From Reading to Writing
+ APA Overview
Presented by the SSW Writing Tutors
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Jenny Walden, EDP Writing Tutor | edpwrite@uw.edu
Julia Schneider, MSW Day/BASW Writing Tutor | sswwrite@uw.edu
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
5-6pm | SSW 26/30
Today’s Focus
Part I: How to Read Effectively - Jenny
Part II: Getting Started with the Writing Process - Julia
Part III: APA Overview - Jenny & Julia
Part I: How to Read Effectively
Things we’ll cover:
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Different strategies for critical reading
Grad school reading tips
Reading for the prompt
What is Critical Reading?
Critical reading looks for ways of thinking about the
subject rather than looking primarily for information.
Critical Reading → Critical Writing
Different Strategies for Critical Reading:
1. Read actively
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Engage, intellectually respond, determine the purpose of the
text, and distinguish the kinds of reasonings the text employs
2. Break the linear tradition
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Rid yourself of the idea of a 3 step linear writing process (read,
think, write)
Instead, stop to ask questions, challenge the writer, and pay
attention to your own responses while reading.
Different Strategies for Critical Reading:
3. Enter the conversation
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Are there gaps in the argument? Do you want to challenge these
gaps? Do you want to apply the argument to something the
author hasn’t considered?
4. Use the margins
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Demystify the text by underlining important passages, asking
questions, noting connections, drawing arrows, etc.
Different Strategies for Critical Reading:
5. Moving outside the text
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Every text has a context in which it was written. Try to
understand the forces that moved the author to write that work.
Also, think about how your identity shapes your understanding
of the text.
"Do I really have to read every article in the
syllabus?"
Reading Tips
Reading a lot in less time
❖ Survey the material.
❖ Read the major elements (introductions and conclusions).
❖ Scan and skim the middle (do first and last paragraphs).
Reading Tips
Understanding and retaining what you read
❖ Take notes in the margins!
❖ After finishing a reading, write a few sentences summarizing
the key point in your own words.
❖ Talk it over with classmates.
❖ Bring questions to your professors and/or class discussions.
http://petermjfitzgerald.wordpress.com/2010/12/15/critical-reading-and-thinking/
Writing a good paper that doesn't address its
prompt is like hopping on a one-way cruiseliner headed to the middle of the ocean: it's
a nice ride, going nowhere.
Reading for the Prompt
For focused critical reading
Step 1: Understand the prompt
❖ Read the prompt carefully.
❖ Underline key words.
❖ Restate the prompt in your own words.
Writing Prompt: HUB Assignment 1
Taking a controversial social issue of interest to you, the
assignment asks you to:
● engage with, identify, and begin to critically analyze the
social and political ideas shaping the public debate over the
issue (and thus related American social policies and
programs), using the analytic frameworks (politicaleconomic paradigms and social justice theories) we have
learned about in class; and,
● articulate and defend your own position on the issue you
selected.
Reading for the Prompt
For focused critical reading
Step 2: Critical Reading
❖ Consider your topic choice.
❖ Pay close attention to prompt themes in the text.
❖ Begin analyzing the text in preparation for writing.
Part II: Getting Started with the Writing
Process
Things we’ll cover:
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How to get started with a paper
How to format a paper/outlining
Developing theses and claims
Supporting your argument
Quoting & paraphrasing - incorporating the readings
From Reading to Writing
Organizing your thoughts, organizing your paper
● Find your writing process: brainstorm, outline, freewrite, chat
with a colleague, etc.
● What about the readings caught your eye? What excited you?
What frustrated you?
● Talk it out. Map it out. Draw it out.
● Once you get all of your ideas out, step back and focus in on
one specific idea.
How to Format your Paper
In the words of Professor Jennie Romich, when you write a paper:
1. Tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em.
2. Tell ‘em.
3. Tell ‘em what you told ‘em.
Outlining
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Intro Paragraph (tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em)
o Thesis Statement
Body Paragraph 1 - Supporting Idea/Claim 1 (tell ‘em)
o Transition
o Topic sentence
o Evidence/Quotes
 Analyze
 Interpret
o Evidence/Quotes
 Analyze
 Interpret
Body Paragraph 2 - Supporting Idea/Claim 2 (tell ‘em)
Body Paragraph 3 - Supporting Idea/Claim 3 (tell ‘em)
Conclusion (tell ‘em what you told ‘em)
Outlining
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Intro Paragraph (tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em)
o Thesis Statement
Body Paragraph 1 - Supporting Idea/Claim 1 (tell ‘em)
o Transition
o Topic sentence
o Evidence/Quotes
 Analyze
 Interpret
o Evidence/Quotes
 Analyze
 Interpret
Body Paragraph 2 - Supporting Idea/Claim 2 (tell ‘em)
Body Paragraph 3 - Supporting Idea/Claim 3 (tell ‘em)
Conclusion (tell ‘em what you told ‘em)
Intro Paragraph
(aka tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em)
● Get the reader’s attention.
● Provide background info/contextualize.
● Make thesis statement - topic, claim, main points, evidence.
Thesis Statement
Create an argument
● A thesis statement is a specific claim that you will argue for and
explore in your paper.
● Take a stance; argue a position.
● Arguable claims:
(1) are persuasive and convincing.
(2) tackle an issue/problem/question for which no easy
answer exists.
(3) invite a variety of possible perspectives.
Thesis Statements
Hot tips
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Choose a topic that interests you! You’re going to spend
some time getting cozy with a paper, so make sure you’re
actually interested in what you’re going to write.
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You’re writing these papers for a reason. It’s not just about
the class or your grade. Choose something you’re passionate
about that will advance your learning as a social worker!
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Be flexible and open-minded. It’s okay if your thesis and topic
change as you go… Writing is a process.
Outlining
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Intro Paragraph (tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em)
o Thesis Statement
Body Paragraph 1 - Supporting Idea/Claim 1 (tell ‘em)
o Transition
o Topic sentence
o Evidence/Quotes
 Analyze
 Interpret
o Evidence/Quotes
 Analyze
 Interpret
Body Paragraph 2 - Supporting Idea/Claim 2 (tell ‘em)
Body Paragraph 3 - Supporting Idea/Claim 3 (tell ‘em)
Conclusion (tell ‘em what you told ‘em)
Body Paragraphs
(aka tell ‘em)
● Use transitions to guide the reader from one idea to the next.
● State a topic sentence that introduces that paragraph and what
ideas you’re going to tackle.
● Make sure each paragraph furthers your argument in a logical
manner.
● Provide examples (quotes, summaries, paraphrases, statistics,
stories, etc.) from your text or research. Don’t forget to cite
anything that didn’t grow in your brain!
● Analyze the example -- why is it important/relevant to your
claim and thesis statement? What does it mean?
● Wrap it up -- make a concluding statement.
Body Paragraphs Simplified
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Insert a topic sentence.
Explain your topic sentence.
Introduce your evidence.
Insert your evidence.
Unpack your evidence.
Explain your evidence.
Insert a concluding sentence.
Outlining
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Intro Paragraph (tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em)
o Thesis Statement
Body Paragraph 1 - Supporting Idea/Claim 1 (tell ‘em)
o Transition
o Topic sentence
o Evidence/Quotes
 Analyze
 Interpret
o Evidence/Quotes
 Analyze
 Interpret
Body Paragraph 2 - Supporting Idea/Claim 2 (tell ‘em)
Body Paragraph 3 - Supporting Idea/Claim 3 (tell ‘em)
Conclusion (tell ‘em what you told ‘em)
Conclusion
(aka tell ‘em what you told ‘em… and then some)
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Your last contact with the reader; make it count!
Restate your thesis.
Summarize your claims and evidence.
Show how you proved your thesis statement!
Create a sense of development or movement to a more
complex understanding of the subject of your paper.
● So what? Why does it matter? Discuss implications, relevance,
significance, next steps.
● This is the climax of your paper. Don’t just rehash your intro.
go out with a bang!
Quotes & Paraphrases
Incorporating the readings
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Quotes are:
o word for word (verbatim) from the text
o in quotation marks (unless a block quote)
o usually brief
o supportive of your claims, evidence, and examples
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o used when you just can’t say it any better than the original author did
Paraphrases are:
o ideas from the text put in your own words
o not in quotations
o supportive of your claims, evidence, and examples
o helpful to condense/summarize a long and/or complex passage or chart
Plagiarism
What is it?
Plagiarism occurs when you use someone else’s words or ideas as
your own and do not give them credit (whether on purpose or
not).
If you got the idea from someone else, you have to acknowledge
that.
Paraphrasing & plagiarism
Don’t accidentally plagiarize when you paraphrase!
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When you paraphrase something, you aren’t just replacing a
few words with synonyms or changing the sentence order.
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Paraphrases should be a completely new way of expressing the
same idea as the original text.
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Don’t forget to cite your paraphrases!
o If the idea isn’t yours, then cite it.
o If in doubt, cite it.
Part III: APA Overview
Things we’ll cover:
• What it is/who uses it
• Citations
• Reference list
• Software/online generators
APA
American Psychological Association
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What is it?
Who else uses it?
o Social Sciences (Psyc, Socio, Econ, Poli Sci)
o Business
o Education
o Nursing
When to Cite
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When should you cite sources?
o “Authors do not present the work of another as if it were
their own work” (APA, 2010, p. 16).
o According to APA (2010), “Whether paraphrasing, quoting
the author directly, or describing an idea that influenced
your work, you must credit the source” (p. 170).
o “Provide documentation of all facts and figures that are
not common knowledge” (APA, 2010, p. 169).
Short Quotes
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less than 4 lines types or <40 words
in quotes
flow with the rest of the paper
period comes after the in-text citation
Example:
According to Jones (1998), “Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially when
it was their first time” (p. 199).
Block Quotes
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4+ lines typed or 40+ words
not in quotes
indented ½ inch from the left margin
double-spaced
closing punctuation mark comes before parenthetical citation
Example:
Jones’s (1998) study found the following:
Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially when it was their first time
citing sources. This difficulty could be attributed to the fact that many students
failed to purchase a style manual or to ask their teacher for help. (p. 199)
In-text Citations: Indirect Quotations
(paraphrasing)
Kessler (2003) found that among epidemiological samples…
Early onset result in a more persistent and severe course (Kessler, 2003).
In 2003, Kessler’s study of epidemiological samples showed that…
In-text Citations: Indirect Quotations
(paraphrasing)
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Two Authors
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In-text: Walker and Allen (2004)
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Parenthetical format: (Walker & Allen, 2004)
More than Two Authors
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First citation: list all authors
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Example: Bradley, Ramirez, and Soo (2006)
Second citation: list first author followed by et al.
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Example: Bradley et al. (2006)
In-text Citations: Short, Direct Quotations
“..early onset result in a more persistent and severe course”
Kessler (2003) found that among epidemiological samples “early onset result in
a more persistent and severe course” (p. 22).
Among epidemiological samples “early onset result in a more persistent and
severe course” (Kessler, 2003, p. 22).
In-text Citations: Short, Direct Quotations
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Two Authors
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In-text: Walker and Allen (2004).... “quote” (p. 15).
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Parenthetical format: (Walker & Allen, 2004, p. 15)
More than Two Authors
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First citation: list all authors
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Example: Bradley, Ramirez, and Soo (2006)... “quote” (p. 36).
Second citation: list first author followed by et al.
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Example: Bradley et al. (2006)... “quote” (p. 36).
Main Takeaway
Paraphrases → Author(s), Year, Page Number if known*
...(Kessler, 2003). -orKessler (2003)....
Short quotes → Author(s), Year, Page Number
“...” (Kessler, 2003, p. 22). -or-
Kessler (2003) “....” (p. 22).
*APA encourages you to include the page number, but it is not required.
Reference List: Periodical
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Title
of article. Title of Periodical, volume #(issue #), pp-pp.
Herbst-Damm, K. L., & Kulik, J. A. (2005). Volunteer
support, marital status, and the survival times of
terminally ill patients. Health Psychology, 24, 225-229.
Reference List: Online Periodical
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Title of
article. Title of Periodical, volume #(issue #) pp-pp.
Retrieved from http://website
McGowan, J. (2002). Understanding jazz styles through
sociolinguistic models. Discourses in Music, 4(1), 22-48.
Retrieved from http://www.discourses.ca/v4n1a1.html
APA Websites/Generators
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Useful APA websites
o Purdue OWL: APA Formatting
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
o Odegaard’s Writing Resources website
http://depts.washington.edu/owrc/WritingResources.html#Handouts
o APA Lite for College Papers
http://www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm
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APA Generators
o BibMe: http://www.bibme.org/
o Son of Citation Machine: http://citationmachine.net/index2.php
o Citefast: http://www.citefast.com/
References
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
(6th ed.). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Fitzgerald, Peter. (2010). Critical Reading and Thinking. Retrieved from http://petermjfitzgerald.wordpress.com/2010/
12/15/critical-reading-and-thinking/
Knott, D. (2012). Critical Reading Towards Critical Writing. Writing at the University of Toronto. Retrieved
from http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/reading-and-researching/critical-reading
Odegaard Writing & Research Center. (n.d.) Claims, Claims, Claims. Adapted from UW Expository Writing Program
handouts. Retrieved from http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
Odegaard Writing & Research Center. (n.d.) Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing. Adapted from UW Expository
Writing Program handouts. Retrieved from http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
Odegaard Writing & Research Center. (n.d.) Strong Body Paragraphs. Adapted from UW Expository Writing Program
handouts. Retrieved from http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
Odegaard Writing & Research Center. (n.d.) Introductions & Conclusions. Adapted from UW Expository Writing Program
handouts. Retrieved from http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
Join us for the next Writing Workshop!
Topic: 500/501 Papers
Led by: Jim and Erin, the course subject tutors!
When: Wednesday, October 9th, 5:30-6:30pm
Where: SSW 305 B