Communication is Key (1st 2-3 words of the title) 1
Running head: COMMUNICATION IS KEY: BE ARTICULATE IN THE WRITTEN WORD (limit to 50 characters)
Communication is Key: Be Articulate in the Written Word by Learning from a Prof Not a Boss (Should summarize the main idea of the paper in 10-12 words. When typing the title, center it on the page and capitalize only the first letter of important words.)
Melissa L. Freeman, Ph.D.
Adams State College
Abstract
The abstract is not indented—rather the abstract is written in block format. It is a brief (up to 120 words) summary of the paper in an accurate, concise and specific manner.
Communication is Key: Be Articulate in the Written Word by learning from a Prof Not a Boss
Your introduction begins here, following a repeat of the entire title of your paper. Notice that your margins are 1 inch. Paragraphs have a normal (.5 inch) indent. The font is Times New Roman in 12 pt font. Throughout this document there are examples of proper citations, references, etc. While these examples are far from exhaustive, they are designed to provide a guide. When in doubt, always check your APA manual. The primary purpose of the introduction is to tell the reader of the importance of the topic you have chosen. It outlines where the paper is going. Good introductions develop the background of the paper and state its purpose and rationale. You should outline why the problem is important. This topic is important because of A, B, and C. Then discuss A, B, and C in that order.
Being able to communicate in an articulate manner via the written word is critical to your academic and professional success. Learning proper writing and citation skills from a professor is preferred to learning it from a boss. While a professor may fail you for inarticulate writing and citation, a boss would most assuredly fire you. Which would you prefer? I would suggest that you learn it from the prof.
The purpose of this template and any associated lecture are designed to assist you in proper academic writing using APA style. Using APA style is important for two reasons. First, it provides for clarity and consistency. Second, it provides a way for writers to provide proper credit and avoid academic dishonesty (Freeman, Conley, & Brooks, 2006).
Clarity and Consistency
This next section should discuss the first of your points mentioned in your introduction. You should state your position and back it up with evidence from class discussion, readings or independent research. Make sure you are properly citing in APA format (Kinsey, 1953).
APA format provides for clarity and consistency in your research papers. There is a formula to be followed for citations and page layout, which makes it easier for the reader to understand. It also includes stylistics of writing from point of view to word choice (Neyhart & Karper, 2009).
Clarity
According to Plonsky (2004) if you have subsections within a section, then use the proper heading format, based on levels of headings that your paper needs (refer to PowerPoint fro class). To have subsections within a section such as this you must have more than one. If you do not, then it is not a separate subsection and should be included in the text of the original heading.
Clarity can include such things as word choice, eliminating writing bias, etc. Clarity is always best. When writing you want to be clear, thorough, and succinct. Consistency issues, however, are another matter. These are addressed below.
Consistency
Continue with second subsection within Section A. Do not forget to write appropriate transitions between sections (as evidenced above). These should summarize what you have just written and alert the reader to what you are about to say. Abrupt changes in thought will confuse the reader, making it difficult to make your point or to justify your position.
Consistency ensures that you are consistent with language and word choice. For example, when writing in APA style, you should always write in the third person, not the first person. Further, consistent citations enable the reader to access any references for further review. This helps also to cut down on any issues related to academic dishonesty, which is discussed below.
Academic Dishonesty
Talk about your second idea as outlined in the introduction (Riley, Lochry, & Shapiro, 1979). Make sure that your sections have titles. Again do not forget to use transitions. Notice that the writer used the words do not rather than don’t. The use of contractions is unacceptable in academic writing.
Academic dishonesty, oftentimes referred to as plagiarism, also includes all forms of cheating, plagiarism, forgery, furnishing false information, and alteration or misuse of documents, records, or identification. Any of these practices presents both moral and ethical issues to the academic community. The Adams State College Student Handbook prohibits all forms of academic dishonesty. Students who engage in such offenses will fail—either the assignment in question or the course as a whole. It does not matter whether or not academic dishonesty was intentional or unintentional. It is unacceptable (Mumper & Freeman, 2005).
Section C Title Here
As Riley et al. (1979) point out, talk about your third (C) idea as outlined in the introduction. Continue to do this for as many ideas you have indicated you are going to discuss (Riley et al., 1979).
Conclusion
The purpose of this section is to wrap up your ideas and thoughts as previously discussed. It should be brief and provide concluding thoughts as to why A, B, and C are important in your view. In this case the conclusion would include why clarity and academic dishonesty are important to one’s ability to communicate in an articulate manner via the written word (Freeman & Conley, 2006).
References
Freeman, M. L. & Conley, V. M. (May, 2006). Women, transfer, and baccalaureate completion. Paper presented at the Annual Forum for the Association for Institutional Research (AIR), Chicago, Illinois.
Freeman, M. L., Conley, V. M., & Brooks, G. P. (2006). Successful vertical transitions: What separates community college transfers who earn the baccalaureate from those who don’t? Journal of Applied Researched on the Community College, 13(2), 141-150.
Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., Martin, C. E., & Gebhard, P. H. (1953). Sexual behavior in the human female. New York: W. B. Saunders.
Mumper, M. & Freeman, M. L. (2005). The causes and consequences of public college tuition inflation. In J. Smart (Ed.). Higher education: A handbook of theory and research. New York, NY: Agathon Press.
Neyhart, D. & Karper, E. (2009). APA stylistics: Basics. Retrieved June 15, 2009 from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/15/
Plonsky, M. (2004). Psychology with style: A hypertext writing guide (Version 5). Retrieved from the Web 1/17/04. http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/apa4b.htm
Riley, E. P., Lochry, E. A., & Shapiro, N. R. (1979). Lack of response inhibition in rats prenatally exposed to alcohol. Psychopharmacology, 62, 47-52.
Table 1
Average Ages Sexual Information was Acquired Compared with the Youngest and Oldest Ages Subjects Believed the Information Should be Acquired
Age Acquired / Youngest Age / Oldest AgeInformation / Mean / SD / Mean / SD / Mean / SD
How babies are made / 10.1 / 2.9 / 8.5 / 2.8 / 11.9 / 2.7
How babies are born / 10.0 / 3.1 / 8.4 / 3.1 / 11.6 / 2.8
Sexual intercourse / 11.6 / 2.6 / 10.4 / 2.6 / 13.1 / 2.6
Menstruation / 11.6 / 2.2 / 9.9 / 2.1 / 12.6 / 2.1
Nocturnal emissions / 12.5 / 2.6 / 10.8 / 2.6 / 13.4 / 2.7
Masturbation / 13.0 / 2.6 / 11.4 / 2.8 / 14.0 / 2.6
Birth control / 13.9 / 2.4 / 12.0 / 2.2 / 14.3 / 2.4
Homosexuality / 13.4 / 2.8 / 11.3 / 2.8 / 14.1 / 2.5
Genital terminology / 12.4 / 2.9 / 10.4 / 3.3 / 13.1 / 3.3
Orgasm / 14.0 / 2.3 / 12.5 / 2.7 / 15.0 / 2.6
STD's / 14.1 / 2.3 / 12.0 / 2.4 / 14.7 / 2.4
STD's = Sexually transmitted diseases
Figure Captions
Figure 1. Percent of time married females have orgasm during intercourse with their husbands. Data from Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, Gebhard (1953).
Figure 2. Mean number of trials to learn a passive avoidance task as a function of age and maternal ethanol consumption in rats. Data based on Riley, Lockrey and Shapiro (1979).
© 2009
Melissa L. Freeman, Ph.D.
© 2009
Melissa L. Freeman, Ph.D.