Writing Tips for the MSW Program

TIPS FOR WRITING SUCCESS IN THE MSW
PROGRAM
1.
Demonstrate critical thinking through critical writing
(vs. descriptive or "book report” writing)
2.
Know your audience and write for that audience
3.
Include all elements of an assignment
4.
Provide at least 1 support for every claim in your paper
5.
Organize your paper to present information in the order
needed by a reader to process the “big picture
6.
Avoid using quotations -- better to paraphrase
7.
Document your sources –avoid plagiarism
8.
Follow APA style guidelines (it’s more than reference formats!)
9.
Revise drafts to create polished final version
10. Proofread
your papers
WHAT IS AN ARGUMENT?
• 1st dictionary definition: A fact or assertion offered as evidence
that something is true
• “Your Argument” in writing is your expression of a point of view
on a subject and supporting your claim or viewpoint with
evidence
• In an argumentative paper, your job is to present compelling
evidence that persuades the reader to accept your claim/
viewpoint as valid.
If helpful, substitute persuasive for argumentative
• Your argument and supporting evidence must be organized in a
logical way so the reader can process the information, follow your
train of thought, and be guided to your conclusions.
• Thesis statement is the most important sentence in an entire
paper because it is the organizing principle of the paper and
presents the overarching argument.
1. CRITICAL WRITING VERSUS
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
CRITICAL WRITING
• Does not accept conclusions of
others without evaluating sources’
arguments and evidence
• Balanced presentation of
validity; reasons why the
conclusions of others can be
accepted or might need to be
treated with caution
• Clear presentation of your
analysis and argument, guides
reader to your conclusion
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
• Accurately describes, but does
not go beyond an account of what
is presented by source
• Represents the situation as it
stands, without adding analysis ,
interpretation, or discussion.
• Does not develop an argument,
merely lays the foundation on
which an argument can be
developed
• “Book report” writing
Your papers will include critical and descriptive writing; ratio will vary with topic, but
80:20 is good target.
The trap of descriptive writing is that it is simple and requires less skill and effort than
critical writing. If you don’t plan your writing, you’re likely to find it too easy to fill up pages
simply providing description, and end up shortcutting your critical analysis.
1.
HOW TO ACHIEVE CRITICAL WRITING
• Consider the quality of the evidence and argument of your sources;
• Identify key positive and negative aspects you can comment upon;
• Assess relevance /usefulness of those points to the argument you
are developing in your paper;
• Identify how your comments can best be used to support your
argument and lead your reader to accept your viewpoint as valid.
Write in your own voice
• Remember the evidence you present and discuss is there to support
your ideas and conclusions about the topic – not the other way
around!
2. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE & WRITE FOR THAT AUDIENCE
Don’t think of
your
instructor as
your
audience…
Don’t assume the reader is familiar with terms, concepts, topic, theories, or
will “know what I mean…”
Including the basics --definitions, descriptions, explanations --in your own
words will allow your instructors to evaluate how well you understand
and can apply social work concepts
Who is your audience?
Think of a colleague in your agency or a classmate.
You are a professional writing for other professionals who have
interest in your topic but not your level of familiarity.
3. INCLUDE ALL ELEMENTS OF AN ASSIGNMENT
Example Assignment from Human Behavior in the Social Environment
60% of class grade
The purpose of this assignment is to encourage you to apply theories of human
behavior to a particular social problem or client group. This paper should be 10-12
pages, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins, 12 pt font in Times New Roman. Use a
cover page and a reference page.
Papers will be evaluated for content (appropriate application of theory and well
developed and substantiated ideas), good writing (clear, well organized, edited
and in final draft form), appropriate use of citations and references and adherence
to APA writing style. The writer should use guidelines provided by the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Use headings to help
with clarity.
 For this assignment, you will choose a social problem, challenge, or obstacle (a
mental illness, homelessness, domestic violence, substance abuse, child abuse
and neglect, poverty, issues related to aging, discrimination, etc.) experienced by a
client or client group (sexual minority, ethnic minority, women, men, youth,
children, older adults, etc). Using a person-focused approach (see p. 426 in
Robbins), you will examine how two theories differentially explain the problem.
The approaches/theories that you should select from are: psychodynamic
theories, social learning theory and social cognition, cognitive development
theory, moral development theory, and life-span development theories (chapter 7
Robbins).
MAKE A CHECKLIST OF ASSIGNMENT ELEMENTS
Required Elements for HBSE paper
• Identify the social problem of interest
• Identify the related area of interest
• Identify the population of interest
• Use a person-centered approach to
compare/differentially explain two theories
(i.e., Show the differences in the
theoretical concepts that explain the
causes, maintenance, or approaches to
resolving the social problem
• Identify how Theory 1 can be applied to
explaining this social problem
Use your checklist
• to create an outline
• to keep writing on
track
• to check final draft for
required elements
and formatting*
• Identify how Theory 2 can be used to
explain this social problem
• Discuss the differences between
perspectives of Theory 1 and Theory 2
Generally, SSW assignments use APA style and format.
However, instructors have the discretion to tailor style and formatting
requirements to their preferences (i.e., READ THE ASSIGNMENT).
4. PROVIDING EVIDENCE:
SUPPORT YOUR STATEMENTS & CLAIMS
Claims, Evidence, Transitions, Description
Everything in your paper will fit into one of these categories.
Claims = the point you want to make, your assertions or interpretations;
typically appear in topic and concluding sentences of paragraphs.
Evidence = information to backup your claim, e.g., research findings, examples,
data, quotes from participants.
Every claim must be supported by at least one piece of evidence; present
evidence immediately following the claim.
Explicitly state the relevance of the evidence to your argument
As you write and review, keeping asking yourself …
So What?
If your paper successfully answers the
“So what?” question, then you have linked
the relevance of the info to your position
on topic.
WEAK VS. STRONG USES OF EVIDENCE
Weak use of evidence: “Today, we are too self-centered. Most families no
longer sit down to eat together, preferring instead to eat on the go while
rushing to the next appointment (Gleick, 148). Everything is about what
we want.”
• Doesn’t explain the relevance of the evidence.
• What does self-centeredness have to do with families no longer
eating together?
Stonger use of evidence: “Today, Americans are too self-centered. Even our
families don't matter as much as they once did. Other people and
activities take precedence. In fact, the evidence shows that most
American families no longer eat together, preferring instead to eat on the
go while rushing to the next appointment (Gleick, 148). Sit-down meals
are a time to share and connect with others; however, that connection
has become less valued as families have begun to prize individual
activities over shared time, promoting self-centeredness over group
identity.”
•
Connects the dots for the reader by showing how the evidence is related
to the claim.
STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING GRADUATE LEVEL
PAPERS
 The following 7 steps will help you to develop and complete a quality graduate level paper.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Choose a topic (2 to 3 hours)
Find sources (3 to 5 hours)
Read sources (5 to 8 hours)*
Create an outline (1 to 3 hours)
Write drafts (3 to 6 hours)
Edit the paper (1 to 2 hours)
Write final version of paper (1 to 2 hours)
 These steps are designed with the working student in mind. The timeframes for each step
provides an estimation for planning the completion of a 10 to 12 page paper.
 The process of writing is dynamic and the above steps are more likely to overlap than be taken
in a linear fashion .
 * Rule of thumb for number of sources : At a minimum, you should have a number of highquality scholarly sources equal to ½ of the page limit.
 Ex. A 12-page paper should include a minimum of 6 quality scholarly sources.
5. ORGANIZE YOUR WRITING
Create an Outline
 It’s always a good idea to create an outline to plan your paper
•
Outline provides a way to think about the structure of your paper and to
organize your ideas and points.
•
Time invested* in outlining saves time in writing/revising drafts AND yields
better papers
Write like a journalist. Especially when you are reporting objective findings,
follow the “who, what, where, when, why, and how” method.
•
Answer the basic questions, and put answers in an order that makes
logical sense.
 No magic formula - topic, sentence, bullet points, or cluster mapping – find
what works best for you
*Temple University’s Writing Center estimated an average graduate student
would spend 1-3 hours preparing an outline for a 12-page paper. That time
investment reduced total time on the paper from 48 to 23 hours.
5. THESIS STATEMENT = ORGANIZING
PRINCIPLE OF THE PAPER
Answers the question, “What’s my point?”
• If you can’t formulate a concise thesis statement, you’re missing
a clear focus and need to take a step back before you start
writing
• thesis statements are claims that have to be “proved acceptable”
by the evidence you present
• thesis statement gives reader a framework for processing and
understanding the information to come
•
Without a clear thesis, reader is left unsure of your purpose
or what to do with the information in your paragraphs
• Thesis statements are typically , but not always, placed at the
end of the introductory section
INTRODUCTION (NO HEADER!)
a.
Opening sentence engages reader’s attention in the topic.
b. 2-3 sentences that present an overview of the current situation,
the problem, or the issue addressed in the paper
c.
2-3 sentences that narrow the focus from the broad picture to
specific focus of this paper;
d.
Typically ends with the thesis statement – a strong claim of what
you will prove in the paper.
WEAK VS. STRONG PERSUASIVE CLAIMS
Weak thesis statement :
“Successful companies offer employees a variety of benefits.”
Too broad = Too vague = Too difficult to narrow topic
Strong thesis statement :
“Companies that offer employees flexible work hours, opportunities to
enhance their education, and in-house daycare are more likely to
retain workers who are happier, more loyal to the business, and
more productive.”
More specific = More detailed = More narrowly focused topic
GOOD, BAD, AND UGLY THESIS STATEMENTS
GOOD
Social workers interested
in improving child
outcomes among at-risk
families must examine not
only the children’s health
and well-being but also
family characteristics such
as financial resources,
interpersonal dynamics,
and parental education
levels.
B A D A N D U G LY
The purpose of this paper is to
do x, y, and z.
In this paper, I discuss the
importance of family
financial resources to child
academic achievement.
Are family financial resources
the most important factor in
children’s academic
outcomes?
5. ORGANIZE YOUR WRITING AT THE
PARAGRAPH LEVEL
 Every paragraph should have one and only one independent idea.
 A paragraph should always have a beginning, middle and end.
 The beginning introduces your idea with a topic sentence.
 The middle explains your idea with supporting sentences.
 The end connects your idea to the rest of the paragraph or the section
with a concluding sentence.
 Be careful of long paragraphs as they usually contain more than one
independent idea.
6. AVOID QUOTES -PARAPHRASING PREFERRED
• Not necessary to use direct quotes
• Paraphrasing is better than using direct quotes because
paraphrasing shows that you understand the concepts well
enough to express the ideas in your own words
• Use a direct quote when the author has expressed an idea
so succinctly or in such unique language that meaning
would be lost in a paraphrase
• “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – F.D.R.
March 4, 1933
INTEGRATING QUOTES AS EVIDENCE
• Avoid starting a paragraph with a quote. First sentence should be
topic sentence.
• Quotes should never stand alone as one sentence. You must
introduce quotes by stating something like, “As explained by Big
Author, all research evidence is not equal, “quote, quote, quote.”
• NEVER force the reader to come to his or her own conclusion
about the importance or relevance of the quote to your
argument.
• Avoid ending a paragraph with a quote. Ending a paragraph with
a quote doesn’t allow you to comment on the information. Your
should begin and end each paragraph with your own voice.
• Citations for direct quotes include author’s name, year of
publication and page or paragraph number of the quoted
material.
QUOTE BOMB
Children who have experienced child maltreatment are likely to have
difficulty making friends because traumatized children often find physical
and emotional closeness discomforting and anxiety producing.
Consequently, many abused children live highly isolated lives with little in
the way of a social network other than their abuser. Some trauma victims
show internalized behaviors such as anxiety and depression whereas other
exhibit externalized behaviors such as aggression. “One of the most tragic
outcomes of domestic violence is that well more than half of the young men
between the ages of 11 and 22 who are in jail for homicide have killed their
mother’s batterer” (Edleson, 2012).
Writer just drops the quote into the paragraph and
Expects the reader to figure out why the quote it there.
PROPERLY INTEGRATED QUOTE
Intro to quote
… externalized behaviors such as aggression. As Edleson (2012) has noted,
the aggressive behavior of children who have been exposed to violence
can have serious, long-term consequences for individuals and society; “One
of the most tragic outcomes of domestic violence is that well more than half
of the young men between the ages of 11 and 22 who are in jail for
homicide have killed their mother’s batterer” (p. 4). What is unknown about
these young victims who have committed murder is what percentage
committed the murder while defending their mother versus what percentage
Ccomment
committed the murder out of anger at the abuser.
on quote
HOWEVER…
Is there a compelling reason to use this quote?
How could you paraphrase?
PARAPHRASING
• Paraphrasing IS expressing the ideas from source material in your
own terms and in about the same number of words as the original.
• Paraphrasing IS NOT just replacing a few words with their synonyms
and using the same sentence structure as the source.=plagiarism
• Follow the same guidelines for incorporating a quote:
• Introduce the paraphrase with a signal phrase that mentions the
source and explains the relevance of the information.
• BE SURE to include a citation for a paraphrase. Citation includes
author’s name and year of publication.
EFFECTIVE PARAPHRASE
… externalized behaviors such as aggression. Domestic violence can
have tragic, long-term consequences for individuals and society as
demonstrated by Edleson’s (2012) findings that more than 50% of
adolescent and young adult males (11 to 22 years old) imprisoned
for murder were convicted of killing the perpetrator who abused the
youth’s mother. However, what remains unknown about these young
victim/offenders is what percentage committed the murder while
defending their mother versus what percentage committed the
murder out of anger at the abuser.
Source text:
39 words
Paraphrase 46 words
“One of the most tragic outcomes of domestic violence is
that well more than half of the young men between the
ages of 11 and 22 who are in jail for homicide have killed
their mother’s batterer” (p. 4).
EFFECTIVE PARAPHRASING STRATEGIES
1. Re-read the original several times to ensure you understand all
words and intended meaning but without trying to memorize the
passage.
2. Cover the passage or put it out of sight. Then write the main idea
in your words, as if you were explaining the concept to a
classmate or colleague.
3. Check your paraphrase against the original, making sure that you
have
 Accurately expressed the main idea in your own words and own
voice.
 Not borrowed any terms or specific passages from the original
text
 Included a citation with the author’s name and year of
publication.
PARAPHRASING, COMMON LANGUAGE,
AND PLAGIARISM
Common language such as position titles or types of services will likely be repeated
between the original source and your paraphrase – that’s OKAY
Repeating other language unique to the source material is NOT OKAY
Common terms in the Source – okay to repeat in paraphrase:
Critical care nurses function in a hierarchy of roles. In this open heart surgery unit,
the nurse manager hires and fires the nursing personnel. The nurse manager
does not directly care for patients but follows the progress of unusual or long-term
patients. On each shift a nurse assumes the role of resource nurse.
Common language in source = okay to repeat in different form/function
Critical care nurses function in a hierarchy of roles. In this open heart surgery unit,
the nurse manager hires and fires the nursing personnel. The nurse manager
does not directly care for patients but follows the progress of unusual or long-term
patients. On each shift a nurse assumes the role of resource nurse.
Paraphrase example from
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase.html
Language unique to source:
Critical care nurses function in a hierarchy of roles. In this open heart surgery unit,
the nurse manager hires and fires the nursing personnel. The nurse manager
does not directly care for patients but follows the progress of unusual or long-term
patients. On each shift a nurse assumes the role of resource nurse.
Plagiarism: Word-for-word
Criticalcare
carenurses
nurseshave
haveaahierarchy
hierarchyofofroles.
roles.The
Thenurse
nursemanager
managerhires
hiresand
andfires
fires
Critical
nurses.
S/he
does
notnot
directly
care
for for
patients
butbut
does
follow
unusual
or longnurses.
S/he
does
directly
care
patients
does
follow
unusual
or longterm
cases.
On On
each
shift
, one
nurse
willwill
assume
thethe
rolerole
of the
lead
resource
term
cases.
each
shift
, one
nurse
assume
of the
lead
resource
nurse.
nurse.
Patchwork Plagiarism:
Chase(1995)
(1995)describes
describeshow
hownurses
nursesininaacritical
criticalcare
careunit
unitfunction
functionininaahierarchy
hierarchythat
that
Chase
places
designated
experts
at the
top top
andand
thethe
least
senior
staff
nurses
at the
places
designated
experts
at the
least
senior
staff
nurses
at the
bottom.
TheThe
experts
— the
nurse
manager,
nurse
clinician,
andand
clinical
nurse
bottom.
experts
— the
nurse
manager,
nurse
clinician,
clinical
nurse
specialist
— are
notnot
involved
directly
in patient
care,
butbut
follow
long-term
cases.
specialist
— are
involved
directly
in patient
care,
follow
long-term
cases.
TheThe
staff
nurses,
in contrast,
areare
assigned
to patients
andand
provide
all their
staff
nurses,
in contrast,
assigned
to patients
provide
all their
nursing
care.
Another
important
rolerole
is that
of the
resource
nurse;
a role
nursing
care.
Another
important
is that
of the
resource
nurse;
a role filled by
filled
by a nurse
on each
a nurse
on each
shift.shift.
EFFECTIVE PARAPHRASE
In her study of the roles of nurses in a critical care unit, Chase (1995) also found a
hierarchical structure that distinguished the roles of experts and others. Just as the
educational experts described above do not directly teach students, the experts in the
critical care unit do not directly attend to patients at the bedside. Clark found that
bedside care was the role of the staff nurses, who, like teachers, have their own
“hierarchy of seniority” (p. 156). The roles of the experts include employing unit
nurses and overseeing the care of …
See the full paraphrase example and instructions for effective paraphrasing
At http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase.html
ORIGINAL TEXT
“Differentiation as an
instructional approach promotes
a balance between a student's
style and a student's ability.
Differentiated instruction
provides the student with
options for processing and
internalizing the content, and for
constructing new learning in
order to progress academically”
(Thompson, 2009, p. 24).
BAD PARAPHRASE
Differentiation is a way to
encourage equality between
the approach and talent of
the student (Thompson,
2009). This type of
instruction gives students
different ways to deal with
and grasp information, and
for establishing new learning
to move on in education
(Thompson, 2009).
• Underlined words are simply synonyms
for words in the original.
• Sentence structure is the same as
original text.
ORIGINAL TEXT
“Differentiation as an
instructional approach promotes
a balance between a student's
style and a student's ability.
Differentiated instruction
provides the student with
options for processing and
internalizing the content, and for
constructing new learning in
order to progress academically”
(Thompson, 2009, p. 24).
EFFECTIVE PARAPHRASE
Teachers use
differentiated instruction
to help students learn,
allowing the teacher to
tailor lessons to the way
each student learns and
each student's skill
(Thompson, 2009).
• Writer has captured essential idea
of the original text using her own words.
• Writer has used different sentence
structure than original text.
• Writer eliminated details not necessary to
her argument BUT did not change original
meaning
Example taken from http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/295.htm
PARAPHRASE AND STATISTICS
A signal phrase introducing the source isn’t required when citing a
statistic or specific facts because the in-text citation informs your
reader about the source of the data.
In a study of 41 families, 85% of children were physically present in the
household while their mothers were being abused in some way and 71%
saw their mother being physically assaulted (McGee, 2000).
The citation follows the evidence:
Exposure may increase negative externalizing behavior (Kernic et al., 2003),
increase risk of aggressive behavior (McGee, 2000), cause anxiety and
depression (Tang, 1997), or perpetuate the cycle of violence by increasing the
probability that the child will grow up to be a perpetrator or victim of domestic
violence (Lichter & McClosky, 2004).
POORLY ORGANIZED PARAGRAPH*
Child abuse and domestic violence often co-occur in the same
family. As adolescents and adults, children exposed to violence often
encounter psychiatric and addictive disorders, chronic medical
illnesses, legal problems, and problems with their own families. Children
do not have to suffer physical maltreatment to suffer the consequences
of exposure to domestic violence. Research shows that almost half of
the children whose mothers were abused were also abused themselves.
Children who witness domestic violence are more likely to experience
poor outcomes related to trauma.
• *Citations removed to fit the paragraph on the slide.
• Example of poorly organized paragraph
WELL-ORGANIZED PARAGRAPH*
Child abuse and domestic violence often co-occur in the same family.
Research on family violence has produced strong evidence showing that
almost half of the children whose mothers were abused were also victims of
child abuse. However, children do not have to suffer physical maltreatment
to suffer the consequences of exposure to domestic violence. Children who
witness domestic violence are more likely to experience trauma-related
outcomes. Because of this trauma, as these children reach adolescence
and adulthood they face heightened risk for a variety of poor outcomes,
including psychiatric and addictive disorders, chronic medical illnesses,
legal problems, and problems with their own families .
* Citations removed to fit the paragraph on the slide.
7. DOCUMENT YOUR SOURCES
WHY WE CITE
• to show how your argument is built upon the ideas of
others.
• to indicate which ideas are taken from others; in other
words, to give credit where credit is due.
• to enable interested readers to retrieve your sources and
investigate or confirm your work
WHAT INFO DO YOU NEED TO CREATE A
CITATION AND REFERENCE?
The rationale of the APA reference system is to provide readers with
the information needed to locate and retrieve the author’s source
material; therefore, include as much specific information as
possible.
At a minimum you need
• Author’s or authors’ last name and initials (first and middle)
• Title of work
• Date of publication’
• Publishing information
(e.g., for a book --publisher’s name & location;
for a journal article--journal title, volume number, page range)
IN-TEXT CITATIONS
APA uses parenthetical (Author, Date ) format for in-text citations
• Within parentheses: (Blank & Danziger, 2007)
•
•
When possible, place the parentheses at the end of the
sentence.
Sentence punctuation comes after the closing parenthesis
A recent study showed that U.S. adolescents are increasingly worried
about physical assaults at school (Blank & Danziger, 2007).
Author’s last names can also be used in the text (called a signal
phrase); spell out “and” in signal phrase
In addition, Blank and Danziger (2007) found the loss of a safe
school environment negatively affected graduation rates.
NEVER separate the authors and year.
In addition, Blank and Danziger found the loss of a safe school
environment negatively affected graduation rates (2007).
IN-TEXT CITATION = SPACE SAVERS
2 authors – Give both author’s names in each citation
3 to 5 authors – list all authors in first citation; subsequent citations
use (first author + et al., Year)
et al. is Latin for “and others”; al. is an abbreviation for alia, and
therefore, always uses a period.
…a 50% increase (Bailey, Banks, & Biddle, 2001). = first citation
However, Bailey et al. (2001) = subsequent citations
6 or more authors - List (first author + et al., Year) for first and all
subsequent citations.
For instance, a journal article with 8 authors is cited in the
examples below:
….strong positive benefit on drug treatment outcomes (Frey et al.,
2011).
Frey et al. (2011) confirmed earlier findings
Or
Frey and his colleagues (2011) confirmed earlier findings…
REFERENCE FORMATS
The APA Manual has more than 80 examples of different reference
formats, and those don’t cover all possibilities.
Rather than trying to memorize countless formats, concentrate on
learning what information and where to find the information
you’ll need for reference entries.
Many software programs are available to manage and format
reference data, but you need to be familiar with how to create the
formats to know if the software is performing correctly.
UNC Library offers individual or small group classes for RefWorks:
EndNote is available through the School of Social Work
Why bother to learn referencing software?
Enables you to *easily* switch referencing styles for journals or
grant applications.
FORMAT FOR APA REFERENCES SECTION
• Reference section starts on separate page –insert page break at
end of body text
• Header for page is centered, 1” down from top of page, 12 pt.
font, Times New Roman
• Reference entries are double-spaced throughout; no extra white
space between entries
• Entries use a 0.5” hanging indent
• The Reference section is alphabetized by first author’s last name;
BUT each entry preserves the order of authors as listed on the
publication
Formatting a reference for a book with 1 author
Info
needed
not publisher, printing
plant
Copyright holder is the publishing
press, but publisher’s location
is missing from this page
= Google NASW Press!
Check copyright info if in
doubt about full title
Reamer, F. G. (2006). Ethical standards in social work: A review
of the NASW code of ethics (2nd ed.). Washington, DC:
NASW Press.
EDITED BOOK – Citation format for Chapter 2
Info
needed
Jeffrey M. Jenson &
Mark W. Fraser, Editors
Williams Shanks, T. R., & Danziger, S. K. (2011). Anti-poverty policies
and programs for children and families. In J. M. Jenson & M. W.
Fraser (Eds.), Social policy for children and families: A risk and resilience
perspective (2nd ed., pp. 25-56). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
INFO FOR JOURNAL ARTICLE REFERENCE
• Authors last names and initials (keep in order as listed)
• Year of publication
• Title of article
• Journal Name
• Volume number
• Issue number (sometimes)
• Page range
• DOI = Digital object identifier
WHAT’S A DOI???
Digital Object Identifier is a string of numbers and/or letters
assigned to an electronic journal article (and some e-books).
URLs are often dead links or need to be updated
DOIs form a persistent identifier. As long as the article is on the Web
somewhere, you can retrieve it with the DOI
APA requires DOIs in reference entries to indicate that you used an
electronic version of an article.
 If you went to the library but obtained the article from a database
and printed it out, that’s still considered an electronic copy – you
need a DOI in your reference.
Cut and paste DOIs – any small mistake will render the DOI invalid
Journal article : 2 authors, typical of online Abstract page
blkjlkjlkjdklajdklfalkjdfkdkjf
In-text citation– parenthetical:
(Blank & Eisenberg, 2007)
Used in signal phrase: “As demonstrated in Blank and Eisenberg’s (2007) study…”
Reference entry
Blank, M. B., & Eisenberg, N. M. (2007). HIV and mental illness: Opportunities
for prevention. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 33, 1-4.
doi:10.1300/J005v33n01_01
ONLINE JOURNAL – FULL TEXT PDF OF ARTICLE WITH 8 AUTHORS
In-text citation: (Krentzman et al.,
2012)
Krentzman, A. R., Pagano, M. E., Bradley, J. C., Johnson, S. M., Battle, D.,
Andrade, F. H., …Robinson, E.A.R. (2012). The role of religiousness on
substance-use disorder treatment outcomes: A comparison of Black and
White adolescents. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research,
3,
104-128. doi: 10.5243/jsswr.2012.8
INFO NEEDED TO CITE A WEBSITE
1.
Author or organization holding copyright. (used in place of author’s
names –typically individual authors are not listed)
2.
Year of publication - might also be listed as year of copyright / date
last revised/last updated.
3.
Title of webpage (set in italics and sentence style caps like book title)
4.
Retrieved from http://www.extact URL of the page you used as source
(Note: APA format use specific wording “Retrieved from” not “Available
from” or “Accessed at”)
Organization’s Website with Research Papers Online
March of Dimes Foundation. (2008). Low birthweight. Retrieved from
https://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/
medicalresources_lowbirthweight.html
CITATIONS
March of Dimes Foundation, (2008), Low birthweight (Medical
Resources section)*. Retrieved from
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/medicalresources_low
birthweight.html
• *(Medical Resources section) is not required information. Added
information can be given if you think such information might increase
likelihood of reader locating the source.
• Not needed for this website because URL will take reader directly to
the cited webpage
• IN-TEXT CITATION
• (March of Dimes Foundation [MOD], 2008).
• Quotes from this article would give paragraph number of quote
location
• …threshold for low birth weight is “5 lbs. 8 ounces (2,500 grams)”
(MOD, 2008, para. 1).
National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of ethics
[English
version]. Retrieved from
http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp
National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of ethics
[English version]. Retrieved from
http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp
Use square brackets to add information about the source format
(e.g., language, CD, microfiche)
8. FOLLOW APA GUIDELINES= MORE THAN CITATIONS
AND REFERENCES
Informal
Hand in
Look into
Put off
Run across
Formal
Submit
Investigate
Delay
Encounter
APA also requires writers to use precise language and avoid JARGON!
WHAT’S JARGON?
Beware of inappropriately elevated language; words and
phrases that are stilted, pompous, or jargon.
Jargon is “industry-specific shorthand” that creates
barriers to understanding because the words do not
have standard meanings.
STRIVE TO USE CLEAR, SIMPLE LANGUAGE
Jargon
Utilize
Incentivize
Conceptualize as
Cognitive
representations
Operationalized
Wrap-around
services
Plain Speak
Use
Motivate
Thought of as
Thoughts & beliefs
Defined
? Okay to use IF you
define
Don’t confuse simple with simplistic!
TRANSLATION PLEASE!
• Regarding the need to be adaptive, we remind readers of our
strategy of using multimethod documentation that was
individualized to recognize diverse styles of communication and
learning among community partners.
• For example, our research team adapted the study design to
allow each participant to use his or her preferred method of
providing feedback notes, such as using voice recordings,
electronic surveys , or pencil-and-paper forms.
MODEL YOUR WRITING ON EXAMPLES OF SIMPLE,
CLEAR WRITING
When you find something that is written in a way that is clear,
simple, and easy to understand, take time to analyze the writing
and figure out how the writer did that.
Copying a style of writing is not plagiarism;
reading good writing is the first step to
becoming a good writer.
9. REVISE DRAFTS TO CREATE ONE, FINAL POLISHED
VERSION
Don’t try to make your first draft your only draft
 Plan on revising your outline as you write/research/write
 Flesh out points on outline – string together to make first draft
 Plan on multiple revisions & editing for drafts
 Final draft has good flow of information, addresses all the required elements, has a strong & persuasive argument
 Polish the final draft for APA Style, word choice, transitions
Final paper has to be linear, but not the writing process
 Start with sections that are readiest to be written
 Don’t omit citations in your draft
 At a minimum insert (cite) where needed (shaky advice)
10. PROOFREAD!!!
INTERACTIVE EXERCISES
http://www.proprofs.com/quizschool/story.php?title=apa-style-citationquiz_1
Click on the hyperlink or paste into your browser.
(Non-hyperlink URL in Note section of slide)
The online quiz format explains why answers are correct or incorrect.
You can take the quiz as many times as you want.
Be sure to print out your certificate when you achieve a perfect
score!
SSW Writing Support
Contact us at :
SOSWwritingsupport@gmail.com
Susan White – Marketing Writer & Academic Editor
Diane Wyant -- Academic Editor & Educational Specialist
Individual Consultations -- limited availability –
In-person appointments or via e-mail & telephone
UNC Writing Center – available for on-campus students
BUT all students can access online resources (e.g.,
handouts and videos )
WRITING SUPPORT
Works with you on specific issues in writing and on specific
questions arising in portions of your papers
Writing Support does not edit, correct, proofread, or revise
your papers in their entirety.
Writing Support available in person or by e-mail
“First-come, First served”
http://ssw.unc.edu/
Highly
recommended
APA Rules for
Numbers