Advice from McKinze: Know Your Format!

In my recent appointments, I have noticed that many students are unaware of the writing format required by their professors for certain assignments. This is important because the format determines how the entire paper is set up and how the in-text citations and works cited/bibliography is structured.  Most English, Writing, and Humanities courses use MLA format, and most Communication, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Nursing courses use APA format. There are a few courses at RSU that use Chicago or Turabian style writing, but those are not as common as the MLA and APA utilizes courses. Many students also do not know that the Writing Center offers templates for MLA, APA, and Chicago papers. Those links can be found in the Writing Center section on the RSU page under the Online Resources tab. Here’s a link: http://www.rsu.edu/academics/school-of-liberal-arts/department-of-english-humanities/writing-center/online-resources/. Along with the templates, the Writing Center offers other resources that can be beneficial to a specific format or the writing process in general. There are links to websites that students can use to figure out how to cite sources in specific formats and there are also links that help with proofreading strategies.

While these resources are very helpful, it is most important to understand how a particular professor wants a paper formatted. This is important because knowing the format of the paper determines the structure, citation format, and type of in-text citations, which can greatly affect your grade if not done correctly. If you do not know for sure, ask them! You should always keep an open line of communication with your professors and know that they are there to help you. In the Writing Center, sometimes we do not know what type of formatting a professor so it is difficult for us to help you if we do not know the format. So always ask questions and know that there are many resources that can help you figure out a specific format, and the Writing Center is always here to help. 

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-McKinze

APA in the Wild

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New to APA Style? Confused? Observe APA in action... Review this annotated example article from a database at the Prezi linked here.

Happy Writing,
Sara

McKinze's Reflection on the Semester

One of the best things about my job as a tutor is that I seem to learn something new every session. My writing process has developed tremendously during my time in the Writing Center, and my writing skills have greatly improved. One of the greatest improvements I have personally made this semester would definitely be my use of APA format. As an English major, I typically use MLA format in all my courses, but I have learned that various majors and degrees use different types of writing formats. This semester, we have had many Capstone students request assistance on their assignments, and I have had many students request help with APA format. I had never worked with APA before, so it was something I had to learn in order to better help other students. During appointments earlier in the semester, I actually learned the format along with the students I was assisting and I have not stopped learning about APA.

A few weeks ago, I worked with a student via email who requested assistance with her APA format in her Capstone project. She was extremely frustrated with APA and felt as if she could not get the hang of it. I was able to share my experience of learning APA format with her, and she seemed to relax. I think she needed to know that I was not an expert in APA and that I was just a student like her; I had to learn the format, too. It can be extremely frustrating, and I see so many students who become upset with themselves when they do not fully understand APA guidelines. I try to always remind them that I was in their shoes at one point and that every expert in APA, including their professor, was once a beginner struggling with the same issues.

Remember to check out the Writing Center page on the RSU website for some helpful links and a template for APA format. Here’s another helpful link with some general questions about APA.

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-McKinze

Advice from McKinze: Finding Sources, Evaluating Sources, Citing Sources in MLA

No two appointments, students, or class assignments are alike. Each variation brings with it some unique questions and challenges. A reoccurring trend that I have noticed this semester has been students requesting help with finding and citing sources, particularly in MLA format. I had one student come in requesting help on an assignment that required her to use sources outside the classroom. She did not know how to use the RSU databases or how to even begin to look for sources. So we started from the very beginning, and I helped her figure out which database would offer the best sources and how to search for sources within the database. I explained that using the RSU databases is the quickest and most efficient way to find academic sources. After we were able to find some sources she could use and integrate into her paper, we discussed how to cite the sources properly.

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I have encountered many students who do not understand that different sources require different forms of citation. For example, this student believed that citing an article from a database is the same as citing an article from a web page, which is incorrect. After going over some basic MLA citations in The Everyday Writer, she was able to figure out how to cite the source with very little help from me. She also discovered that the MLA formatted citations that accompany many of the database articles and sources are incorrect. It is very important to never trust a citation that is digitally generated without double-checking for accuracy. This specific appointment made me realize that many students may be unaware that their every source must be cited in a particular way, and it is vital to understand exactly what they are working with in order to create an accurate citation. Although it might be the easy way, it is never a good decision to trust a citation that accompanies a source.

For more help, check out pages 420-447 in the RSU Edition of The Everyday Writer 5th edition, or go to this Purdue University Online Writing Lab link and click through the tabs on the left for information on how to cite specific sources.

-McKinze