Using APA Referencing in Practice
Writing academic papers will require a referencing style; Michael has touched on the use of Chicago, MLA and APA in the past but in this post I'm going to explain and outline the APA referencing system.
APA stands for the American Psychological Association and their referencing style is very common. I'll cover off UK and US referencing styles in future posts so don't think I'm singling APA out for special attention.
The APA system is broken into two main parts:
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In-text citations
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A reference list
What is the Difference Between Editing and Proofreading?
Proofreading is a final check on your work to ensure accuracy, correction of grammatical errors and general presentation are within the specifications you have been given.
Editing is much more than this as it combines proofreading together with revisions that should improve the flow and structure of your work to maximise the impact of the piece.
Some may disagree as Nabakov (he of Lolita fame) once said "By editor I suppose you mean proofreader." Indeed, editing is often referred to as the "butcher's trade".
Editing requires a thorough grasp of English whereas proofreading requires an ability to simply spell. It is also fair to say that editing requires the exercise of the little grey cells to a far greater extent as they will be actively considering the subject matter and how well the piece will communicate with the prospective reader. This contrasts with simple proofreading which is a more mechanical process.
The Difference Between Editing and Proofreading
The writing process is technically made up of five different steps. Prewriting, writing, revising, editing and publishing is one version of those five different steps.
Prewriting, Writing, Proofreading, Editing and Submitting
That’s another variation. Of course, if you look through books and websites you’ll find quite a few other variations. But the bottom line is there is some confusion, the difference between Proofreading and Editing.
Why are there two different steps in the writing process that mean the same thing?
Well, they don’t really. A Supaproofreader will cover both steps. All you have to do is submit what you have written and we’ll take it the rest of the way to the Publish or Submit part.
But, proofreading and editing are different. They are actually two different sides of the same coin, but they have two different purposes. Let’s take a closer look.
Proofreading
Proofreading is actually the tougher of the two in my book. When you look your paper over after writing it, you should look for better ways of writing. You have awkward sentences that need some touching. You have words that don’t quite fit and you could make decisions about replacing them with more effective words.
You’re not just looking for errors in awkward sentences and weak words. You should look for places where you could be clearer. You should try to find places where you could make a stronger argument. Add sentences where explanations need to be. Proofreading is about tightening up your work and making your writing that much better.
Editing
Editing is where you look your work over for the actual grammar and spelling errors. That’s when you look through your document for all the “Red” squiggly lines – I can’t imagine anyone doing it with a typewriter anymore, but I do believe some old schoolers still exist. Just don’t consider every red squiggly line an error. “Supaproofreader” from a few paragraphs up and “schooler” in the last sentence technically are errors. But, I’m not changing them. I meant them just the way they are.
Don’t forget to look at grammar errors too. Subject and Verb agreement, Punctuation, Capitalization…those are the errors you catch when you are editing.
Yes, proofreading and editing can overlap. Let me put it this way, if I find a spelling error while I’m proofreading I’m not going to let it go. But, that’s the difference and now you know. Like the Justice League used to say all the time… “Knowing is half the battle.”
The Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of Great Article Writing
I know I covered the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How the last time. But, haven’t you got it yet? There is always more involved than what I let on in my first post on any topic. In fact, entire books have been written about article writing. Entire college courses teach it. So, one simple post isn’t going to cover everything.
Articles that get in depth are what people want to read. Don’t simply answer the questions and move on to other questions. Get in depth information that goes deeper than anyone else writing on that topic. Otherwise, you are simply telling people what they already know.
Example:
Frederick Dominguez and his kids were lost for three days in the mountains of Northern California because they ventured out there to cut down a Christmas tree. They were found on Wednesday by a California Highway Patrol helicopter crew.
If you visit any news site or look in any newspaper where this story is told, you will find this information. Does it answer the six critical questions? Yes.
Who – Frederick Dominguez and his kids.
What – were lost and have been found.
When – Wednesday.
Where – mountains of Northern California.
Why – looking for a Christmas tree.
How – California Highway Patrol helicopter crew.
But if you can find this story anywhere, why would anyone read yours? It makes all the difference in the world that the mother of the children had no idea they were missing until she realized her youngest child didn’t go to school on Monday. It makes all the difference in the world that a new snow storm was about to come and the search was about to be aborted. It makes all the difference in the world that people like Cory Stahl who owns a pest control business shut his business down so that all the employees could help with the search.
There are plenty of answers to those six basic questions. Keep digging. Dig deeper. Make sure you have as much information as you can and discount nothing. Any bit of information can make your article more interesting than the others. That’s the essence of great article writing.
When to Use Who and Whom
I thought it time to nobble this particular English language conundrum - when to use Who and when to use Whom.
Supaproofread has a section that goes into far more detail than I will here on this post and you can find it in the writing tips section here.
Who is a subjective pronoun that describes what or which person.
Whom is a pronoun that acts as an object for a verb or preceding preposition.
Phew!
In plain English please!!
A subjective pronoun is a word that is used when the person is a subject of the sentence. So, "I like fast cars but he doesn't" - "I" and "he" are subjective pronouns. We would ask "Who likes fast cars?" but not "Whom likes fast cars?"
A verb object is the person or thing the verb is acting on. So, "ERH flew the plane" has ERH as the subject, the verb is flying and the object is the plane. Except we would never refer to a plane as "whom" so how about "ERH flew her to Paris." In the latter case, "her" would be the object and so we would ask "With whom did ERH fly to Paris?"
Got that?
Here's a cheat tip then.
If you have a sentence using he/she then use "Who" and if it is him/her use "Whom".
MLA Versus APA Style
Writing professionally, you run into things you may not have seen in awhile. The world is getting so informal and unprofessional that some of the old things go flying out the window. It takes a minute to catch up on concepts you learned years ago and get ready to apply them today.
The difference between MLA and APA is just one of those things. In fact, you just might at this moment be thinking what in the world they even are. Some of you might have a faint memory that they are documentation guidelines. But, you might not be able to remember much more than that.
If you have any kind of document to present in whatever venue you need, whether your boss needs a research journal or your professor needs an essay, you have guidelines to follow. They may have given you some guidelines on their own. But, you also have a style that your paper needs to conform to upon presentation. That style could either be MLA or APA.
MLA Style
Common Mistakes Revisited
I’ve written about common mistakes before, in several posts. But the more I read different writings posted all over the internet, the more I feel the need to point out the errors. It’s like the internet has devoured our ability to write.
Now, communication is not a problem. Anyone who has been talking in forums, chat rooms, or sending instant messages for any significant amount of time will be able to decipher the following conversation:
Girl #1: Btw, r u n T gtg gf
Girl #2: DEGT
Girl #1: ?
Girl #2: ihnc
Girl #1: brb
Girl #2: hb
Girl #1: muah
OK, that might be a little exaggerated. But, that is how bad it gets. Anyone coming in on that conversation who is not familiar with the language is lost unless they have the pocket-size internet slang handbook.
But see, that’s the thing. Communication is not in jeopardy. As humans, we will always know how to communicate. But, writing is different. Writing has rules and internet slang is starting to impose itself onto the written word.
Wanna Study in the UK?
The UK is actually made up of four separate countries – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. When you arrive in the UK, you're assured of warm welcome and high levels of personal and academic support. If you are not sure whether you want to head to the UK for higher education, these are the reasons why you should go ahead.
An educational system that speaks for itself
UK education is respected throughout the world for its quality and consistently high standards. UK Universities and colleges provide a research-active environment, with the opportunity to learn from their academic mentors. It allows you to think for yourself and become independent (that’s important). It encourages skills which are in demand, and this is what attracts organizations from all over the globe (that’s important too). The unique quality assurance system that education in the UK gives you ensures accountability in all areas.
A home away from home
The added attraction of the UK is that outside the lecture hall it offers a very varied cultural and social life. It is also a safe and welcoming place for international visitors. Studying here allows you to meet students from all over the world and each student makes a unique contribution to the life of the institution, both academically and culturally.
Value for money
International education is a long-term investment. Considering the quality and international recognition of British qualifications, studying in the UK is excellent value for money. Tuition fees and living expenses are the two important factors to consider when selecting a college/University. These vary from one part of the UK to another. Students are attracted to the south, especially London, although the costs of living in the north are much lower than in the South of England. There are scholarships available for students as well, and it is also worth mentioning that there are many benefits available to international students that can make life in the UK more affordable:
Student Writing Advice: What You Need to do to Write Better
It is essential for student writers to maintain a schedule when they are enrolled in a college/university course that involves writing. You should set aside time to research and write everyday, I know it sounds strange but it'll help, otherwise what generally happens is commotion and drastic things happend when you're about to submit your paper (it gets worse when it's your dissertation/thesis!). Far too many students (and I was always one of them) to finish their work the night before submission, making a mess in the presentation of the document and causing numerous 'slip-ups' in their written material.
Did you ever wonder why your lecturer/professor gives you assignments three months in advance? Its to give you time to pace out your research and writing, make a plan for the particular essay or report and then execute it. Successful writers always plan their schedule before starting to write; most writers do not believe in an outline before the actual writing, but an outline in the form of a list of points to cover, or in fact, a mental image of a finished paper.