The Research Paper & APA

Content, Research, Format, References, & Citations

Content

A research paper . . .0 is NOT like a book report, in which you simply

summarize what you’ve read. 0 includes research but goes a step further. 0builds on what others have written. 0 is an ongoing conversation. Each new scholar who

writes about a particular topic references what others have already written and adds something new to the discussion. Now it’s your turn, so use your sources to support your own argument.

Content

Here are a few tips:0Ask yourself a focused research question. If you tell yourself, “I’m writing a paper about Autism Spectrum Disorder,” you’re setting yourself up to write a book report. Instead, ask yourself a “how” or “why” question.0Think critically about the sources you’re reading. As you read, regularly ask yourself questions like: “How does this apply to my focus?”; “How does this article’s ideas compare with that article’s ideas?” 0Write a thesis statement. Think of this as a one-sentence answer to your research question.

Research

Types of Resources:

0Scholarly, peer-reviewed periodicals0Non-peer-reviewed periodicals0Non-periodical websites0Books

Which of the above is the least trusted source of information?

Research

Where to Search for Scholarly Sources:

0Library databases like InfoTrac and ProQuest0Google Scholar

If conducting a general Google search, how do you know which web articles to trust?

Research

Reliable Web Articles:0URLs ending in .org, .gov, or .edu are more reliable

than those ending in .com or .net.0Make sure that you can identify an author and that

he/she is credentialed. 0The article should have a publication date.0A trustworthy web article will normally cite its

sources and include a list of references, just as you are expected to do in your own paper.

Research

Study Your Sources!0Print the articles out.0Read them all carefully. If you don’t understand

something, you shouldn’t use it.0Highlight sentences and phrases that you think you

may refer to in your paper.0As you read, try to make connections. Jot down your

own thoughts on the margins.0Copy highlighted sentences onto index cards. Include

the author’s name and the page number.

Format

Before beginning to type, make sure that you format your Word document according to APA style.0Times New Roman, 12 point font

Format

0Double spaced and 0-point spacing before and after for the entire paper

Format

01-inch margins

Format

Next, create a cover page including the title of your paper, your name, and the name of your university. Make sure the heading is centered and entered four lines from the top.

Format

Now insert an APA running head in your cover page and then in the first page of your paper.

* A handout titled “How to Create an APA Running Head” provides step-by-step guidelines and is available at: keiserwrites.wordpress.com/handouts/

Format

Now you’re ready to begin writing. 0 If you need an abstract, it should be on page 2 with

the word Abstract at the top center of the page.0The first page of your essay (page 2 or 3) should

include the title once again at the top center of the page.

0With the exception of the abstract, each new paragraph should be indented 0.5 inches.

0Leave two spaces between each sentence.

References

0The references page lists all the sources you used in your writing and provides important information about each one. This allows your readers to find your sources for themselves.

0Write the word “References” centered at the top of the page.

0References are never numbered or bulleted; they’re listed in alphabetical order.

References0The first line of a reference is never indented, but

subsequent lines are. Once you’ve typed all your references, highlight them all and then apply a hanging indent.

References

References include a few basic components:0The author’s name – usually a person; sometimes an

organization0The date of publication0The name of the book or article 0For articles, the name of the journal, newspaper, or

magazine0For journal articles, the volume and issue number and

the page range0For journal articles, the doi if available; if not, the URL0For websites, the URL

References

* A handout titled “APA Quick Guide” includes reference examples for the most commonly used types of resources. The handout is available at:http://keiserwrites.wordpress.com/handouts/

Quoting & Paraphrasing

What’s the difference between quoting and paraphrasing?

0Quote = a word-for-word sentence or phrase from the original text

0Paraphrase = a passage from the original text expressed in your own words

Quoting & Paraphrasing

Which of the two should you do more often?

Paraphrasing!0Paraphrasing shows that you’ve understood and

applied the information.0Don’t simply substitute a few words in the original for

synonyms. 0Make sure that the language and sentence structure

are truly your own by not looking back at the original passage when paraphrasing it.

In-Text Citations

When must you cite your sources?

In-Text Citations

Where must you cite your sources?

0After each sentence that includes information from any of your sources, NOT just at the end of the paragraph.

If you find that too many sentences in a row require citations, this means that your paper does not include enough original thought.

In-Text Citations

Formatting:0For quotes, include the author(s), the year of publication,

and the page number. If no page number is available, add the paragraph number. The word paragraph is abbreviated as “para.”

Ex: “Progress has recently been made in the earlier identification of children with autism spectrum disorder” (Charman & Baird, 2008, p. 289).Ex: Charman and Baird (2008) noted that “progress has recently been made in the earlier identification of children with autism spectrum disorder” (p. 289).

In-Text Citations

Formatting:0For paraphrases, include the author(s) and the year of

publication.

Ex: Autism spectrum disorder can now be detected earlier than before (Charman & Baird, 2008).Ex: Charman and Baird (2008) noted that autism spectrum disorder can now be detected earlier than before.

In-Text Citations

Formatting:0 If you’d like to use information that your source cites

from another source, it’s always best to find the original source. If that’s not possible, always cite the author(s) of the article you found and read.

Ex: According to Siegal, Pliner, Eschler, and Elliot, “Autism is often not diagnosed until children reach 3–4 years” (as cited in Werner, Dawson, Austerling, & Dinno, 2000, p. 157).

In-Text Citations

Formatting:0 If a source has three or more authors, only name all of

them in the first citation. Subsequent citations of the same source should list only the first author’s name, followed by the words “et al.” (meaning “and others”).

Ex: The study “aimed to characterize infants with autism spectrum disorder less than 1 year of age” (Werner et al., 2000, p. 157).

Further Help

0Refer to the handouts and web links on the Writing Studio’s website: http://keiserwrites.wordpress.com/

0Make an appointment to visit the Writing Studio at any stage of your writing process for a one-on-one consultation.

Melissa Cueto mcueto@keiseruniversity.edu