1.
In-text Citation
General Rule:
Cite the author’s last name and the publication year in parentheses.
Examples:
● Single Author:
○ "Reading improves comprehension" (Smith, 2010).
○ Smith (2010) stated, "Reading improves comprehension."
● Two Authors:
○ "Teachers collaborate to improve outcomes" (Smith & Johnson, 2012).
○ Smith and Johnson (2012) argued that "collaboration enhances learning."
● Three to Five Authors:
○ First Citation: (Smith, Johnson, Brown, & Lee, 2013)
○ Subsequent Citations: (Smith et al., 2013)
● Six or More Authors:
○ Always use et al.: (Smith et al., 2015).
2. Direct Quotations
Explanation:
When quoting directly, always include the author’s last name, the year, and the page number (p.)
or paragraph number (para.).
Examples:
● Short Quotation (fewer than 40 words):
○ "Education is the foundation of growth" (Smith, 2010, p. 15).
○ Smith (2010) stated, "Education is the foundation of growth" (p. 15).
● Block Quotation (40+ words):
○ Smith (2010) explained:
Education is a fundamental tool for change. It allows individuals to explore new
opportunities, overcome challenges, and contribute positively to society. As such,
investing in education benefits everyone. (p. 25)
3. Reference Citation
Explanation:
References provide detailed information about sources. Use a hanging indent, and list entries
alphabetically by the author’s last name.
Example of a Reference List Entry:
Smith, J. (2010). The power of education. Academic Press.
4. Book Sections (Chapters in Edited Books)
Explanation:
Use this format when citing a chapter written by specific authors, but the book is edited by others.
Format:
Author(s) of the chapter. (Year). Title of the chapter. In Editor(s) (Ed(s).), Title of the book (pp. pages).
Publisher.
Example:
Johnson, L. (2008). The impact of education reform. In A. Smith & B. Jones (Eds.), Perspectives on
education (pp. 45–67). Academic Press.
5. Articles from Journals
Explanation:
This format is used for peer-reviewed academic journal articles. Always include the DOI if available.
Format:
Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx
Examples:
● With DOI:
Smith, J. (2010). The role of teachers in modern education. Journal of Education, 25(2),
45–56. https://doi.org/10.xxxxxx
● Without DOI:
Smith, J. (2010). The role of teachers in modern education. Journal of Education, 25(2),
45–56.
6. Books
Explanation:
Include the author’s name, year, book title (italicized), and publisher.
Format:
Author(s). (Year). Title of the book. Publisher.
Example:
Smith, J. (2010). Understanding APA citation. Academic Press.
7. Conference Proceedings
Explanation:
Use this format for papers presented at conferences that are included in published proceedings.
Format:
Author(s). (Year). Title of paper. In Editor(s) (Ed(s).), Conference title (pp. pages). Publisher.
Example:
Jones, R. (2015). Research trends in education. In B. Smith (Ed.), Proceedings of the Education
Research Conference (pp. 123–130). University Press.
8. Internet Sources
Explanation:
For websites, include as much information as possible. If no author is available, start with the title.
Always include the full URL.
Format:
Author(s). (Year). Title of webpage. Site Name. URL
Examples:
● With Author:
National Institute of Health. (2018). Health statistics. National Institute of Health.
https://www.nih.gov
● Without Author:
Health statistics. (2018). National Institute of Health. https://www.nih.gov
9. Personal Communication
Explanation:
Personal communications (e.g., emails, interviews, lectures) are not included in the reference list.
They are cited in-text only.
Format:
(Initials Last Name, personal communication, Month Day, Year)
Example:
J. Smith (personal communication, May 10, 2020) confirmed that the results were accurate.
10. Same Author in the Same Year
Explanation:
When the same author has multiple works published in the same year, distinguish them by adding
letters (a, b, c) after the year.
Format:
● In-text: (Smith, 2010a), (Smith, 2010b)
● References:
Smith, J. (2010a). Understanding APA citation. Academic Press.
Smith, J. (2010b). The impact of education policies. Academic Press.
11. Theses and Dissertations
Published Dissertation/Thesis:
Author(s). (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis (Publication No.). Publisher.
● Example:
Brown, A. (2009). Exploring education trends (Doctoral dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations
and Theses.
Unpublished Dissertation/Thesis:
Author(s). (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis. Unpublished dissertation/thesis, Institution.
● Example:
Brown, A. (2009). Exploring education trends. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of
California.
Stages of the Writing Process
1. Prewriting
○ Select a topic that interests you and has specific focus.
○ Determine your audience, purpose, tone, point-of-view, and tense.
2. Writing (Drafting)
○ Create an attention-grabbing title.
○ Compose a draft with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
○ Use complete sentences and organize your ideas coherently.
3. Revising
○ Review for unity (topic sentences align with the thesis).
○ Ensure details and examples support each paragraph.
○ Use transitions for coherence and clarity.
4. Editing
○ Focus on grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling.
○ Ensure proper citation and formatting.
5. Publishing
○ Release your work to the intended audience, such as submitting to a teacher, entering a
contest, or posting online.
Summarizing
● Definition: A summary is a concise version of a longer text that captures the essential ideas in
fewer words.
Importance of Summarizing
● Helps identify key ideas and consolidate important details.
● Encourages focus on meaningful words and phrases.
● Allows students to monitor their understanding of the text.
Tips for Effective Summarizing
1. Read the text multiple times for comprehension.
2. Highlight the main idea and key details.
3. Restate the ideas in your own words.
4. Always introduce the source of the summarized information.
Criteria for Summarizing
● Provide a comprehensive overview of the material.
● Accurately reflect the original ideas.
● Include proper citations.
● Avoid personal opinions or interpretations in the summary.
What is NOT Summarizing?
● Writing everything verbatim from the text.
● Including irrelevant or incoherent ideas.
● Producing a summary longer than the original text.
Formats in Summarizing
1. Idea Heading Format: The summarized idea comes before the citation.
○ Example: "Benchmarking improves local services (Folz, 2004)."
2. Author Heading Format: The author’s name is connected to a reporting verb.
○ Example: "Blackstone (2012) highlights the role of FB in student engagement."
3. Date Heading Format: The summarized idea precedes the publication date.
○ Example: "In 2004, Irvin and Stansbury argued that participation benefits
decision-making"
Reviewer: Writing Reaction Papers, Reviews, and Critiques
Purpose and Importance
Reaction papers, reviews, and critiques are specialized forms of academic writing that require
analytical thinking, structured evaluation, and evidence-based judgments. They are designed to:
● Assess the value of scholarly works, artistic expressions, or visual designs.
● Enhance understanding by situating the evaluation in the context of existing theories or
frameworks.
Critical Approaches
Several critical approaches help frame analyses for these types of papers:
1. Formalism
○ Focus: Intrinsic properties of the work, such as form and content.
○ Examines: Techniques resolving contradictions, relationships between form and
content, and central themes.
2. Feminism
○ Focus: Representation of gender and patriarchal structures.
○ Examines: How culture defines gender roles and portrays gender equality issues.
3. Reader-Response Criticism
○ Focus: Reader's interaction with the work.
○ Examines: Meaning derived from the reader-text interaction and delivery's impact.
4. Marxism
○ Focus: Economic and social class conflicts.
○ Examines: Depiction of social classes and their interactions within the work.
Structure of a Critique
A well-structured critique typically includes:
1. Introduction (5% of the paper)
○ Introduce the article, its author, and the thesis statement.
2. Summary (10%)
○ State the purpose, methods, and major findings or claims of the work.
3. Critique (75%)
○ Evaluate explanation sufficiency, coherence of ideas, and theoretical soundness.
○ Compare the findings with other studies or expert opinions.
4. Conclusion (10%)
○ Share overall impressions and scholarly value.
○ Suggest improvements or future research directions.
Key Skills: Paraphrasing and Quoting
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing involves restating an idea in your own words while retaining the original meaning. Key
rules include:
1. Understand the text thoroughly before rewriting.
2. Use synonyms or different phrasing while maintaining the original context.
3. Cite the original source to avoid plagiarism.
Quoting
Quoting is directly using an author’s exact words and enclosing them in quotation marks. Guidelines
include:
1. Use quotations sparingly to support arguments.
2. Include proper in-text citations and source details.
3. Format quotations appropriately, especially if they exceed 40 words.
Tips for Effective Writing
1. Engage critically: Relate content to existing knowledge or theories.
2. Anchor evaluations: Base arguments on logical reasoning and evidence.
3. Be objective: Avoid personal biases.
4. Cite appropriately: Use paraphrasing and quoting with accurate citations.
