author
 When citing a work of unknown author, use the
source’s full title in the signal phrase and
cite the first word of the title followed by the
year of publication in parenthesis. Put titles of
articles and chapters in quotation marks;
italicize titles of books and reports:
According to “Indiana Joins Federal
Accountability System” (2008), …
Or,
(“Indiana,” 2008)

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
Organization
 When citing an organization, mention the organization the
first time when you cite the source in the signal phrase or the
parenthetical citation:
The data collected by the Food and Drug
Administration (2008) confirmed that…
 If the organization has a well-known abbreviation, include the
abbreviation in brackets the first time the source is cited and
then use only the abbreviation in later citations:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed…
FDA’s experts tested…

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
Personal communication
 When citing interviews, letters, e-mails, etc.,
include the communicator’s name, the fact that it
was personal communication, and the date of the
communication. Do not include personal
communication in the reference list:
A. P. Smith also claimed that many of her students
had difficulties with APA style (personal
communication, November 3, 2002).
Or,
(E. Robbins, personal communication, January 4,
2001).

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
Biblical Reference
 When using verses from the Bible, use the
reference and the first time put the
translation in parentheses. For the rest of
the paper, you did not need to cite the
translation, unless you are using different
versions.
 You do not include Biblical references in your reference page.
Unfortunately, the president could not recall the truism
found in Proverbs 16:22 that "Prudence is a fountain of life
to the prudent, but folly brings punishment to fools" (New
International Version).

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:
Electronic sources
 When citing an electronic document,
whenever possible, cite it in the
author-date style.
If electronic source lacks page
numbers, locate and identify
paragraph number/paragraph
heading:
According to Smith (1997), ... (Mind over Matter section, para. 6).

APA HEADINGS -6TH EDITION
APA uses a system of five heading levels

IF YOU NEED HELP WITH APA
There are several reference sources to get an answer
to your specific question about APA:
OWL website: http://owl.english.purdue.edu
 composition textbooks
 Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association, 6th ed.
 http://www.apastyle.org

Thesis Statements
 A thesis statement is a brief introductory statement – usually no more
than one or two sentences – that summarizes the arguments a paper
will explore or cover. Thesis statements usually appear in the last
sentence of the first paragraph and can help readers decide if an
article is covering the types of topics they’re interested in – or let
teachers see the arguments a student promises to make in his or her
essay.
 “Getting kids to develop early reading skills is crucial not only for
combating basic illiteracy but also for helping kids gain a love of
reading for pleasure and research.”
 The above thesis statement explains:
 what topic the paper will cover (developing early reading skills),
 the writer’s opinion on the topic (he or she believes developing early
reading skills is important),
 and the points the writer will explore to justify this opinion (combating
illiteracy and developing a love of reading).
http://www.suite101.com/content/tips-for-writing-a-thesis-statement-a206626

Thesis Statements
How to write an effective thesis statement
 Raise specific issues for the essay to explore
 This paper will discuss gender in Fairytales
 The depiction of women in Fairytales promotes gender
inequality by focusing on the reward of marriage
 Devise a question about the facts or issues raised
about the topic.
 The rise of technology has greatly impacted the
newspaper industry.
 The rise of technology has changed the way the public
consumes news, and not in a good way.

Thesis Statements
How to write an effective thesis statement
 Avoid clichés - complicate the issue, look for more than one
point of view
 Women are used to market cars because sex sells.
 The tendency to use women to sell cars is often seen as an example of
the wide-spread objectification of women by the advertising industry.
However, others see it as a sign of female emancipation.
 Avoid offering personal opinion - be more objective and look at other
points of view; treat your ideas as hypothesis to be tested rather than
obvious truths.
 Toni Morrison is the best writer of the twentieth century because her
work really speaks to me.
 Toni Morrison’s writing has helped to educate a whole new generation
on the effects of slavery in the United States.

Thesis Statements
Think about TOM
Topic
Opinion
Main Points

Thesis Statements
Prompt: Explain why a healthy diet is important.
 Weak Thesis Examples:
 Too broad: A healthy diet is important.
 Too narrow: People should include eight servings of
fruits and vegetables in their diet everyday.
 Off topic: Bananas are one of the most nutritious
foods on earth.
 Strong thesis: A healthy diet is important
because it increases energy, prevents illness and
promotes well-being in all people

Thesis Statements
Prompt: Convince your reader whether school uniforms
should be mandatory in public schools.
 Weak Thesis Examples:
 Too broad: It is outrageous for students to be forced to wear
school uniforms.
 Too narrow: Students who are forced to wear school
uniforms have their creativity stifled.
 Off topic: When kids grow up, they will have bad memories of
school.
 Strong thesis: School uniforms should not be
mandatory in public schools because it would stifle
students’ creativity, take away students’ rights, and
cause students to lose interest in school

Thesis Statements
Prompt: How does Kurt Vonnegut use literary elements to
criticize the government in the short story, “Harrison
Bergeron”?
 Weak Thesis Examples
 Too broad: Vonnegut criticized the government in many
ways.
 Too narrow: Vonnegut shows that Harrison deserves to be
treated fairly, not like he is a freak.
 Off topic: Vonnegut was also critical of too much government
control in several novels he wrote.
 Strong Thesis: In “Harrison Bergeron,” Vonnegut
criticizes the government through the use of indirect
characterization, irony, and external conflict.

Organizing Your Paper
Outline your main points. Listen to your thesis.
This will help structure your paper.
 Main points are those key insights that readers
need to learn in order to accept the truth of your
thesis.
 Ask "What do readers need to know?”
 How much background information is necessary
– this should not take over the majority of your
paper.
 Be sure to allow for time to build your points
(quotes, stats, anecdotes…)

Organizing Your Paper
Graphic Organizers: Pyramid
This is the essential
pattern of the
Thesis/Support Essay,
which takes the
pyramidal structure
through four levels
(thesis, topic sentence,
support sentence,
detail).

Organizing Your Paper: Outline
Write your focus statement.
I. Write your first topic sentence.
A. Write your first supporting detail.
B. Write your second supporting detail.
C. Add more letters for more supporting details (or delete this
line).
II. Write your second topic sentence.
line).
III. Write your third topic sentence.
line).

Organizing Your Paper: Outline
Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms.
I. Tornadoes form when two masses of air meet and battle in the sky.
A. Warm, moist air and cold, dry air collide and form updrafts.
B. A large rotating thunderhead called a supercell forms.
C. A vortex (funnel) takes shape inside the supercell and reaches for the
ground.
D. Once the funnel touches the ground, it is a tornado.
II. Tornadoes cause damage with high winds, low pressure, and hail
storms.
A. Winds of more than 250 mph hurl debris as missiles.
B. Low pressure rips roofs off buildings.
C. Pea-size to grapefruit-size hail smashes cars and buildings.
III. A few simple precautions can help people stay safe during a
tornado.
A. Create and agree upon a plan to follow in case of a tornado.
B. Find a place without windows, preferably a room in a basement or a
closet in the middle of the house.

Researching/Writing Your Paper
•Use the outline to help you research
• Start with overall background information
• Then, use your outline to plug in the information you find.
• Refer back to your outline to find holes and what areas you need
to find more support for.
•Use the outline to write your paper.
• Write one section at a time.
• Write clear transition statements to move
from one part of the paper to the next.

Making the Most of Your Paragraphs
 Each paragraph should only be about
one idea.
 Begin with a topic sentence – give the
reader an idea about what the
paragraph will be about – like a mini
thesis statement.
 Will your reader be able to identify
quickly the "topic" of each
paragraph?

Revising Your Paper
 Evaluate your evidence.
 Does the body of your paper support
your thesis?
 Do you offer enough evidence to support
your claim?
 If you are using quotations from the text
as evidence, did you cite them properly?
 Save only the good pieces.
 Do all of the ideas relate back to the
thesis?
 Is there anything that doesn't seem to
fit?
 If so, you either need to change your
thesis to reflect the idea or cut the idea.

Revising Your Paper
 Switch from Writer-Centered to
Reader-Centered
 Try to detach yourself from what you've
written; pretend that you are reviewing
someone else's work.
 What would you say is the most successful
part of your paper? Why?
 How could this part be made even better?
 What would you say is the least successful
part of your paper? Why?
 How could this part be improved?

Proofreading Your Paper
 Know your style
 Think, then write
 Write, then revise
 Revise first
 Look for flow and organization
 What should be kept? What should be taken out?
 Save in different files
 Keep reworking your thesis
 Edit last
 Edit for grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. just
before the final draft is completed – it doesn’t
make sense to do it before your major revisions

QUESTIONS ABOUT APA,
THESIS STATEMENTS OR
ORGANIZING A PAPER

Boolean Operators
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsSZps3NH-M

Refining Keyword Searches
1. Use quotation marks around words that are part of a phrase:
“Broadway musicals”.
2. Use AND to connect words that must appear in a document:
Ireland AND peace.
3. Use NOT in front of words that must not appear in a document:
Titanic NOT movie.
4. Use OR if only one of the terms must appear in the document:
mountain lion OR cougar.
5. Use an asterisk as a substitute for letters that might vary:
“marine biolog*” (to find marine biology or biologist)
6. Use parentheses to group a search expression and combine it
with another: (cigarettes OR tobacco OR smok*) AND lawsuits

APA Writing Lab Guide

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