Course objectives

• Listed in the syllabus

• Provide insight into purpose of material
• Each week briefly review

CMGT 540 1
 Weekly objectives
• Demonstrate an understanding of APA style via correct
application of style rules
• Be able to write in the research style (e.g. concisely,
accurately, using citations)
• Formulate research questions and hypotheses
• Develop ethical guidelines and principles

CMGT 540 2
 Weekly objectives
• Demonstrate an understanding of APA style via correct
application of style rules

• This lecture
– Introduce/remind you about APA style

CMGT 540 3
APA style
 What is APA?
• APA style follows the guidelines of the
Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association
• APA style is used in many diverse areas
such as Sociology, Business, Economics,
Nursing, Social Work, and Criminology

CMGT 540 5
Why bother with APA when it is so much work….?

Because….
• You have to
• Makes it easier for reader to understand
your writing
• Your readers can find what they want
quicker/more efficiently
• Publishing/editing simplified when
everyone uses same format
CMGT 540 6
 Main sections of a paper
• Abstract
Brief summary of the paper
• Introduction
Who cares about this topic and why
• Literature review
Background, purpose and hypothesis
• Method
How hypothesis tested / data collected
• Results
What happened
• Discussion
What this means, critique of own work

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 Abstract
• Usually about 150 words in length
• Concise and to the point
• Read this first to see if the article is
relevant to you

CMGT 540 8
 Introduction
• Assume the reader is intelligent but not an expert on the
topic you are writing about
• What are you studying? – Why does reader care?
• Broad overview of the area
• End with statement about goal of current paper
• Note that the introduction section should not be labeled
"Introduction"; just use the title of your paper
• Should have citations

CMGT 540 9
 Literature Review
• Focus in more of what you are studying
• Describe past work
• Set foundation for what others have found
before on the topic
• Incorporate theory
• End with restatement of goal of paper

CMGT 540 10
 Method
• How the data was collected
• Reader should be able to replicate a study
after reading the method

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 Results
• What was the data?
• Typically, described with
– statistics if a quantitative method
– quotes if qualitative

CMGT 540 12
 Discussion
• What does data mean?
– in relation to the paper’s goals
– the bigger picture
• What were some problems with the study?
• Suggestions for future research

CMGT 540 13
 He and She
• Always be clear about sex identity of participants do not
use gender terms when not necessary
• Avoid he/his/men as applying to both sexes
• Also avoid he or she, she or he, he/she, (s)he, s/he
• Rephrase the sentence
• Use plural nouns or plural pronouns – this way you can
use "they" or "their."
• Replace the pronoun with an article – instead of "his,"
use "the."
• Drop the pronoun – many sentences sound fine if you
just omit the troublesome "his" from the sentence
• Replace the pronoun with a noun such as "person,"
"individual," "child," "researcher," etc

CMGT 540 14
 APA style resources
• APA handbook (course textbook)

• OWL Purdue APA style guide

– https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html

• USC writing center

– https://dornsife.usc.edu/writingcenter/

CMGT 540 15