Why APA? The Social Sciences use APA. As a researcher, you participate in a particular discourse community. It creates continuity in the presentation of.

Why APA?

• The Social Sciences use APA.

• As a researcher, you participate in a particular discourse community.

• It creates continuity in the presentation of research, making it easier for everyone to follow and understand.

• Practice for publication!

APA Basics

1. Basic Manuscript Text Elements

2. Basic Formatting and Reference Rules

3. Basic Writing Style Issues

Basic Manuscript Text Rules

• Title page

• Abstract

• First page of text

Running head: IMPROVING LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 1

Improving Language Acquisition Through Journal Writing

Betty S. Smith

Western New Mexico University – Gallup Graduate Studies Center

Title Page

• Running head

• Page number header

• Title

• Byline

• Institutional affiliation

• See pages 23, 41 (example) and 241.

Running Head

• Is an abbreviated title printed at the top of every page to identify the article for readers.

• Should be no more than 50 characters, including spaces.

• Has a capital “R” & small “h,” with a colon after Running head: (This appears on first page only.)

• TITLE IS IN ALL CAPTIAL LETTERS.

Title

• Should be centered in the upper half of the page (see pg. 41 for example).

• Should reflect the content of the paper simply and with style in no more than 12 words.

• Should be typed in upper and lower case letters.

Byline

• Byline is your name.

• Be sure to include a middle initial.

Institutional Affiliation

• Western New Mexico University – Gallup Graduate Studies Center

Page Number Header

• Number pages beginning with the title page.

• Make sure it appears on every page.

IMPROVING LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 2

Abstract

This paper discusses the outcomes of an initiative to empower ten-year-olds as active researchers. It debates

some of the barriers that are commonly cited with regard to children of this age taking ownership of their own

research agendas—power relations, competence, knowledge and skills–-and challenges the status quo. It

describes a study in which a group of ten-year-olds participated in a taught program aimed at equipping them

with the knowledge and skills to design their own research. This empowering process resulted in the children

undertaking research projects of their own choosing, designed, carried out and reported entirely from their

perspective. Reports from two of those projects are presented as part of this paper.

Abstract

• Use block format (NO paragraph indentation) and center the word Abstract.

• It is typically 150-250 words.

• Make sure it is accurate and concise, including only four or five of the most important concepts.

• See pages 25 and 41.

IMPROVING LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 3

Improving Language Acquisition Through Journal Writing

Perspectives on children’s status in society have shifted, in the wake of the United Nations Convention on the

Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989), towards a recognition that they are social actors in their own right rather than

parts of an ‘other’ such as part of a family or school (Alderson, 2000; Christensen and Prout, 2002; Corsaro, 1997;

Thorne, 1993). Articles 12 and 13 of the UNCRC require that children should be informed, involved and consulted

about all activities that affect their lives. This has led to an increased involvement of children as participants and co-

researchers (for example, Johnson and others, 1998; Jones and others, 2002; Nieuwenhuys, 2001) and a growing

body of literature on the role of children and young people as researchers (Alderson, 2000, Boyden and Ennew,

1997; Hill, 1997). Despite these initiatives, much participatory research is generally adult-led, adult-designed and

conceived from an adult perspective. Some exceptions of note include the Bangladeshi teenagers who researched

the play and leisure needs of Bangladeshi children in Camden (Howarth, 1997). Here, the young researchers did an

audid of play provision and interviewed 83 children , their parents, community workers and head teachers. Text

taken from “‘Just Teach Us The Skills Please, We’ll Do the Rest’: Empowering Ten-Year-Olds as Active

Researchers” as published in Children & Society Volume 18 (2004) pp. 329-343.

First Page of Text

• Center title on the first line.

• Use upper and lower case letters.

• Make sure the title is exactly the same as the one on your title page.

• Again, include Running head and page number.

• Do not use a heading for the introduction.

Basic Formatting Rules

• General Rules

• Headings

• In-Text Citations

• Reference Page

General Rules

• Use Times New Roman 12-point font.• Double space everything.• Use one inch margins on all sides.• Justify only the left margin.• Indent all paragraphs (except for the abstract

and block quotations) with the tab key.• Use two spaces between sentences.

Headings• There are five levels of headings.• Use them to give the reader organizational cues.• Make sure they are content specific.• Use is determined by the complexity of the paper.• You will generally need only two levels of headings:

Level 1 is: Centered, Bold, Normal Title Style

Level 2 is:Flush Left, Bold, Uppercase and Lowercase• See page 62.

In-Text Citations

• Summarizing or Paraphrasing

• Direct Quotation

Summarizing or Paraphrasing• When using the author’s name to introduce the

borrowed material, put the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the name.

• When NOT using the author’s name to introduce material, put the author’s name and year of publication in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

• If the source is obviously the same for the entire paragraph, you may include it just at the beginning.

When a work has two authors, cite both names every time the reference occurs in text. When a work has three or more authors, cite all authors the first time, but in subsequent citations, include the surname of only the first author followed by et al. See page 174 and following.

Dewey (1895) sought to relate the present to the past through a multitude of meaningful learning activities.

One researcher sought to relate the present to the past through a multitude of meaningful learning activities (Dewey, 1895).

Direct Quotations

• When using the author’s name to introduce the borrowed material, put the year of publication in parentheses after the name, and then put the page number in parentheses at the end of the quote.

• When NOT using the author’s name, put the author’s name, year of publication, and page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

• If there is no page number, use a paragraph number: (para. 4).

• See page 170 and following.

Dewey (1895) declared, “The teacher must be able to see to what immediate and proximate use the child’s interests are to be put in order that he may be moving along the desired line, in the desired direction” (p. 184).

“The teacher must be able to see to what immediate and proximate use the child’s interests are to be put in order that he may be moving along the desired line, in the desired direction” (Dewey, 1895, p. 184).

Reference Page

• Title this page References.

• Use reverse indentation (or hanging indent) and double space all entries.

• Put authors in alphabetical order by last name; use only initials of first and middle names.

• See page 49 for an example, and chapter 7 for specific reference types.

Basic Format for a Book

• Author, A.A., & Author, B.B. (Year). Title of book. Place of publication: Publisher.

• Note italics of title.

• Note non-capitalization of words in title.

• See page 202.

Book Example:

Dewey, J. (1899). The school and society.

Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Basic Format for a Periodical

• Author, A.A., Author, B.B., & Author, C.C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, publication information, page numbers. doi:

• Note capitalization in the title of the article versus the periodical title.

• Note use of italics for periodical title.• See page 198 and following.

Periodical Example:

Smith, D.L., & Adams, B.B. (1994). Attention

deficient disorder and the young child.

Psychological Bulletin, 126, 34-99.

doi:10.1037/0278-6133.24.2.225

OR Retrieved from http://www. Helpmeteach.org

APA Writing Style Issues

• Reduce bias in language.

• Avoid wordiness and redundancy; strive for precision and clarity.

• Use proper editorial skills (i.e. proper punctuation, spelling, capitalization, italics, etc.).

• See Chapter 3—or come to the Writing Center a lot.

Reducing Bias in Language• Avoid labeling people.• Don’t say “the autistics” or “the depressed.”• Instead, use Person First language (preferred for

people with disabilities):“the child with autism” or “the patient with depression”; or use an adjectival form:“older adults” or “amnesic patients.”

• Avoid gender markers when speaking generally—see pages 73-74 for some good suggestions . Don’t use “he or she” or “she/he” if at all possible.