BU APA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 1

BU APA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 1

Updated 9/10/2018

APA QUICK REFERENCE STYLE AND FORMATTING GUIDE

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BELHAVEN UNIVERSITY 1500 Peachtree Street

Jackson, Mississippi 39202

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BU APA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 2

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APA Quick Reference Style and Formatting Guide – 2018

Adult Studies Editors: Dr. Paul Criss and Dr. Everett Wade.

Adult Studies Reviewers: Dr. Kotina Hall, Ron Pirtle, Dr. Kim Priesmeyer, and Paige Walters.

Adapted from Belhaven Graduate School of Education Quick Guide, editors Dr. David Hand, Dr. Cynthia Wilkins, Dr. Catherine Wasson, and Dr. Rebekah Chiasson.

Belhaven University – Jackson, Mississippi

Developed and adapted from the (2009) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

General Guidelines 4

Underlining vs. Italics 4

Page Numbers 4

Page Headers 4

Section Headings 5

Paragraph Indentation 5

Title Page 5

Spelling Bible and Biblical 5

Spelling Christian worldview 5

Citations

6

In-Text Citations: The Basics 6

Direct Quotations 6

Paraphrasing and Summarizing 7

Citing Various Types of Authors 7

Citing Indirect Sources 8

Citing Electronic Sources 8

Citing the Bible 8

Citing Yourself 9

References

10

Using Online Database Citation Tools 10

Entries for Different Types of Authors 11

Articles in Periodicals 13

Books 14

Electronic Sources 14

Quoting and Paraphrasing

16

Quotations 16

Paraphrases 17

Examples 17

Example Materials

19

Sample APA Pages 19

Example APA References by Type 22

Preparing an Essay

24

Introduction 24

Body Paragraphs 24

Conclusion 25

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GENERAL GUIDELINES Papers are to be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″) with 1″ margins on all sides. APA recommends using 12 pt. Times New Roman font. Belhaven requires that candidates use 12pt Times New Roman.

Underlining vs. Italics Use italics rather than underlining. Do not use the functions of your word processor to create underlining, or other special fonts or styles of type.

Page Numbers Number all pages except those for artwork in the upper right-hand corner. Begin numbering pages with the title page. The number should appear at least one inch from the right-hand edge of the page and on the same line as the Header. See below for instructions on how to add page number and header properly in Microsoft Word.

Page Headers Pages occasionally are separated, so identify each page with the header flush left and page number flush right. To add a header to your paper in Microsoft Word 2007, complete the following steps:

1. Open a new document in Word, and click the “Insert” tab. 2. In the Header and Footer section, click on “Header,” and choose the first option, “Blank.” 3. Within this Toolbar, go to the “Options” section, and check the box next to “Different First Page.” 4. Click inside of the brackets in the upper left-hand corner that read “[Type here]” and type the words

“Running head” (without quotations), followed by a colon and a shortened or full version of the title of your paper in all caps (up to 50 characters in length).

5. Click the tab button on your keyboard twice, and the cursor should move to the far right corner. 6. At the far left of the “Header and Footer” toolbar, click on “Page Number,” and scroll to the fourth

option, “Current Position.” Choose the first option, “Plain Number,” and the number 1 will then appear in the top left corner of your title page.

7. Then, proceed the second page of the paper. 8. Click on your title, and delete “Running head:” from the header. Page 2 and onward should now

just contain the abbreviated, all-caps title of your paper, while “Running head:” remains on the title page.

If 12 pt. Times New Roman is not set as the default font in Microsoft Word, you will need to highlight the header text and page number and change the font to this. The title page header must include the words “Running head:” followed by the shortened paper title in all caps. The words “Running head:” do not appear in the header anywhere else in the document.

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Section Headings Title of paper: Center the title of the paper on the first full page of text right below the page header. Use upper and lower case lettering. The title should not be boldface or underlined. If the title is longer than one line, continue to next line and single space (do not double space the title). If there is a colon in the title, divide the title at the colon and complete the title on the next line. First-Level Headings: First level headings are centered and in boldface. The major headings should be informative and concise, conveying the structure of the paper. For example:

First-Level Heading Centered and Boldface

Second-Level Headings: Second-level headings are flush left and boldface. For example: Second-Level Heading Flush Left and Boldface

Undergraduate and master degree level programs only utilize two levels of headings: first-level and second- level. Specialists and doctoral programs utilize all five levels of headings.

Paragraph Indentation Indent the first line of every paragraph with a five-space indent. Use the tab function if you are using a word processor or computer. Most word processors’ or computers’ default setting is acceptable.

Title Page The title page should contain the title of the paper, the author’s name, and the institutional affiliation (in that order). Include the page header (described above) flush left with the page number flush right at the top of the page. Start the first line of the title by counting 17 single spaces down from the Page Header. Center the title, the author’s name, and the institution’s name. Double space between the title, author’s name, and the institution. If the title exceeds more than one line, double space the title name. If the title has a colon in the name, this is the best place to break the title into two lines, space down from the colon and then complete the title. Next double space down to add the institution’s name. (See the sample Title page at the back of this Handbook.)

Spelling Bible and biblical The word “Bible,” when it refers to the sacred book is a proper noun and is always capitalized. “Holy Bible” and “Scripture” are also proper nouns and should always be capitalized. The word “biblical” is not a proper noun and is not capitalized.

Spelling Christian worldview Belhaven University renders the term as one word: Christian worldview, not Christian world view.

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CITATIONS What follows are some general guidelines for referring to the works of others in your essay. Note: APA style requires authors to use the past tense or present perfect tense when using signal phrases to describe earlier research, for example, “Jones (1998) found” or “Jones (1998) has found.”

In-Text Citations: The Basics When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author’s last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, for example, (Jones, 1998), and a complete reference should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper. If you are referring to an idea from another work but NOT directly quoting the material, or making reference to an entire book, article or other work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication and not the page number in your in-text reference. All sources that are cited in the text must appear in the reference list at the end of the paper. What follows are some rules for in-text citation capitalization, quotes, and italics:

• Always capitalize proper nouns, including author names and initials: D. Jones. • If you refer to the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters long or

greater within the title of a source: Permanence and Change. Exceptions apply to short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs: Writing New Media, There Is Nothing Left to Lose. (Note: in your References list, only the first word of a title will be capitalized: Writing new media.)

• When capitalizing titles, capitalize both words in a hyphenated compound word: Natural-Born Cyborgs.

• Capitalize the first word after a dash or colon: “Defining Film Rhetoric: The Case of Hitchcock’s Vertigo.”

• Italicize titles of longer works such as books, edited collections, movies, television series, documentaries, or albums, e.g.: The Closing of the American Mind.

• Put quotation marks around the titles of shorter works such as journal articles, articles from edited collections, television series episodes, and song titles, e.g., “Multimedia Narration: Constructing Possible Worlds.”

Direct Quotations When directly quoting from a work, you will need to include the author, year of publication, and the page number for the reference (preceded by “p.”). Introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes the author’s last name followed by the date of publication in parentheses.

According to Jones (1998), “Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially

when it was their first time” (p. 199).

If the author is not named in a signal phrase, place the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number in parentheses after the quotation.

She stated, “Students often had difficulty using APA style” (Jones, 1998, p. 199), but she

did not offer an explanation as to why.

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Paraphrasing and Summarizing If you are paraphrasing an idea from another work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication in your in-text reference, but APA guidelines encourage you to also provide the page number (although it is not required.)

According to Jones (1998), APA style is a difficult citation format for first-time learners.

APA style is difficult for first-time learners (p. 199).

Citing Various Types of Authors A Work by Two Authors: Name both authors in the signal phrase or in the parentheses each time you cite

the work. Use the word “and” between the authors’ names within the text of a sentence:

Research by Wegener and Petty (1994) supports this claim.

Use the ampersand in the parentheses at the end of a sentence or paragraph:

These conclusions were supported by many other researchers (Wegener & Petty, 1994).

A Work by Three to Five Authors: List all the authors in the signal phrase or in parentheses the first time you cite the source.

(Kernis, Cornell, Sun, Berry, & Harlow, 1993)

In subsequent citations, only use the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” in the signal phrase or in parentheses. In et al., et should not be followed by a period.

(Kernis et al., 1993)

Six or More Authors: Use the first author’s name followed by et al. in the signal phrase or in parentheses.

Harris et al. (2001) argued…

(Harris et al., 2001)

Organization as an Author: If the author is an organization or a government agency, mention the organization in the signal phrase or in the parenthetical citation the first time you cite the source.

According to the American Psychological Association (2000), …

If the organization has a well-known abbreviation, include the abbreviation in brackets the first time the source is cited and then use only the abbreviation in later citations.

First citation: (Mothers Against Drunk Driving [MADD], 2000)

Second citation: (MADD, 2000)

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Two or More Works in the Same Parentheses: When your parenthetical citation includes two or more works, order them the same way they appear in the reference list, separated by a semi-colon.

(Berndt, 2002; Harlow, 1983)

Authors with the Same Last Name: To prevent confusion, use first initials with the last names.

(E. Johnson, 2001; L. Johnson, 1998)

Citing Indirect Sources If you use a source that was cited in another source, name the original source in your signal phrase. List the secondary source in your reference list and include the secondary source in the parentheses.

Shelton argued that … (as cited in Hawkins, 2016, p. 112).

Citing Electronic Sources Cite an electronic document, if possible, the same as any other document by using the author-date style. Note: Never use the page numbers of Web pages you print out; different computers print Web pages with different pagination.

Kenneth (2014) explained…

Citing the Bible Identify the version of the Bible used in the first citation of the text when directly quoting from Scripture. Example:

Paul writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13,

New King James Version).

Spell out the version – do not use acronyms for versions. Do not identify the version of the Bible unless directly quoting from the Bible. If only summarizing, paraphrasing, or referencing, then only identify the book, chapter, and verse. Example:

James emphasizes that though we are saved through faith and not works, a living faith

should naturally produce good works (James 2:14-26).

Note: Do not identify the version of the Bible in subsequent references unless and when a different version is cited or referenced in the text.

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Do Not Reference the Bible On the Reference Page. According to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed., 2009, section 6.18, reference entries are not needed for the Bible and other major classical works.

Citing Yourself Students should not recycle assignments from previous courses. Furthermore, even if you would like to use material from a previous paper, Belhaven recommends that you paraphrase instead of directly quoting from a previous assignment.

Doe (2016) explained that “the previous literature on the virtues of solar energy has

largely ignored the problem of toxic metals” (p. 3).

The reference entry would follow the APA style for unpublished manuscripts.

Doe, J. R. (2016). Problems with Solar Energy. Unpublished manuscript, Belhaven

University.

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REFERENCES Your reference list should appear at the end of your paper. It provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any source you cite in the body of the paper. Each source you cite in the paper must appear in your reference list; likewise, each entry in the reference list must be cited in your text. Your references should begin on a new page separate from the text of the essay; label this page “References” centered at the top of the page (do not bold, underline, or use quotation marks for the title). All text should be double-spaced just like the rest of your essay. • All lines after the first line of each entry in your reference list should be indented one-half inch from the

left margin. This is called hanging indentation. • Authors’ names are inverted (last name first); give the last name and initials for all authors of a particular

work for up to and including seven authors. If the work has more than seven authors, list the first six authors and then use ellipses after the sixth author’s name. After the ellipses, list the last author’s name of the work.

• Reference list entries should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author of each work. • For multiple articles by the same author, or authors listed in the same order, list the entries in

chronological order, from earliest to most recent. • Present the journal title in full. • Maintain the punctuation and capitalization that is used by the journal in its title. • Capitalize all major words in journal titles. • When referring to books, chapters, articles, or Web pages, capitalize only the first letter of the first word

of a title and subtitle, the first word after a colon or a dash in the title, and proper nouns. Do not capitalize the first letter of the second word in a hyphenated compound word.

• Italicize titles of longer works such as books and journals. • Do not italicize, underline, or put quotes around the titles of shorter works such as journal articles or

essays in edited collections.

Using Online Database Citation Tools The online research databases available through the Belhaven Library page provide a tool to generate reference page entries for sources automatically. For Gale databases, this tool can be found on the right- hand side “Tools” menu under “Citation Tools.” For EBSCOhost databases, a similar tool is listed under the “Cite” option on the right-hand side “Tools” menu. When using these tools, students should take several precautions to ensure that the reference entries are indeed correct and reproduced properly on their references page. Students should remember that the formatting of the reference page entry is ultimately their responsibility and not that of the citation tool. Follow these steps to ensure your generated citation is correct: 1. Check to make sure that APA formatting is selected for the reference page entry, since many

databases have other options such as Chicago Style or MLA. 2. Once you have copied the entry, be sure to merge the formatting with your document when pasting the

entry. To do this, right click on the space where you would like to paste the entry, navigate down to “Paste Options,” and then choose “Merge Formatting.”

3. After doing this, the hanging indent of the entry may still be malformed. Check to make sure this is not the case, and fix the indent if necessary.

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Entries for Different Types of Authors The following rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.) Single Author: Last name first, followed by author initials.

Berndt, T. J. (2002). Friendship quality and social development. Current Directions in

Psychological Science, 11, 7-10.

Two Authors: List by their last names and initials. Use the ampersand instead of “and.”

Wegener, D. T., & Petty, R. E. (1994). Mood management across affective states: The

hedonic contingency hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66,

1034-1048.

Three to Seven Authors: List by last names and initials; commas separate author names, while the last author name is preceded again by ampersand.

Kernis, M. H., Cornell, D. P., Sun, C. R., Berry, A., Harlow, T., & Bach, J. S. (1993).

There’s more to self-esteem than whether it is high or low: The importance of stability

of self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, 1190-1204.

More Than Seven Authors: List by last names and initials; commas separate author names. After the

sixth author’s name, use an ellipses in place of the author names. Then provide the final author name.

There should be no more than seven names.

Miller, F. H., Choi, M. J., Angeli, L. L., Harland, A. A., Stamos, J. A., Thomas, S. T., . . .

Rubin, L. H. (2009). Web site usability for the blind and low-vision user. Technical

Communication, 57, 323-335.

Organization as Author: Simply list the organization in place of an author’s name.

American Psychological Association. (2003).

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Unknown Author: begin with the title of the work.

Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary (10th ed.).(1993). Springfield, MA: Merriam-

Webster.

NOTE: When your essay includes parenthetical citations of sources with no author named, use a shortened version of the source’s title instead of an author’s name. Use quotation marks and italics as appropriate. For example, parenthetical citations of the source above would appear as follows: (Merriam-Webster’s, 1993). Two or More Works by the Same Author: Use the author’s name for all entries and list the entries by the year. The earliest comes first.

Berndt, T. J. (1981).

Berndt, T . J. (1999).

When an author appears both as a sole author and, in another citation, as the first author of a group, list the one-author entries first.

Berndt, T. J. (1999). Friends’ influence on students’ adjustment to school. Educational

Psychologist, 34, 15-28.

Berndt, T. J., & Keefe, K. (1995). Trends in adolescent education. Child Development,

66, 1312-1329.

References that have the same first author and different second and/or third authors are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the second author, or the last name of the third if the first and second authors are the same.

Wegener, D. T., Kerr, N. L., Fleming, M. A., & Petty, R. E. (2000). Flexible corrections

of juror judgments: Implications for jury instructions. Psychology, Public Policy, and

Law, 6, 629-654.

Wegener, D. T., Petty, R. E., & Klein, D. J. (1994). Effects of mood on high elaboration

attitude change: The mediating role of likelihood judgments. European Journal of

Social Psychology, 24, 25-43.

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Two or More Works by the Same Author in the Same Year: If you are using more than one reference by the same author (or the same group of authors listed in the same order) published in the same year, organize them in the reference list alphabetically by the title of the article or chapter. Then assign letter suffixes to the year. Refer to these sources in your essay as they appear in your reference list, e.g.: “Berdnt (1981a) makes similar claims…”

Berndt, T. J. (1981a). Age changes and changes over time in prosocial intentions and

behavior between friends. Developmental Psychology, 17, 408-416.

Berndt, T. J. (1981b). Effects of friendship on prosocial intentions and behavior. Child

Development, 52, 636-643.

Articles in Periodicals Basic form: APA style dictates that authors are named last name followed by initials; publication year goes between parentheses, followed by a period. The title of the article is in sentence-case, meaning only the first word and proper nouns in the title are capitalized. The periodical title is run in title case, and is followed by the volume number which, with the title, is also italicized. If a DOI has been assigned to the article that you are using, you should include this after the page numbers for the article. If no DOI has been assigned and you are accessing the periodical online, use the URL of the website from which you are retrieving the periodical.

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical,

volume number(issue number), pages. doi:http://dx.doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyyy

Article in Journal Paginated by Volume: Journals that are paginated by volume begin with page one in issue one, and continue numbering issue two where issue one ended, etc.

Harlow, H. F. (1983). Fundamentals for preparing psychology journal articles. Journal of

Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 55, 893-896.

Article in Journal Paginated by Issue: Journals paginated by issue begin with page one every issue; therefore, the issue number should be indicated in parentheses after the volume. The parentheses and issue number are not italicized or underlined.

Scruton, R. (1996). The eclipse of listening. The New Criterion, 15(3), 5-13.

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Books Basic Format for Books

Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle.

Location: Publisher.

Note: For “Location,” you should always list the city and the state using the two letter postal abbreviation without periods (New York, NY).

Calfee, R. C., & Valencia, R. R. (1991). APA guide to preparing manuscripts for journal

publication. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Edition Other Than the First

Helfer, M. E., Kempe, R. S., & Krugman, R. D. (2007). The battered child (5th ed.).

Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Electronic Sources Please note: There are no spaces used with brackets in APA. When possible, include the year, month, and date in references. If the month and date are not available, use the year of publication. Article from an Online Periodical: Online articles follow the same guidelines for printed articles. Include all information the online host makes available, including an issue number in parentheses.

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Online

Periodical, volume number(issue number if available). Retrieved from

http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Baker, M. J. (2012). Understanding the living Web. Website Journal, 149. Retrieved

from http://www.websitejournal.com/articles/understanding

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Online Scholarly Journal Articles: Referencing DOIs: Because online materials can potentially change URLs, APA recommends providing a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), when it is available, as opposed to the URL. DOIs are an attempt to provide stable, long-lasting links for online articles. They are unique to their documents and consist of a long alphanumeric code. Many-but not all-publishers will provide an article’s DOI on the first page of the document.

Please note: In March of 2017 the formatting recommendations for DOIs changed. DOIs are now rendered as an alphanumeric string which acts as an active link. See the example below. Article From an Online Periodical with DOI Assigned

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal,

volume number, page range. https://doi.org/10.0000/arc0000000

Brownlie, D. (2007). Toward effective poster presentations: An annotated bibliography.

European Journal of Marketing, 41, 1245-1283. https://doi.org/10.1037/arc0000014

Article From an Online Periodical with no DOI Assigned: Online scholarly journal articles without a DOI require the URL of the journal home page. Remember that one goal of citations is to provide your readers with enough information to find the article; providing the journal home page aids readers in this process.

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal,

volume number. Retrieved from http://www.journalhomepage.com/full/url/

Kenneth, I. A. (2000). A Buddhist response to the nature of human rights. Journal of

Buddhist Ethics, 8. Retrieved from http://www.cac.psu.edu/jbe/twocont.html

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QUOTING AND PARAPHRASING

The preparation of a formal paper places a great deal of responsibility on the individual student. That responsibility is measured by the way the student utilizes ideas and written material prepared by others, as well as the way such materials are represented by the student in the paper. Failure to observe commonly accepted professional standards in the preparation of a paper most frequently is labeled as plagiarism. Plagiarism may result in the student’s receiving an “F” for the course.

Quotations Material that has been written and published by another author must be handled as a quotation when it appears as a part of another person’s work. In this case, when you, as a student, are utilizing printed material from another author, you must indicate that it is a direct quotation. This can be done in one of two ways. If the quotation is less than forty words, put quotation marks around the material. If the material is lengthier, it is appropriate to indent the material in a block quotation. Block quotations should be indented one-half inch from the left margin, double-spaced, and not placed within quotation marks. In both cases, it is necessary to give a proper citation including the name of the author, the year the material was published, and the page or pages on which the material can be found.

Paraphrases

Paraphrasing is when you use the ideas of others, and it most often involves the rewording and restructuring of written material to fit your own style of writing. The ideas contained therein, however, are those that are usually already written and published. The reason for using paraphrasing is twofold: (1) to put the idea into your own words and (2) to give credibility and authority to the idea. For whatever reason material is paraphrased, a citation should be properly noted.

Paraphrasing is a valuable skill because:

• it is better than quoting information from an undistinguished passage. • it helps you control the temptation to quote too much. • the mental process required for successful paraphrasing helps you to grasp the full meaning of

the original. 6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing

1. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning. 2. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card. 3. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this

material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase.

4. Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.

5. Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.

6. Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

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Examples The original passage:

Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse

quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final

manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit

the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes.

Lester, J. D. (2012). Writing research papers. Berkeley: University of California Press.

A legitimate paraphrase:

In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down

to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential

to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester, 2012, p. 46).

An acceptable summary:

Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize

the amount of quoted material in a research paper (Lester, 2012, p. 46).

A plagiarized version:

Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many

of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy

should consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source

material copied while taking notes.

Note: Plagiarism is the act or instance of plagiarizing, to steal or pass off the ideas or words of another as one’s own without crediting the source. Paraphrasing or quoting material without crediting the source is plagiarism. As indicated above, plagiarism may result in the student’s receiving an “F” for the course.

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Paragraph with Paraphrasing without direct quote

The author discusses the impact of boarding schools through what some

literature refers to as nine characteristics explaining the impact of such

institutions. Many of these refer to the social status of the pupils and social

standing of those who have been charged with their care. Two of the

characteristics—close student-staff relationship and dual curriculum—stand out

when accounting for what some would consider the long-term success of boarding

schools (Kahane,1988).

Paragraph with Paraphrasing with direct quotation

Kahane (1988) argues the impact of boarding schools through what some

literature refers to as nine characteristics explaining the impact of such

institutions. Many of these refer to the social status of the pupils and social

standing of those who have been charged with their care. Two of the

characteristics—close student-staff relationship and dual curriculum—stand out

when accounting for what some would consider the long-term success of boarding

schools (Kahane, 1988). Weinberg (1967) found, “Certain scholars have assumed

that boarding schools provide a consistent pedagogical environment that increases

their power to desocialize and resocialize pupils” (p. 64).

Running head: CAN MEDICATION CURE OBESITY? 1

Can Medication Cure Obesity in Children?

John Doe

Belhaven University

CAN MEDICATION CURE OBESITY? 2

Can Medication Cure Obesity in Children?

In March 2004, U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona called attention to a health

problem in the United States that, until recently, has been overlooked: childhood obesity.

Carmona said that the “astounding” 15% child obesity rate constitutes an “epidemic.” Since the

early 1980s, that rate has “doubled in children and tripled in adolescents.” Now more than 9

million children are classified as obese (Yanovski & Yanovski, 2002, p. 594). While the

traditional response to a medical epidemic is to hunt for a vaccine or a cure-all pill, childhood

obesity is more elusive. The lack of success of recent initiatives suggests that medication might

not be the answer for the escalating problem. Furthermore, a medicating approach fails to solve

other problems associated with obesity, such as poor cardiovascular health and unhealthy dietary

habits. In many cases, the side effects of weight loss drugs may even exacerbate preexisting

problems of high blood pressure and elevated heart rate. In light of the inherent problems of

fighting obesity through medication alone, medical professionals must advocate a more holistic

approach that includes diet and exercise in their strategies for reducing childhood obesity.

The widening scope of the obesity problem has prompted medical professionals to

rethink old conceptions of the disorder and its causes. As researchers Yanovski and Yanovski

(2002) have explained, obesity was once considered “either a moral failing or evidence of

underlying psychopathology” (p. 592). But this view has shifted: Many medical professionals

now consider obesity a biomedical rather than a moral condition, influenced by both genetic and

environmental factors. Yanovski and Yanovski have further noted that the development of

weight-loss medications in the early 1990s showed that “obesity should be treated in the same

manner as any other chronic disease . . . through the long-term use of medication” (p. 592). The

search for the right long-term medication has been complicated. Many of the drugs authorized by

CAN MEDICATION CURE OBESITY? 3

References

Bailey, D. R., & Kraft, J. (2015). Childhood obesity rates in secondary schools. Child

Development, 108, 162-179.

Banks, M. R. (2017). Understanding childhood obesity. Dietetics Journal, 149. Retrieved from

http://www.dietetics.com/articles/understandingobesity

Summers, D. M. (2016). An assessment of common factors in cases of childhood obesity.

Pediatric Psychology, 32, 411-436.

Yanovski, S. Z., & Yanovski, J. A. (2002). Drug therapy: Obesity. The New England Journal of

Medicine, 346, 591-602.

* Sample pages adapted from The Bedford Handbook, pp. 729-738.

BU APA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 22

EXAMPLE APA REFERENCES BY TYPE

Type of Source Sample Reference Entry (Actual references are double-spaced.)

Book, one author Warfield, C. (1998). High school teaching strategies. New Haven, CT:

Harper Collins.

Book, two authors Baxter, J. D., & Stein, G. M. (2014). Prevention and care. New York,

NY: McGraw Hill.

Book, editors in place of authors

Kennedy, X. J., & Gioia, D. (Eds.). (2007). Literature: an introduction.

New York, NY: Longman.

Work in an Anthology Johnson, J. A. (1987). My bones are vexed. In J. Timmerman & D.

Hettinga (Eds.), In the world (pp. 232-237). Grand Rapids,

Michigan: Baker Academic.

Journal Article Drichel, S. (2008). Regarding the other: Postcolonial violations and

ethical resistance in Margaret Atwood’s work. Modern Fiction

Studies, 54, 26-49.

Journal article, read online, without doi

Jacoby, W. G. (1994). Public attitudes toward government

spending. American Journal of Political Science, 38, 336-361.

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.

Journal Article, read online, with doi

Fearon, J. D., & Laitin, D. D. (2003). Ethnicity, insurgency, and civil

war. American Political Science Review, 97(1), 75-86. doi:

10.1017/S0003055403000534

BU APA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 23

Magazine Article, print Henry, D. R., (1999, September 9). The question of gun control. Time,

178, 28-30.

Magazine Article, read online

Henry, D. R., (1999, September 9). The question of gun control. Time,

178, 28-30. Retrieved from http://www.time.com

Newspaper Article, print Beauchamp, D. M. (2010, November 15). Tennessee goes green. The

New York Times.

Newspaper Article, read online

Beauchamp, D. M. (2010, November 15). Tennessee goes green. The

New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Web Site: no author, no publication date.

Cystic fibrosis. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2015, in Mayo Clinic

website. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-

conditions/cystic-fibrosis/basics/definition/con-20013731

BU APA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 24

PREPARING A TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC ESSAY†

Part 1: The Introduction An introduction is usually the first paragraph of your academic essay. A good introduction does two things. For one, an effective introduction gets the reader’s attention. You can get a reader’s attention by telling a story, providing a statistic, pointing out something strange or interesting, or providing and discussing an interesting quote. Be interesting and find some original angle via which to engage others in your topic. An effective introduction also provides a specific and debatable thesis statement. The thesis statement is generally only one sentence long. A good thesis statement makes a debatable point that someone might disagree with and argue against. It also serves as a roadmap for what you argue in your paper. The following is an example of a first paragraph:

Preparing to be a teacher requires more than just knowing the material to be

taught. In addition to the knowledge needed to teach effectively, instructors also need a

variety of skills in order to interact successfully with students. To be an effective

teacher, one has to deal with students according to their individual needs, have

patience, and earn students’ respect rather than demanding it from them.

Note that the thesis statement (in boldface) addresses three points:

 Dealing with students according to their individual needs

 The need for patience

 Earning respect rather than demanding it This thesis statement helps to structure the rest of the essay, as it clearly addresses three points that can then be explained in the corresponding sections of the paper.

Part 2: The Body Paragraphs Body paragraphs help you prove your thesis and move you along a compelling trajectory from your introduction to your conclusion. If your thesis is a simple one, you might not need as many body paragraphs to prove it. If it is more complicated, you will need more body paragraphs. The next paragraphs (depending upon the number required—as in our example, three points) deal with each individual point. You must use a different paragraph for each point. You should use transitional worlds to introduce each paragraph.

† Adapted from handouts by Dr. Liliana Naydan, University of Michigan, Sweetland Center for

Writing and the Jacksonville Theological Seminary Student Catalog 2015.

BU APA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 25

Example of the second paragraph in our example essay:

To begin with, every student is different. If I am going to reach each and every

student in my class, I need to find out all I can about that student. Knowing his or her

background will help me to understand why he or she reacts the way that he or she

does. Some students need visual instruction while others need hands-on participation.

Just knowing the material that I am teaching is not sufficient.

Example of the third paragraph:

In addition to knowing all that I can about each student, I learned that patience

is a vital necessity for a teacher to possess. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat

instructions several times before all of the students understand the material.

Sometimes I may have to alter my progress of teaching in order to make sure that

every student knows the material that I am presenting.

The words bolded at the beginning of the two example paragraphs indicate transitional words. You are not to underline these words in your essay. You should continue the rest of the paragraphs—except the final one—using the points in your first paragraph. The last paragraph is a concluding paragraph and should summarize what you state in the first paragraph. Once again, you should list all points that you have discussed in your essay.

Part 3: The Conclusion A conclusion is the last paragraph of your essay. If you are writing a particularly long essay, you might need two or three paragraphs to conclude. A conclusion typically does one of two things—or, of course, it can do both. An effective conclusion summarizes the argument. Instructors will not expect you to write anything new in your conclusion. They just want you to restate your main points. Especially if you have made a long and complicated argument, it is useful to restate your main points for your reader by the time you have gotten to your conclusion. If you do so, keep in mind that you should use different language than you used in your introduction and your body paragraphs. The introduction and conclusion should not be exactly the same.

BU APA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 26

An effective conclusion explains the significance of the argument. Some instructors may want you to explain your argument’s significance. In other words, they want you to answer the “so what” question by giving your reader a clearer sense of why your argument matters.

• For example, your argument might be significant to studies of a certain time period. • Alternately, it might be significant to a certain geographical region. • Alternately still, it might influence how your readers think about the future. You might even opt to

speculate about the future and/or call your readers to action in your conclusion.